Liverpool have been hit with some curveballs in their pursuit of Wolves winger Adama Traore. The Spaniard has been on Jurgen Klopp’s radar throughout the summer and a lot of speculation surrounded his position at the Midlands outfit. After making a name for himself as a handful on the right-hand side, a lot of clubs have been circling the playmaker.
Traore has been valued at a hefty £64million, which is seemingly money Liverpool don’t have to spend. However, should they lose kingpin figure Mohamed Salah at all, they will have a big hole to fill in their squad.
Could Salah leave Liverpool?
Speaking to voetbalzone.nl (via football365.com), a Premier League agent and friend of Ronald Koeman claimed the Barcelona manager wants to bring the Egyptian to Spain. Salah reportedly would also like to see a move come to fruition, which means should the Catalonians come knocking once again on Liverpool’s door, the Reds could risk losing their star talent.
Transfermarkt currently value Salah at a mammoth £108million, so any potential bids would likely need to exceed this figure. Should Liverpool ever decide to cash in on the winger, they would pocket a very handsome profit, with more than enough to purchase Traore.
Liverpool’s battle for Traore
Klopp has already made it known that he is an admirer of Traore, labelling him as “unplayable” when the two locked horns in the Premier League last season. His pace and strength plus a keen eye for a goal could be an ideal replacement for the equally pacy Salah.
Should Liverpool take their interest further, they will need to battle Manchester City and ironically, Barcelona. According to Marca, Koeman is also keen on Traore, which could be a smokescreen in his attempt to get his hands on Salah. However, Man City will also drive a hard bargain and won’t be afraid to throw money at a statement transfer.
But it’s not just the preying clubs who Liverpool have to worry about. Wolves are reportedly close to announcing a big extension on Traore’s current contract, which will tie him to the club for another four years. It seems that Nuno Espirito Santo is more than aware of the attention he has attracted and wants to make sure he stays at Molineux. A bumper deal worth double his weekly wages has been tabled and the Spaniard is said to have agreed the terms in principle.
If Traore has penned a new deal then Liverpool don’t have to worry about losing their target to a rival like City. However, should they lose Salah in the near future, they will be disappointed they didn’t step up attempts to sign the 24-year-old.
In other news, Jamie Carragher highlights concerns over Joe Gomez in Virgil van Dijk’s absence…