Claims Liverpool are close to signing brilliant £87m-rated Palmeiras midfielder get major new update in Brazilian media | OneFootball

Strong reports in the Brazilian media that Liverpool were on the cusp of agreeing a deal to make Palmeiras star Allan their second major signing of the summer window have been emphatically dismissed, with the Reds far more likely to look towards Tottenham Hotspur were they to sign a new midfielder.

The reigning Premier League champions will surrender their title in the coming months after a frustrating and inconsistent campaign that has not just seen Arne Slot’s future called into question, but has left Liverpool facing a tough battle to secure their place in the Champions League again next season.

Currently sixth and three points shy of the top four, they will need to find an uptick in their form over the remaining months of the campaign if they are to transform their fortunes and potentially win a second major honour of the Dutchman’s reign.

Planning for next season, though, is already underway. Liverpool have already struck a deal to sign Rennes centre-half Jeremy Jacquet, who will arrive at Anfield from July 1 after a £60m (€68m, $81m) transfer package was agreed with Rennes for the 20-year-old.

Reports earlier this week claimed a second summer signing was also ‘beginning to get finalised’ amid claims that a deal for Palmeiras star Allan would be completed ‘in the coming weeks’.

To that end, it was reported that Liverpool were close to agreeing a €35m (£30.5m, $41m) transfer package with the Brazilian side for the 21-year-old midfielder; quite the comedown from the €100m (£87m, $117m) release clause that exists in his deal.

But after a little digging into those claims, a fresh update from a trusted Brazilian outlet claims the move might not be as far along as originally suggested.

And according to the well-connected iG Esporte, while the 21-year-old has been the target of ‘strong interest from the European market’, it’s understood that ‘Palmeiras has no agreement or advanced negotiations at the moment for the sale of the attacking midfielder, who has been linked to Liverpool in recent days’.

Liverpool more likely to sign Tottenham star if new midfielder is bought

To add further weight to the claims that a deal is not quite as near as previously made out, Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira is urging his side to dig deep and resist offers for a player who has five goals and six assists from 64 appearances for the club so far.

“These are players who give us a lot of trouble. What saddens me is that, when they’re ready, you have to sell them. We had to sell Endrick, Estêvão, Vitor Reis, and now Allan…” Ferreira said.

“Palmeiras, at this moment, is in a position to choose when it can and cannot sell players. That’s why we worked together with the finance department and the board. The coach is much more than just what happens on the pitch.”

TEAMtalk has also done some digging into the links and the word back to our insider, Graeme Bailey, is that Liverpool’s interest in Allan is genuine.

However, we’ve also been told that as of now, no bids have been tabled, and that Palmeiras would much prefer to wait until the summer before deciding whether to cash in.

The noises coming out of Brazil are Palmeiras want to wait and see if Allan earns a call-up to the Brazilian side for the World Cup.

If he does, Allan’s price tag may skyrocket if putting on a good showing in the USA, and Palmeiras can maximise their profits.

As such, it would make little sense for Palmeiras to agree to a sale right now. Nevertheless, Allan to Liverpool is very much one to keep an eye on as we get closer to the summer.

Furthermore, we understand that Allan is not the only midfielder on Liverpool’s radar this summer and with Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall also emerging as a player of genuine interest to the Reds.

While Spurs are keen to adopt a clear not for sale stance, their potential relegation will likely force their hand and the Swede will be one of 15 big-name stars who will leave the club as a result.

Were they to suffer relegation, that would be through no fault of the all-action Bergvall, who has imposed himself as a quality performer in their engine room.

Despite that, Liverpool would not be the only Premier League side keen and sources have named a second big-name side also keeping tabs on the Swede’s situation in the event Tottenham could be forced into considering a sale.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa may have made it clear they have zero intentions of signing Harvey Elliott permanently this summer, but the midfielder can at least now enjoy a productive end to the season after a loan loophole in his move from Liverpool was uncovered.

Elsewhere, Liverpool face a big decision over the future of a key squad player this summer, with European giants AC Milan reportedly plotting an eye-catching Anfield raid, and the Reds have already agreed a deal for his potential replacement.

His sale could pave the way for a former Chelsea star to move to Anfield this summer, after surprise reports claimed .