Liverpool have reportedly expressed their interest in signing the Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.
According to a report from Fichajes, Fulham value the player at £60 million and Liverpool have the financial muscle to afford him. However, they will face competition from Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
Liverpool need to sign a defensive midfielder and they tried to bring in players like Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia during the summer transfer window. They have been using Alexis Mac Allister in the defensive midfield role, but the Argentine international is more suited to a creative role.
Signing a defensive midfielder will not only help Liverpool improve defensively, it would also give players like Mac Allister the freedom to play their natural game.
Liverpool must prioritise the signing of a quality defensive midfielder and a central defender in January if they want to win the league title. They are currently second in the table and they will need to plug the gaps in their squad to compete with clubs like Arsenal.
Meanwhile, Manchester City could look to sanction the departure of Kalvin Phillips and Palhinha could be the ideal alternative. The 28-year-old could prove to be an upgrade on the English midfielder.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool can beat the competition from their Premier League rivals and get the deal done.
Bayern Munich tried to sign the player during the summer transfer window and the Portuguese international was keen on the move. It remains to be seen how the situation unfolds concerning the interest from the German club this time around.