"Liverpool have been following him since January" - Fabrizio Romano says Reds are keeping tabs on forward with £38 million release clause

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Liverpool are keeping a close eye on Villarreal CF forward Arnaut Danjuma. The Dutchman currently has a release clause of £38 million which makes him a realistic target for the Reds as they search for a new attacker.

Romano also revealed that Jurgen Klopp's side have been scouting Danjuma for more than six months now. Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, the renowned transfer expert was quoted as saying the following (via Football 365):

“Danjuma, this boy from Villarreal, he played number nine this season. He did really great with Villarreal, he has a release clause in his contract it’s around €45m (£38m), maybe a bit more, and so could be an opportunity in the market. Liverpool have been following him since January, let’s see if they will jump into it.”

Danjuma has previously played in the Premier League, representing AFC Bournemouth. However, his form since joining Villarreal last summer has made him an attractive prospect for Europe's elite clubs.

During the 2021-22 season, Danjuma scored 16 goals and provided four assists in 34 appearances across all competitions. The 25-year-old forward notably scored the only goal in Villarreal's 1-0 victory against Bayern Munich in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal.

Unai Emery's side eventually knocked the Bundesliga giants out of the Champions League by securing a 2-1 aggregate win. Villarreal interestingly exited the competition in the semifinals against Liverpool.

It is, however, worth mentioning that Liverpool are not the only Premier League outfit linked with Danjuma. According to Sky Sports, Manchester United have also been monitoring the Dutch attacker to bolster their attack ahead of the 2022-23 season.

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Liverpool need to replace Sadio Mane

Liverpool will need to sign a new forward as a potential replacement for Sadio Mane. According to Fabrizio Romano, the 30-year-old forward wants to leave Anfield in the summer with Bayern Munich interested in signing him.

Based on recent reports, however, the Reds have even rejected an initial offer from Bayern worth around £25 million.

Various attackers have been linked with a move to the Reds as a replacement for the outgoing Mane. According to Bild's Christian Falk, the Reds are interested in signing Chelsea star Christian Pulisic.

The Express has also linked Klopp's side with a move for Benfica forward Darwin Nunez, who has also drawn interest from Manchester United.