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Liverpool Lining Up A Bid For Manchester United’s Bundesliga Target With 13 Goals In 98 Games

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By Sridhar Bhamidi

Leon Goretzka Schalke
Leon Goretzka

Liverpool are interested in signing Bundesliga sensation Leon Goretzka. According to the reports in The Liverpool Echo, the Reds are interested in bidding for the services of Schalke star Leon Goretzka.

The 22-year-old midfielder has scored 13 goals in 98 Bundesliga appearances for Schalke since his debut in 2013. However, Goretzka is out of contract at the end of the 2017/18 campaign.

The German international’s contract situation is being monitored by many top clubs with German Champions Bayern Munich leading the list of long suitors.

Among the English Premier League clubs, Manchester United and Arsenal were also reported to be interested in the player and were monitoring the contract situation of the player during the summer transfer window.

And now, it is being reported that Liverpool are also ready to throw their hat into the ring and monitor the German’s contract situation. The Merseyside giants are just one of the sides interested in the skillful midfielder who would be ready to speak to foreign clubs in January.

However, that situation would arise only if he doesn’t extend his contract with Schalke. And, as the German club’s sporting director Christian Heidel has indicated, Schalke are doing everything they could, to make Goretzka their highest paid player.

This is being done to ward off the interest of the likes of Liverpool and United but Heidel knows that he is fighting a lost battle. As quoted by The Metro, he said:

We go to the pain threshold. We have done everything to show Leon that he is extremely important to Schalke.’

‘For us, there were always two options: either his contract is extended or he remains here until 2018. It was never an issue for us. ‘We believe that it is best for him to stay here. The ball is now with Leon.’

It is being suggested that even if Goretzka signs a new deal with Schalke, it would contain a clause to let him leave if a Champions League club comes with an offer.

Liverpool’s interest in the player mirrors their own situation with another German international Emre Can. The Reds are struggling to hold him to a new contract and Can will be ready to negotiate with foreign clubs in January. Juventus are reported to be the interested party and Can is also reportedly weighing up the option of joining the Italian Champions.

So, is Goretzka being lined up by Jurgen Klopp as a replacement for Can? One thing’s for sure – the German midfielder will be an exciting pick if the Reds choose to go ahead with him.