Liverpool ready to hijack move for Barcelona and Manchester City target - Reports
Liverpool are ready to lock horns with Barcelona and Manchester City for the services of Martin Zubimendi, according to Bundesliga insider Christian Falk. The Catalans remain in the market for Sergio Busquets' long-term replacement and apparently have set their sights on the Bayern Munich midfielder.
Kimmich's contract with the Bavarians expires at the end of this season and the LaLiga giants are enticed by the prospect of signing the 29-year-old for free. Meanwhile, Hansi Flick is itching for a reunion with his former player at Barcelona.
However, in his column for Caught Offside, Falk stated that the Reds are monitoring Kimmich's situation.
“It’s true that Liverpool are looking at Joshua Kimmich. Regardless, Manchester City are considered Bayern’s biggest rivals from the Premier League in the poker for Kimmich whilst there remains no agreement between the midfielder and the Bundesliga club,” wrote Falk.
He continued:
“However, the Merseyside giants are also keeping an eye on the situation, with the German national team captain set to become a free agent in the summer."
He concluded:
“Liverpool are understood to remain interested in finding a player in this particular position, and Kimmich has been free to speak to overseas clubs since January 1.”
Marc Casado has been outstanding in the holding role for Barcelona this season, while they also have the talented Marc Bernal in their books. However, Kimmich's arrival could help Flick's team hit a higher gear.
Are Barcelona eyeing a Liverpool forward?
Recent reports have suggested that Barcelona are eyeing a move for Liverpool forward Luis Diaz. It has recently been suggested that the Catalans' sporting director Deco has identified the Colombian as a priority target for the club.
The LaLiga giants are looking for a new left forward this year and remain linked with a move for Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams. However, prising the Spaniard away from San Mames proved to be tough last summer and Barcelona are keeping their options open at the moment.
Diaz is a long-term target for the Camp Nou hierarchy and they are ready to go for the kill this year. The 27-year-old's contract at Anfield runs until 2027, but he has apparently rejected a recent renewal offer from the Reds.
The news will greatly please the Catalans, although their poor financial situation could prove to be a problem. Diaz has scored 12 goals and set up three more from 26 games across competitions for Liverpool this season.
