Liverpool have made a €32m bid for Shakhtar Donetsk striker Alex Teixeira, according to The Times’ reputable Merseyside correspondent Tony Barrett.
Barrett reported the offer – worth around £24.6m – on Twitter this morning, although he adds that the Ukrainian outfit value Teixeira at €50m (£38.4m).
Liverpool have made a €32m offer for Alex Teixeira but Shakhtar Donetsk are seeking closer to €50m for the attacker.
— Tony Barrett (@TonyBarretTimes) January 21, 2016
Barrett’s claims are made more credible by The Express also reporting that Liverpool are trying to pip Premier League rivals Chelsea to the Brazilian’s signature.
The Express understands that Reds chief executive Ian Ayre has flown to Florida, where Shakhtar Donetsk are at a winter training camp, to negotiate the transfer.
Chelsea had been heavily linked with the 26-year-old but have moved onto Alexandre Pato after baulking at Teixeira’s hefty asking price, according to The Express.
Liverpool are in desperate need of a goalscorer, with Daniel Sturridge crocked by injuries and summer signing Christian Benteke struggling for consistency.
Teixeira would certainly guarantee goals. He has scored a whopping 22 in 15 Ukrainian league games this season, and a further three in the Champions League – a return made all the more impressive considering that he has largely been playing as an attacking midfielder.
The South American would fit into the Roberto Firmino bracket – a player who is capable of leading the line and also playing in the attacking trident behind the striker.
He possesses great pace and skill to go with his clinical finishing, and would be an exciting signing for Jurgen Klopp to work with at Anfield if a deal can be struck.
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