Liverpool Take Pole Position in Race to Sign €35m Valencia Star Geoffrey Kondogbia This Summer

Liverpool have become the number one suitors for Valencia midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia.

The 25-year-old midfielder is currently on loan to the Spanish side from Inter, but Spanish outlet Marca (via TEAMtalk) report that Valencia are not certain about his post-summer future.

Kondogbia joined them on a season-long loan from Inter last summer, for a loan fee reported to be worth €10m euros.

However, Marca report that Valencia are unsure whether to activate a purchase option in the deal, which would allow them to make the move permanent for a fee of €25m in the summer.

Even if Valencia qualify for the Champions League this season, it's claimed that their finances would still be too strained to make turn Kondogbia's loan move into a permanent stay.

Valencia reportedly have similar loan-to-buy agreements with other players, many of whom could take priority over the signing of Kondogbia.

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Spanish website Don Balon (also via TEAMtalk) claim that Liverpool are the side who are now frontrunners to the French defensive midfielder.

With fears that Liverpool may lose Emre Can to Juventus in the summer, it would make perfect sense for Jurgen Klopp to move for a player like Kondogbia. Other midfield targets that Liverpool have been linked with in recent weeks include 21-year-old Leicester enforcer Wilfred Ndidi and Watford's Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Klopp is said to be a long-term admirer of the Kondogbia, who has five caps for the French national team. He is also the subject of reported interest from China, with Guangzhou Evergrande said to be keen on rivaling Liverpool for the former Sevilla and Monaco man.