‘Perfect’ Liverpool target may now be sold for £86m star Klopp also wants

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AC Milan may have to sacrifice one high-ticket player to afford RB Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku this summer, and that could be Rafael Leao amid interest from Liverpool in his transfer.

That’s according to TuttoMercatoWEB, who tout Leao as a likely makeweight that could see the Rossoneri make their ‘difficult dream’ of signing Nkunku a reality. The Serie A champions have placed the Frenchman high on their shortlist, but will face several challenging obstacles.

Nkunku is admired throughout Europe after delivering a sensational season from a variety of positions in Saxony. The 24-year-old scored 35 goals and created a further 20 in 51 games across all competitions, whilst featuring as a centre-forward, in midfield and on either wing.

Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are now considering summer raids on the Red Bull Arena for the three-cap dynamo. But AC Milan have thrown their hat firmly in the ring after RedBird Capital Partners completed a €1.2bn (£1bn) takeover and have accelerated talks with RB Leipzig.

However, due to the valuation RB Leipzig have set on Nkunku, AC Milan may still struggle to secure his services. L’Equipe report the Bundesliga side value Nkunku at €100m (£86m), and add that the PSG product is open to leaving the Saxony outfit for a bigger side this summer.

One option could be Liverpool, too, as ESPN report the Reds, Manchester United, Man City, Arsenal and Bayern Munich are also interested in Nkunku following his efforts for RB Leipzig this season. Yet Milan advancing their interest may offer Jurgen Klopp an alternative target.

AC Milan may sell Liverpool target Rafael Leao for Nkunku, who Klopp also wants

That’s because Calciomercato have previously cited Liverpool and Atletico Madrid as holding an interest in signing Leao from AC Milan. But La Repubblica have suggested that Newcastle United are more determined to sign the Portuguese than the Reds, with PSG also on his radar.

Liverpool could now step up the club’s interest in Leao with AC Milan possibly sacrificing the 22-year-old to afford RB Leipzig’s Nkunku. While his campaign was not as impressive as the Frenchman’s, Leao still scored 14 and created 12 goals in 42 games and blew Jose Mourinho away.

“What a player!” Mourinho enthused to Record in June. “AC Milan found the perfect player for themselves thanks to his qualities. He has solved many matches.”