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Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol believes the Reds do not need to sign Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde. The Uruguay international has recently been linked with a move to Anfield.
Nicol is of the opinion that Jurgen Klopp has better midfield options, who will possibly start over Valverde. Liverpool have also signed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai from Brighton and Hove Albion and RB Leipzig, respectively, to strengthen their midfield.
Though Naby Keita, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arthur have all left the club this summer, Nicol still thinks Valverde will be unsure of a starting berth at Liverpool.
Moreover, the former defender also believes that Real Madrid will not sell the Uruguayan. He told ESPN FC about the midfielder's links with Liverpool:
“Listen, Valverde’s not getting let go from Real Madrid because he’s that great. If Real Madrid are prepared to let him go it tells you that they don’t think he’s the future."
He added:
“Liverpool have just signed Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, they already have Fabinho, Henderson’s still around for another year. Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, and two young guys, particularly Elliott who will play. Does he start before Szoboszlai? No. Does he start before Mac Allister? No."
He further said:
"So if you’re Valverde you’re going to be thinking about that as well. Thiago’s still there. So if I’m Valverde I’m thinking: number one, they’re prepared to let me go. Two, do I start?”
Valverde was a mainstay in Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid side during the 2022/23 season. He made 56 appearances for Los Blancos across competitions, scoring 12 and assisting seven goals. He still has four years left on his current contract with Madrid, after having signed an extension in August 2021.
The Reds also have Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago as the three veteran midfielders in their ranks along with some young players to balance their midfield.
Fabrizio Romano claims Liverpool have "very strong" interest in Southampton's Romeo Lavia
Liverpool have been recently linked with a move for Southampton's young midfielder Romeo Lavia. Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the interest is indeed concrete but the club are trying to keep things quiet.
“The interest is very strong. We know how Liverpool works and you know better than me that they like to keep things quiet. They were not very happy when all the stories about Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai were in the media. They like to keep things quiet,” Romano said (via The Boot Room).
He added that manager Jurgen Klopp has approved of the approach, saying:
“But the interest is there, it’s very strong interest because the player is approved from both Jurgen Klopp’s side and also the technical side, the scouting department. All the people at the club believe this boy is a very special player but it is true that he is not the only one on the list.”
Lavia joined Southampton from Manchester City last summer for a reported sum of £10 million and went on to make 34 appearances for their senior side across competitions. The Belgian also started 26 league matches for the Saints in a season that saw them get relegated to the Championship.
