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Liverpool are reportedly ready to swoop in for Juventus target Manuel Locatelli. The Bianconeri are close to agreeing a deal to sign the midfielder, however the Reds are apparently ready to make a bid to blow them out of the water.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, via Football Italia, Liverpool are ready to take advantage of Juventus' prolonged negotiations with Sassuolo and match The Neroverdi's asking price for Locatelli.
Sassuolo have reportedly already rejected Juventus' first offer for the midfielder. The Bianconeri looked to sign the Italian on a two-year loan deal with an option to buy him for €30 million. However, The Neroverdi will only let Locatelli leave on a permanent deal and have set a €40 million asking price for the midfielder.
The report states that Liverpool are ready to match their asking price and steal Locatelli from under Juventus' noses. Jurgen Klopp is in the market for a midfielder to replace Giorginio Wijnaldum. The Dutchman left the club as a free agent earlier this summer to join French giants PSG.
Locatelli is a similar type of midfielder to Wijnaldum and would be the perfect replacement for the Dutchman in Klopp's side. Liverpool and fellow Premier League side Arsenal have reportedly met Sassuolo's asking price for the midfielder.
The Italian would, however, prefer to join Juventus over any other club this summer.
Locatelli has had a stellar individual season for both club and country. The midfielder was part of Roberto Mancini's Italy squad that won Euro 2020. It now just seems to be a matter of time before he joins a new club.
Liverpool and Juventus need to hurry if they want to land Locatelli
Sassuolo have set a deadline for all transfer negotiations and will not sell any players after August 8th. The club's CEO Giovanni Carnevali to Sky Sports Italy:
"Locatelli wants to join Juventus. However, the club needs to reach an agreement with us. We’ll see if there are the right conditions to make it happen, otherwise he is staying with us. We’ll speak to Juve tomorrow. Locatelli also has proposals from Arsenal and another English club that has now joined the race, so he must make a decision, or of course he could stay with us. We are not selling any of our star names after August 8."
