Liverpool ready ‘significant offer’ for Barcelona superstar in first of five signings | OneFootball

Liverpool are lining up a summer offer for Barcelona defender Jules Kounde as they search for a versatile right-sided defender, according to reports.

The Reds have another big summer ahead of them after Arne Slot has been plagued by rumours that he could lose his job for most of the season.

Slot now looks very likely to stay as Liverpool head coach next season, especially if the Reds secure Champions League qualification, which now looks almost certain.

Liverpool spent over £400m on new players, although they brought a lot back in via sales, last summer as they looked to build on Slot’s Premier League title success in his first season.

However, the Reds have been poor for most of the season with several players struggling to show the same form this season as last, while the new signings have taken time to bed in.

And now Liverpool are looking to fill a number of gaps in Slot’s squad with Sky Sports revealing this week that ‘both full-back positions, centre-back, defensive-midfield and the forward line are all being looked at.’

The Reds missed out on the signing of Marc Guehi in the summer after Crystal Palace pulled out of a deal while he was having a medical, while they were hampered by an early-season injury at centre-back to summer signing Giovanni Leoni.

Liverpool have also struggled at times to cover right-back because of injuries to Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong with Dominik Szoboszlai filling in there at times.

Liverpool are ‘preparing a bid once the season ends’

And now Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo have revealed that Liverpool are ‘expected to step up their pursuit with a significant offer’ for Barcelona defender Kounde this summer.

Kounde has predominantly played at right-back since moving to Barcelona from Sevilla but he has also spent a lot of his career playing at centre-back too.

There have been several reports claiming that Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick is having doubts over the France international over recent performances, potentially opening the door to a summer move.

With Barcelona ‘needing to secure a major sale, sources in England continue to claim that Liverpool FC are preparing a bid once the season ends’.

The report adds that the Premier League side ‘would be willing to put forward around €80 million’ to secure Kounde’s services as Liverpool have a ‘clear need for a right-back and even a player capable of operating as a centre-back’.

It’s not the first time Liverpool have been linked with the former Sevilla and Bordeaux defender and now the could be the summer the move finally materialises.