Liverpool make ‘concrete’ move for £52m maestro with Salah repeat on – report | OneFootball

Liverpool have identified Portugal star Francisco Trincao as a possible replacement for Mohamed Salah and have taken steps towards his capture, a report has claimed.

Liverpool need to sign two new forwards this summer. They require a right winger who can succeed from Salah, as the Egyptian icon will leave Anfield on a free transfer at the end of the season.

The Reds also need to enter the market for a second, more versatile attacker after Hugo Ekitike ruptured his Achilles. The French striker will be out for at least six months, and potentially as long as nine months.

CaughtOffside report that Liverpool could make Trincao their new right winger. The Sporting CP ace can thrive either out on the right flank or in the No 10 role.

He has managed 13 goals and 18 assists in 52 games so far this term, form which has left a big impression on Liverpool recruitment officials.

Liverpool have ‘registered their interest’ in Trincao and ‘taken concrete steps’ towards his signing, presumably by making contact with the player’s camp and/or Sporting.

Liverpool’s interest is ‘significant’ and they are ‘moving with real intent’ to beat Arsenal and Chelsea to the deal.

Arsenal are said to be ‘monitoring the situation’, while Chelsea are ‘watching closely’.

Trincao joining Liverpool this summer could see him follow in Salah’s footsteps by aiming to prove his Premier League doubters wrong.

The 26-year-old only notched three goals in 30 appearances during a previous loan spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers, but he has improved hugely since then.

Salah was famously labelled a Chelsea flop before reigniting his career with Roma, earning a transfer to Liverpool in July 2017 – and the rest is history.

Sporting are expected to hold out for Trincao’s €60million (£52m) release clause in full before sanctioning his return to England.

Top Liverpool target named

Trincao was previously tipped to reunite with Ruben Amorim at Manchester United. However, that trail went cold when Amorim was sacked by United in January.

While Trincao may be an option Liverpool are considering, it is important to note that RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande is their top target for the right flank.

Our friends at TEAMtalk revealed recently that Liverpool are going ‘full throttle’ to win the race for Diomande, having opened talks with both the player’s agents and Leipzig.

Although, FSG will need to pay a huge €100m (£87m) to sign Diomande, as Red Bull view the Ivorian as their best talent since Erling Haaland.

It emerged earlier on Tuesday that Liverpool are eyeing several Premier League forwards heading into the summer, most notably Mohammed Kudus, Anthony Gordon, Yankuba Minteh and Jarrod Bowen.

Gordon would be a great temporary replacement for Ekitike, as he is dangerous as either a left winger or false nine.