Liverpool have held talks over a potential transfer deal for RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Speaking on YouTube, quoted via his Daily Briefing with CaughtOffside, Romano says the Reds were keen to discuss Gvardiol with Leipzig in January, though the Croatia international was not available.
It now looks like Liverpool will face plenty of competition for Gvardiol if they go back in for him in the summer, with Romano also naming Chelsea and Manchester City as suitors for the highly-rated 21-year-old.
Liverpool could do with looking for a long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk, who has shown some signs of being past his peak this season, and Gvardiol is an elite young defender who could be perfect for that job.
Still, Chelsea also need to think about replacing the ageing Thiago Silva, while Man City might do well to strengthen at the back after falling behind Arsenal in this season’s Premier League title race.
“Chelsea remain interested in Josko Gvardiol, he’s a player they really appreciate,” Romano said. “Other clubs are now in the race as well, with Liverpool approaching Leipzig over Gvardiol in January, and Manchester City are absolutely in the race too, Pep Guardiola is a big fan of the player.
“Everything is open, but it’s never easy to get a deal done with Leipzig, still I think he could be one of the big deals of the summer.”