Liverpool force Real Madrid hand as transfer stance set to be tested

Liverpool appear set to miss out on transfer target Leny Yoro after Real Madrid reportedly stepped up their pursuit of the Lille defender.

The 18-year-old is out of contract next year and set to leave the Ligue 1 side this summer as a result, with their club president already admitting that the Frenchman is available for transfer.

Aware of his availability, Liverpool had been poised to make a move for the young centre-back. However, despite their interest, the Reds were also resigned to the prospect of missing out on Yoro, with there being an acceptance that the player would favour a move to Real Madrid.

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Liverpool have of course found themselves in a similar situation in each of the last two summers when they missed out Aurelien Tchouameni, before withdrawing from the race to sign Jude Bellingham as both midfielders opted to switch to the Bernabeu.

But the latest reports from Spain suggest history is set to repeat itself with Real Madrid set to make their expected move for the defender. While the Reds will continue to monitor the situation, having been poised to take advantage if such a transfer did not materialise, it is now looking increasingly likely that Yoro will get his desired move to the La Liga giants.

Marca are reporting that the defender has already interested clubs, including Liverpool, ‘Thanks, but no’ due to his desire to join Real Madrid. But with the likes of the Reds still pursuing the teenager, the Spanish outfit’s hand has been forced into action.

It was claimed earlier this week that Lille had already rejected one €50m offer for Yoro, while Marca claims that Paris Saint-Germain are close to meeting the €60m asking-price. Real Madrid had reportedly wished to wait until after June 30 to make a move, but they now realise they might not be able to delay any longer due to interest from elsewhere.

While they are not willing to meet the asking price, the expectation in Spain remains that they will agree a deal and that Liverpool will miss out on the defender as a result.

Such an outcome admittedly won’t change the Reds’ transfer plans this summer. While Yoro was a target, Liverpool’s pursuit of him was seen as separate to the rest of their expected business.

Consequently, had they been successful in persuading him to move to Anfield, it would have been a bonus, with the club realistic about their chances of landing Yoro ahead of Real Madrid.

Should they indeed miss out, the Reds will be free to focus on their expected business, with a new centre-back at present not an immediate priority, given the fact that Liverpool already boast Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, and Jarell Quansah in their senior ranks, and, as already reported by the ECHO, other areas of the squad are believed to require more immediate reinforcement.

However, with the transfer window open until August 30, such a stance will be tested in the forthcoming weeks as the Reds continue to be linked to a plethora of centre-backs. While a new centre-back is not an immediate priority as the club weighs up its first move of the summer, there is no saying such a pursuit won’t be something Liverpool reconsider later in the summer.