Liverpool Boss Has Eyes On Barcelona's $119M Forward ‘Rated’ Higher Than Timo Werner: Report

Liverpool FC boss Jurgen Klopp reportedly is planning to sign Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele ahead of the summer transfer market.

Liverpool were recently forced to back out of the race to sign Timo Werner due to lack of funds. Werner, who had been their top target for the summer, is set to join Chelsea, who have triggered the German’s release clause of $63 million.

According to a report in Football Insider, after Werner’s failed deal, Klopp has quickly identified Barca’s Dembele as an alternative for next season. Liverpool have been among the soccer clubs to have suffered the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The report has further stated that the Reds have made an official bid of an undisclosed amount to sign Dembele but on loan for the 2020-21 season. The plan is to allow the upcoming transfer window pass without suffering any more losses and then make a permanent move for the player in the future if he does deliver in the Premier League.

It is understood that Klopp rates Dembele highly and in fact, the report has disclosed a source has told them that Klopp regards Dembele more of a natural talent than Werner.

A move to Liverpool could do well for the 23-year-old French striker, who has had a nightmare time with the Catalans since his debut in 2017. Barcelona signed Dembele from Dortmund for a hefty price of $119 million ahead of the 2017-18 season. The expensive purchase continues to haunt the club as it has been desperate to get rid of Dembele, who has suffered from reoccurring injuries and has started in just 35 La Liga games the last three seasons.

Barcelona have also been trying to offer Dembele along with a few other players as a part of a deal to sign their top targets such as Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Lautaro Martinez from Inter Milan.

While PSG have made it crystal clear that they won’t be releasing Neymar this summer, Inter Milan is understood to have agreed to a few terms of Barcelona.

According to the latest news reports, Inter Milan and Barcelona have reached terms, where the Serie A have agreed to accept $101 million along with another player from Nou Camp as part of Martinez’s move to Barcelona this summer.