Report: Liverpool Mulling Move for Real Sociedad's Diego Llorente
Liverpool are reported to have decided on a move for Real Sociedad defender Diego Llorente in the summer, as the Reds' higher-ups have been 'convinced' by his displays in La Liga.
A move for a center back is widely thought to be top of the transfer agenda for Jurgen Klopp in the upcoming transfer window, and they were linked with Llorente earlier in the season, but things went quiet as it became clear they would not move for any January additions.
Now focus has turned to the summer window, however, Basque outlet Noticias de Gipuzkoa report that Liverpool are now prepared to pull the trigger on a €30m move for the versatile center back.
Their interest is attributed to his impressive displays in the Basque side's back-line, as the 25-year-old has recovered from an ankle injury that kept him out for much of the tail-end of 2018 to become a central part of the side.
He has a €50m release clause, but since Sociedad only paid €7m to sign him from Real Madrid in 2017, it's expected that they would settle for a substantially lower fee.
The report claims that he is likely to be a replacement for Joel Matip, who they add will return to Germany upon the arrival of Llorente, and also adds that Everton share their interest.
Conflicting reports come from Italy, where the Reds are said to see Gladbach's Mathias Ginter as a plan B to Matip, so it will be interested to see which of the two, if any, they opt for in the months to come.
