Liverpool are set to open talks over a potential €60million transfer deal for Bayer Leverkusen defender Odilon Kossounou, sources have told CaughtOffside.
The Reds are leading the race for the Ivory Coast international, who is also attracting interest from the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, CaughtOffside understands.
Kossounou has impressed in the Bundesliga and it seems he now has a concrete chance of leaving for a new challenge this summer, with the player not, as of yet, responding to the offer of a new contract from Leverkusen.
The 23-year-old’s current deal with Leverkusen expires in 2026, so the club might not be in too much of a hurry to sell, but one imagines a deal could be struck if the money is right.
It is felt that Liverpool and other interested clubs would have to pay around €60m for Kossounou, and the Merseyside giants are expected to step up negotiations soon, probably in the next month or so.
Kossounou transfer: Liverpool pursuing talented young defender
A new signing of a young centre-back has long been a priority for LFC ahead of this summer, and it seems Kossounou is now emerging as a strong option for the Premier League side after scouting him extensively in recent months.
Other scouts from English clubs have been closely monitoring Kossounou, but it remains to be seen if the likes of United and Spurs will decide to step up their interest in the way that Liverpool seem set to do.
Speaking to CaughtOffside earlier today, Fabrizio Romano made it clear that United also want at least one, and maybe two new centre-backs this summer, though he mentioned Antonio Silva, Jean-Clair Todibo, Jarrad Branthwaite and Gleison Bremer as being their four main targets.
Still, with Liverpool set to be in the Champions League next season, they’re surely the more tempting option than United right now.