Liverpool still ‘following’ summer transfer target but his asking price has now dropped

Liverpool had a whirlwind of a summer as they made transforming their midfield the main priority of the transfer window. The chaos went right down to Deadline Day, but the Reds were able to plug nearly all the gaps left by those who were part of the engine room exodus.

James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Naby Keïta were the first to depart after they were released upon the end of their contracts. The follow-up exits of former captain Jordan Henderson and first choice defensive midfielder Fabinho are what really rocked the boat though.

Fortunately, Liverpool were able to sign four new midfielders but their business wasn’t without its stumbling blocks. Roméo Lavia, arguably the club’s favoured target of the summer, changed his mind on joining the Reds despite weeks of back-and-forth between the two parties. He opted to join Moisés Caicedo at Chelsea, who Liverpool had also attempted to sign with a record £111 million bid.

There were other names who slipped the net across the course of the window as well, and one was Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Manu Koné. The 22-year-old was very much on Jurgen Klopp’s radar but a move did not come to fruition, however, the Reds may have been handed some good news should they decide to revisit their interest in January or next summer.

According to Calciomercato, Liverpool are still fans of Koné and have been ‘following him for some time.’ But now, the report claims an offer of €25 million (£21.4m) would be enough to convince Mönchengladbach to part ways with him. This is quite a step down from the sum of €40 million (£34.2m) quoted by Christian Falk during the summer.

Koné’s contract is set to expire in 2025 and Liverpool aren’t alone in their pursuit either, as Juventus are also keen on the Frenchman.