Stunning £61m Liverpool signing advances as selling club ‘gives up’ | OneFootball

Liverpool have received a significant boost in their pursuit of Germany star Nico Schlotterbeck, though they will need to overcome Real Madrid to complete the signing, while the update comes amid a fresh claim made over Ibrahima Konate’s future.

Liverpool beat Chelsea to the capture of French centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, agreeing to pay Rennes £60million for his services this summer. The Reds feel he can one day form a solid defensive partnership with Giovanni Leoni.

But Liverpool could re-enter the market for another centre-half at the end of the season. There is uncertainty over whether Ibrahima Konate will leave on a free transfer, while Virgil van Dijk’s own contract expires in June 2027.

Our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, revealed on Monday that Konate has surprisingly kept Liverpool ‘at arm’s length’ as he considers his options.

Liverpool feel they have offered the player a competitive package, but he is in contact with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

Anfield chiefs have warned Konate they will not wait until the end of the campaign for him to make a decision.

Borussia Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck is on Liverpool’s shortlist in case they need to move on from Konate and Van Dijk.

As per Spanish outlet El Desmarque, Schlotterbeck’s Dortmund exit is accelerating as they are set to ‘give up’ in their attempts to keep him.

The 26-year-old is poised to leave this summer as his contract expires in June 2027 and he has no intention of renewing.

Dortmund have reportedly given Schlotterbeck a €70m (£61m / $83m) price tag amid interest from Liverpool and Madrid.

Madrid ‘fully committed’ to signing Liverpool target

Given the source, it is understandable that the report focuses on Madrid’s bid to land Schlotterbeck. They report that Madrid are ‘fully committed’ to doing a deal but ‘there are other teams that want to sign him’, setting up a major potential transfer battle.

It emerged on January 17 that the German has been joined on Liverpool’s radar by Inter Milan stopper Alessandro Bastoni.

Reports in Spain have suggested Schlotterbeck would rather join Madrid than Liverpool, but this has yet to be confirmed by sources in England.

Liverpool: Salah exit update; Slot sack latest

Meanwhile, Anfield icon Mohamed Salah could earn a whopping £187m when leaving the club, a report has claimed.

Salah is open to exploring a lucrative switch to Saudi Arabia, and ‘discussions’ with his primary suitors are underway.

Salah and Arne Slot fell out earlier in the season, and they could leave Liverpool at the same time this summer.

Slot remains under pressure to turn Liverpool’s fortunes around following the 2-1 home defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.