Liverpool reduce offer by £17m for Man Utd target in ‘surprise’ transfer ‘bomb of the summer’

Federico Valverde could be leaving the Bernabeu this summer

Liverpool have told La Liga side Real Madrid they are prepared to pay €70m for Federico Valverde this summer, according to reports.

After sealing the £35m signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Premier League side Brighton, the Reds are still reportedly looking to bring in at least another one or two midfielders as well as a left-sided centre-back.

Jurgen Klopp’s midfield were blamed for many of the club’s problems on the field last season with Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner leaving on free transfers at the end of the season.

That leaves space for incomings this summer with Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch and Nice’s Khephren Thuram among the midfielders linked in recent weeks.

Liverpool have been linked with Real Madrid star Valverde recently and Spanish publication Nacional has delivered their latest take on a potential deal.

The Reds are ‘willing’ to pay €70m for the Uruguay international if Los Blancos commit to selling the midfielder after apparently making an offer for €20m (£17m) more last summer.

Valverde, who has also been linked to Manchester United, ‘can become the bomb of the summer’ with his ‘surprise’ exit from Real Madrid now on the cards with the arrival of Jude Bellingham pushing him further down the pecking order.

The report adds that the England international, Luka Modric or Toni Kroos and Eduardo Camavinga will be the midfield three for next season under Carlo Ancelotti, ‘displacing Valverde to the bench’.

Liverpool has ‘taken an interest in the situation’ and offered €70m with Jurgen Klopp described as being ‘in love with Valverde’s virtues’ and Florentino Perez will now decide whether to accept their offer.

Former Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam is excited to see new signing Mac Allister play for the Reds next term and thinks it’s a “brilliant signing”.

Adam told 888sport: “I think it’s a brilliant signing. He’s someone who’s come into the Premier League and done really well over the last few years. He’s obviously been noticed because of his performances at the World Cup for Argentina, but what I like about him is that he scored around 10 goals last year, which nobody really talks about.

“He’s someone who wants to get on the ball and likes to play, he can operate in tight spaces and can see a pass. For the value of what they got him for, I think it’s great business from Liverpool, and I expect them to possibly bring in more midfielders as well.

“The good thing is that he has experience of the Premier League, so it means they won’t have to build him up – he’ll be ready to play at Liverpool from the go. He can handle it – he played for Argentina, which is a big nation with big players. It’s a good transfer because they’ve got it done early, and I expect him to take his game to the next level now that he’s playing with some of the best players in English football.”