Liverpool set to provide tough competition to Barcelona for highly-rated 21-year-old La Liga star - Reports

Liverpool will reportedly provide tough competition to Barcelona in the race to sign 21-year-old Athletic Club winger Nico Williams. According to El Nacional, La Blaugrana are considering a move for the Spain international amid worries over signing Joao Felix on a permanent deal next summer.

The 23-year-old Atletico Madrid loanee will complete his short-term spell with the Catalan outfit next summer following while his future remains uncertain. Several European sides including Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Paris Saint-Germain are all keeping tabs on the player, as per the aforementioned report.

Owing to the competition for Felix, it is believed that Xavi and Co. will attempt to sign Williams, whose current deal with Athletic Club expires in the summer of 2024. So far this season, he's made seven appearances in La Liga, bagging four assists but is yet to score.

Liverpool are also interested in Williams given the possibility of Mohamed Salah's departure to Saudi Arabia in January. The Reds managed to see off high value proposals for the Egyptian superstar from Al-Ittihad in the summer. However, the Saudi Pro League side are expected to come back in for Salah in the upcoming transfer window.

Hence, a move for Williams could prove tricky for Barcelona. The winger has made 92 appearances across competitions for the Basque club till date, scoring 12 goals and giving 11 assists.

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Barcelona eyeing move for Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara's return - Reports

Thiago Alcantara (via Getty Images)

Liverpool star Thiago Alcantara could return to former club Barcelona next summer. Sport claim that the Catalans are carefully monitoring the situation around the 32-year-old injury-prone Spain international.

Thiago's current contract at Anfield expires next summer after which the Catalan side are planning to sign their former midfielder. It is expected that no English side would offer the ex-Bayern Munich star a new deal given he would've turned 33.

Lately, Thiago has experienced troubles on the fitness front. He's failed to appear even once this season after undergoing surgery for a hip issue. Despite being rumored to return last month, the player has reportedly suffered setbacks in rehab, thereby delaying his first appearance of the current campaign.

Last season, he missed 31 games across all competitions, while being absent for 23 the season before. Since moving to Liverpool for a fee of €30 million in 2020, Thiago has managed 97 appearances for the Merseysiders, bagging three goals and six assists across competitions, winning two trophies.

While in his first stint at Camp Nou, he made 100 appearances for the club's senior team, scoring 11 goals and assisting 20, winning 12 trophies inclusive of a Champions League title and four La Liga trophies.