Liverpool can forget about reported target Edmond Tapsoba. New claims should rule out any move.
Sport1 linked Liverpool with Edmond Tapsoba at the end of the transfer window. The Reds supposedly asked about the player, only to learn Bayer Leverkusen wanted £44m.
And they weren’t paying that.
But the interest made sense. Tapsoba is shining in the Bundesliga and is still only 22. The league’s website compares him to Jerome Boateng, to give you some idea of his reputation right now.
As Liverpool hunt for a centre-back, someone like Tapsoba is a very interesting proposition. He’d come in with lots of room to grow but already comfortable in a top European league.
His age matches up well with Joe Gomez (23), too, creating a natural long-term partnership after Virgil van Dijk winds down. Secure all that for a decent price and the club is golden for years.
Only, the chances of securing that ‘decent price’ are slim, it seems. Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes says the player isn’t someone they’re looking to move on.
“I am not surprised that Eddy’s quality arouses interest. But the player is not for sale,” he said, per Bild.
He did leave the door open but only for an ‘immoral’ bid in similar vain to Kai Havertz’s sale last summer. Chelsea signed him for a fee of just under £72m, says the BBC.
Rule it out
Liverpool don’t need to spend £72m on a centre-back. Unless Manchester City would sell Ruben Dias for that – but we think that’s unlikely.
Tapsoba has enormous potential but it’s still just potential. It doesn’t make sense to throw that kind of money on someone that isn’t the finished product.
Or to put it another way, someone who isn’t playing at an elite level. It just represents too much risk.
Instead, Liverpool should consider a cheaper player and a more experienced player. You can definitely find someone at a good level to play as a third or fourth-choice centre-back for well under £72m.
You can likely find it for under £30m. In fact, TuttoMercatoWeb has Liverpool down as wanting Chancel Mbemba for £12m.
He’s just shown how good he is in helping Porto knock Juventus out of the Champions League. He may not come close to Tapsoba’s potential but he’s an absolute bargain in comparison who still fits the bill.
While the Leverkusen defender would be a very exciting signing, we don’t think he’s the one for Liverpool right now. Spend that money on someone who can score goals, instead.