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Liverpool made a last-minute attempt to sign €40m PSG-bound star

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By Rohan Sengupta

Liverpool are yet to open their account in terms of incomings in the summer transfer window with less than a week left for the 2024/25 season to start. They are playing a patient game in the window so far, and as yet, nobody has arrived at Anfield.

With rivals strengthening their squads with quality players, Liverpool fans are justifiably growing impatient. And adding further to that frustration, it now looks like the Reds lost one of their summer targets to French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

According to French outlet Le10Sport, Liverpool attempted a last-minute hijack of Paris Saint-Germain’s deal for Willian Pacho.

Willian Pacho joined PSG in a €40 million plus add-ons from Eintracht Frankfurt last week, signing a five-year contract at the club. The Parisians will be happy to have secured one of the Bundesliga’s exciting young central defensive talents. However, losing the Ecuador international to PSG is a huge blow in Liverpool’s attempts to bolster their backline.

The aforementioned report adds Liverpool reacted after understanding PSG had reached an agreement and made a higher offer to Eintracht Frankfurt for Pacho. However, Frankfurt had already given their word to the French champions and turned down Liverpool’s higher proposal to conclude the deal.

Following Joel Matip’s release at the end of June, Liverpool have been left with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez as the only options in central defence. As a result, they have been in the market for defensive reinforcements and have identified Pacho as a potential target to strengthen their backline.

Liverpool are planning to sign Eintracht Frankfurt defender Willian Pacho during the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster their defence
Willian Pacho had emerged as a target for the Reds to bolster their defence

Dubbed ‘world-class’ over in Germany, Liverpool’s interest in Pacho was driven by his commanding displays at the back for Frankfurt. The Ecuador international, having arrived at Frankfurt from Royal Antwerp in 2023, became a mainstay in defence and played 44 times across all competitions in his debut season in German football.

The 22-year-old is someone with great spatial awareness, crisp passing, tough-tackling skills and a solid turn of pace. Such qualities would have seen him slot in well in the Liverpool rearguard. Plus, Pacho being left-footed would have also brought balance to Arne Slot’s defence whilst probably being a long-term replacement for the ageing Van Dijk.

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There’s not that long left in the window really and for the Merseysiders, the club faces a decision over whether they spend on a new central defence or go with the resources that they have. Nonetheless, Liverpool’s supposed failed attempt to hijack PSG’s deal for Pacho at the 11th hour last week means desperation is growing at the club.

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