Ibrahim Sangare Targeted By Liverpool as Reds' Transfer Hunt Turns Desperate
Chelsea’s bullish approach to securing their midfield targets has forced Liverpool to look elsewhere for a defensive-minded player, and it appears PSV’s highly-rated Ibrahim Sangare is the latest to be bumped up the shortlist.
Ibrahim Sangare Eyed By Liverpool
Liverpool’s reputation for tightening the purse strings was completely flipped on its head in the early hours of Friday last week, as they lodged a British record bid for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.
In what appeared to be one of the most dramatic transfer hijackings in the recent memory, Jurgen Klopp confirmed the Ecuadorian would be joining, albiet begrudgingly as the press hounded him over previous comments made about inflated transfer fees.
Fast-forward to the time of writing, and Caicedo’s outright refusal to join Liverpool has seen them all but concede the race for his signature to Chelsea, who agreed personal terms with the 21-year-old early on in the window.
The Blues’ bull-in-a-china-shop approach to transfers will also see them make an approach for another of Liverpool’s long-time targets Romeo Lavia, if reports are to be believed.
It leaves Liverpool scrambling to find a defensive midfielder, and although an overwhelmingly attacking line-up against Chelsea on matchday one did well to thwart the Blues away from home, there were alarming signs of a lack of cover at the base of midfield.
According to ESPN Netherlands, the Reds have entered the race to sign PSV’s Ibrahim Sangare, who has a sizeable queue of potential suitors including PSG and Bayern Munich.
Sangare has caught the attention of Europe’s elite after impressing for PSV, who were quick to tie him down to a new contract until 2027, amid growing interest.
An exceptional ball winner, he averaged 3.6 tackles per 90 minutes in the Eredivisie last season and represents the kind of physical presence that the now ex-Liverpool midfielder Fabinho brought to the middle of the park.
Luring Sangare away from Eindhoven will be a tall order, particularly this late on in the window. However, Liverpool have more than showed they have the necessary capital to ensure they bring in another midfielder, even if it means paying slightly over the odds.
Nottingham Forest reportedly had a proposal rebuffed by the Dutch runners-up earlier in the window, but the Ivorian supposedly has a release clause of £32m.
