Liverpool Interested In Highly-rated French Defender But Club Want To Insert €100m Buy-out Clause

Liverpool are planning another raid on German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig as they are targeting their promising defender Dayot Upamecano, according to the news in the Italian media.

The Reds manager Jurgen Klopp is eyeing defensive replacements to add more steel to his team and according to Todomercadoweb, the German tactician could be raiding Leipzig for their young defender Upamecano.

The Bundesliga side are no strangers to Liverpool’s interest in their players, after agreeing to sell their star midfielder Naby Keita to the Reds. The Anfield side were heavily linked with the Guinean international from day one of the summer window but the German side resisted all the advances.

However, Liverpool had their way in the end as they agreed on a deal to sign Keita, which will see him join Anfield next summer. Leipzig’s decision was primarily because of the fear that they will have to sell Keita for lesser than the release clause.

Upamecano’s pursuit could follow the same path, as the German side are looking to slap a mammoth €100million release clause on their young defender. That may look ridiculous for a young 18-year-old who has played only a handful of games for the first team.

The French youngster moved to Leipzig from their sister club Salzburg on a four-year deal and is already regarded as one of the hottest properties in Europe. Bild reports that the Reds are monitoring the situation, which has prompted the Bundesliga side to offer a lucrative new long-term deal that would also include the buyout clause.

Klopp is already frustrated with the defensive frailties of his side – more clearly evident after the loss to Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. The German tactician has tried to fix his central defensive partnership but nothing is working at the moment.

Liverpool would surely go for Virgil van Dijk once again next summer but that would only be one part of the story. Klopp would also want to sign a youngster with great potential and Upamecano fits the bill perfectly. However, Klopp will have to fight Leipzig’s offer of a new contract along with interest from several other parties.