Four players who may look to leave Liverpool in January
Liverpool have reportedly joined the race to sign sought-after defender Valentin Barco. The Boca Juniors star has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs over the past few months, but the Reds will hope that his Argentine connection with Alexis Mac Allister will prove persuasive in negotiations.
Jurgen Klopp orchestrated a major reshuffle at Anfield over the summer, shaking up his midfield ranks and allowing several of his ageing stars to depart. Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner were among the departees, with Liverpool focusing on recruiting younger, long-term replacements.
Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo were all signed to breathe a new lease of life into the squad, and the quartet have achieved that goal to date. The Reds are second in the Premier League and have regained their status as title challengers.
The Merseyside outfit are keen to continue splashing the cash though, with several acquisitions being planned in January. According to Calcio Mercato, Liverpool have joined the race to sign Boca left-back Barco and are expected to make a push to acquire his services in January.
Valentin Barco has a growing list of admirers (Image: Getty)
Juventus are also firmly in the race for the 19-year-old, with Diego Simeone keen for the Argentine to join him at Atletico Madrid. However, a move to the Premier League is firmly on the cards as well.
Brighton tabled a bid for Barco over the summer and they have remained in contact with Boca with the intention of striking a deal in January, with Manchester City and Chelsea also among his admirers.
But with an agreement still not in place for the attacking-minded full-back, who can also be deployed in midfield and on the wing, Liverpool have every chance of persuading Barco to commit his future to their project. Mac Allister has publicly sung the praises of the young defender, and his connection with the fellow Argentine could prove useful for the Reds when looking to negotiate a deal.
Speaking to D Sports Radio earlier this month, Mac Allister said: “He (Barco) has a lot of ability and even when it looks like the opponents are going to take the ball away from him, nobody can take it away from him. He’s still young and we have to take it little by little. I see him very focused, even if sometimes on the pitch he sometimes throws a little bit too much. He can be a very important player for our country and represent us very well in Europe.”
