Liverpool could sign Jadon Sancho.
Manchester United wasted Borussia Dortmund’s time throughout the summer and won’t be bringing in the former Manchester City player.
The Red Devils thought they could bide their time and wait it out with the idea of forcing Dortmund’s hand, but the Germans have been incredibly clear all along and they won’t be selling Jadon Sancho.
Bundesliga reporter Chris Williams said all this in a detailed thread that’s well worth a read, but he also mentioned something interesting.
According to Williams, there are two other sides interested in the forward. One is based in England, the other Spanish.
Could the La Liga outfit be Barcelona or Real Madrid? Neither have spent big this summer while both undertook serious cost-cutting measures.
Madrid raised €98.5 million through sales and signed nobody. They also shifted high earners like Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez.
Barcelona sold £113.8 million worth of talent, and although they spent £111 million they also got the wages of Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal and Arda Turan off their books.
With a bit of saving, either of those giants could do a deal.
In England, Liverpool must be the team Williams was talking about. Chelsea are stocked for wingers, Manchester City just signed Ferran Torres and Arsenal aren’t in the running for a player of that expense.
Klopp has been linked with a move for Sancho before, and in a squad building context this could work. It would allow the German to move on one of Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane, who will be approaching 30, and mitigate that by having an elite player ready to step in.
Any fee Liverpool would get for Mane or Salah would be above or around £100 million, while hopefully finances will have recovered after COVID-19.
Playing the long game could really work for Liverpool, all because Manchester United thought Dortmund were playing games of their own.