Liverpool are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Exequiel Palacios.
With just a couple of days left in the transfer window, Liverpool’s midfield still doesn’t feel quite finished. And although it currently seems like it’s Ryan Gravenberch or bust, there has been an interesting new link this morning.
It comes from The Athletic in the form of Leverkusen’s Argentine enforcer Palacios.
They claim that the 24-year-old has ‘got Liverpool’s attention’ thanks to his ‘genius’ defensive work in the Bundesliga side.
However, Leverkusen’s managing director for sport, Simon Rolfes, has reportedly declared that Palacios is ‘going nowhere’ this summer.
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On paper, Palacios would look like exactly the kind of signing you’d expect from Liverpool right now.
The Athletic portray him as a ‘touch-tight tackler’ who is efficient and effective when winning the ball back. Described as a ‘sensible and safe passer’ who recovers and intercepts the ball well, he seems like just what Jurgen Klopp needs.
At 24, he’s got good experience in European football but with plenty of room for growth, too.
Not a particularly star name, despite his inclusion in Argentina’s World Cup winning squad last year, Palacios shouldn’t be an overtly expensive player either. Tick, tick, tick.
All of that sounds brilliant, but it’s also evident that he’s simply too important to Leverkusen right now. Their manager – Liverpool great Xabi Alonso – said as much via News Rebeat in March.
“Pala [Palacios] is back from the World Cup, he’s been playing at an excellent level for two months,” said the Spaniard. “The great improvement of the team has come, in large part, thanks to the step forward that Pala has made in his game.”
With Leverkusen looking like early challengers for the Bundesliga title, they’ll surely try and keep him with all their might. But even if they do manage that beyond Friday’s deadline, Palacios could still be one to watch for Liverpol.