Liverpool to receive bizarre Barcelona transfer offer, with Tottenham swoop eyed if Klopp says no
Barcelona are hopeful of luring a Liverpool star to Spain this month, though Jurgen Klopp’s reluctance to sanction an unusual deal could result in a raid on Tottenham being explored once again.
Barcelona are in the midst of a difficult campaign, with Xavi’s side currently seven points off bitter rivals Real Madrid in the LaLiga title race. Adding to Barca’s embarrassment is the fact unfancied Girona are also seven points clear of the Catalan giants.
Barcelona’s financial woes have been well documented, something that has seen their transfer policy shift from spectacular coups to canny loans and free agent pick-ups.
Xavi has also been reliant on the club’s youth academy, with players like Alejandro Balde and Lamine Yamal coming to the fore.
Another in the same mould is Gavi who unfortunately suffered a season-ending ACL injury while playing for Spain in November.
To offset the absence, Barca president, Joan Laporta, confirmed he intends to sign a replacement via the loan route in January.
“If we manage to make the (financial) fair play work, the idea is to have another midfielder to compensate for the loss of Gavi,” explained Laporta last month.
“It would be a loan until the end of the season, like we did years ago with Edgar Davids, for example. I think before the end of the year we can create the space for a couple of deals we are working on.”
Davids – loaned from Juventus – played a starring role during his six-month stint at the Camp Nou in the second half of the 2003/04 season.
The Dutchman’s feisty displays helped avert disaster as Barcelona went on to comfortably qualify for the Champions League.
According to a fresh update from the Mirror, Barcelona want to repeat that masterstroke by signing Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara this month.
Thiago can emulate Davids, though deal makes no sense for Liverpool
The veteran Spaniard, 32, is yet to feature for the Reds this term amid several injury setbacks. However, Thiago is understood to be nearing a return to full training and could be fit enough to feature by the end of January.
“Thiago is in a very good moment but we just have to make sure we don’t use him too early,” Klopp recently said regarding the midfielder’s progress.
The Mirror claim Barcelona hope to land Thiago on a short-term loan deal. Such a move would do Liverpool no favours for a variety of reasons.
Firstly, Wataru Endo is currently away on international duty with Japan. Dominik Szoboszlai has also just picked up a hamstring issue.
Furthermore, Liverpool are still in the League Cup, FA Cup and Europa League. As such, Klopp will be heavily reliant on the depth in his squad from here on out and Thiago – if fit – will be expected to feature.
Finally, Thiago is out of contract at the end of the current campaign. A loan for the remainder of the season would mean Thiago leaves Liverpool for nothing when the stint concludes.
Unsurprisingly, the Mirror report Klopp and co are dead set against loaning Thiago to his former club Barcelona and will resist a sale.
Tottenham man Barca’s plan B?
Should that avenue close, the report then adds Barcelona could reignite a move for Tottenham’s Giovani Lo Celso.
Barcelona are long-term admirers of the Argentine who has racked up just 456 minutes of action for Spurs this term.
What’s more, with James Maddison homing in on a return to fitness, Lo Celso’s outlook for extra game-time is about to become bleak.
The Mirror highlight Spurs’ lack of European football as a reason why they could be open to loaning Lo Celso out.
Barcelona attempted to land Lo Celso over the summer, though Spurs were unwilling to play ball. Most outlets suggest a renewed Barca attempt to sign the 27-year-old this month will also be unsuccessful, though only time will tell.
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