Liverpool reignite interest in 'viable' Premier League star after Lavia setback
Liverpool are interested in signing Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure once again after missing out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.
Caicedo, 21, rejected a move to Merseyside to join Chelsea from Brighton in a £115million deal, becoming the most expensive Premier League player of all time. Lavia, 19, has also said no to Jurgen Klopp after Southampton accepted a £58m offer from Chelsea.
Liverpool's failure to land Caicedo and Lavia has forced them to look elsewhere. They need to sign a midfielder this month after selling Fabinho to Al-Ittihad and Jordan Henderson to Al-Ettifaq, with both players receiving lucrative contracts in Saudi Arabia. It's believed Doucoure, 23, is now Liverpool's primary transfer target. The Mali international, who moved to Selhurst Park from Lens a year ago, is Palace's reigning Player of the Season after making 34 Premier League appearances during his debut campaign.
As reported by The Independent, Liverpool will step up their efforts to sign Doucoure. Palace are worried about losing a key player so close to the end of the transfer window but aren't expected to demand more than £60m for him.
It's believed Doucoure wants to join Liverpool and personal terms are not expected to be an issue. Liverpool are also interested in signing Fulham star Joao Palhinha, 28, and Nice's French talent Khephren Thuram, 22, but Doucoure is their preferred choice. Liverpool were keen on signing Doucoure earlier in the transfer window but cooled their interest after submitting bids for Caicedo and Lavia.
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Liverpool have already signed midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer, but the sales of Fabinho and Henderson have forced them back into action. The likes of Curtis Jones and Stefan Bajcetic are likely to be regulars in the team this season while Cody Gakpo started in a deeper role against Chelsea.
Cheick Doucoure is on Liverpool's transfer radar (Getty Images)Who do you think Liverpool should sign? Let us know in the comments below!
Doucoure started his career with Lens and helped them win promotion to Ligue 1 three years ago. He made 67 appearances in France's top flight before Palace, who were under the management of Patrick Vieira at the time, brought him to the Premier League.
Roy Hodgson succeed Vieira as Palace boss in March and has been impressed by Doucoure. The veteran manager said in April: "He (Doucoure) is very good: a very nice person, a very good player - a very serious player. He is getting better.
"It's his first season in the Premier League, and he is constantly coming to terms with different challenges thrown up each week by the different Premier League teams we meet.
"I am more than satisfied with him. He has got that quality that one is looking for from a central midfield player either in a two or a three... The lad has got a lot going for him. How far these players go depends on them."
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