Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong back on Liverpool radar as Reds identify £34m back-up plan

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Liverpool ended the January transfer window with no new signings and zero first-team players departing either on loan or permanently.

Despite some areas of the squad needing improvements and much-needed depth, the Reds made the decision to not break the bank, with Richard Hughes outlining two situations where Liverpool would enter the market, neither of which happened.

With Liverpool now preparing to improve five positions in the summer, all eyes will now be focused on the off-season, where the Anfield side could make quite the splash, especially if the Merseyside giants end up winning both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.

One such area that could see wholesale changes is midfield, and just a few days after the closure of the January transfer window, some options Liverpool could be looking at seem to have been unveiled already.

Frenkie de Jong wanted Liverpool despite key transfer issue

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool are looking at FC Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who could be available for as little as £30m as the La Liga giants look to raise funds having once again found themselves in financial trouble.

As per the report, though, De Jong’s wages could be a problem, with the Netherlands international already one of the highest earners at Barcelona and could well demand a pay increase if Liverpool were to make an offer in the summer.

Once lauded by Xavi Hernandez as ‘extraordinary’, De Jong would be quite the addition to Liverpool’s ranks in the midfield given his incredible list of achievements for both Barcelona and Ajax and how suited the 27-year-old would be under Arne Slot.

Yet if a deal for De Jong fails to materialise, Liverpool already have a backup option in mind, with the Reds seemingly set on adding to their midfield in the summer transfer window having missed out on Martin Zubimendi last year.

Germany international Angelo Stiller also on Liverpool’s radar

As per the report, Liverpool are also keeping tabs on VfB Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller, who in the last 12 months has emerged as one of the most exciting talents in the Bundesliga and is now a full international with Germany.

With a release clause worth £34m, the 23-year-old midfielder would be a wise signing for Liverpool given his age and his experience in Stuttgart, who this season competed in the UEFA Champions League and narrowly missed out on a play-off spot.

Indeed, midfield is clearly an area of the pitch that Liverpool are ready to improve in in the summer, and if the Reds miss out on De Jong, Stiller would be a ideal backup option as well as a cheaper signing in the long-term.