Bayern 'optimistic' of beating Liverpool to midfielder's transfer
FT Desk
- 15 Oct 2022 12:20 BST
- 3 min read
Liverpool have a Plan B if Jude Bellingham moves to Manchester City or Real Madrid, but Bayern Munich could be ready to scupper that transfer too…
Liverpool were widely expected to secure Bellingham's signature from Borussia Dortmund either midway through or at the end of this season, hence they only acquired Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus amid a midfield injury crisis.
But Bellingham's rise has continued unabated, and after captaining BVB in the Champions League at the tender age of 19, Man City and Real Madrid have entered the fray. City have his former teammate and friend Erling Haaland on the books, while Real have reportedly encouraged him to avoid fresh contract talks at the Signal Iduna Park.
Erling Haaland:
Goal-machine ✅
Record breaker ✅
Agent? 🤔 https://t.co/VtBlKMSZvV— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) September 27, 2022
Having got off to their worst ever Premier League start under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool's transfer prism has evolved in the opposite direction to Bellingham's, and RB Leipzig midfielder Konrad Laimer has been lined up as an alternative.
But they could be frustrated in that pursuit too.
"Bayern remain optimistic on Konrad Laimer deal as free agent for June 2023," transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano posted to his Twitter. "Deal was in place on player side in July but then collapsed as there was no agreement with RB Leipzig.
Laimer wants Bayern and [Julian] Nagelsmann is pushing to sign him since summer 2021."
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How good is Laimer?
Laimer has impressed since swapping Red Bell Salzburg for Leipzig for just €7 million in the summer of 2017, racking up 11 goals and 18 assists in 167 appearances in all competitions - a fair return for a box-to-box midfielder who occasionally deputises at right-back.
No midfielder Bundesliga wide has been able to match his average of 33 pressures per game over the last year, meanwhile, something that would suit Klopp's gegenpressing style perfectly.
