Liverpool are interested in signing Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure, as Jurgen Klopp looks to continue his squad’s midfield rebuild.
The Reds released Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Naby Keita upon the expiry of their contracts in June. As part of the midfield revamp, Liverpool have so far signed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer. However, with club captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho expected to leave Anfield for Saudi Arabian clubs soon, Jurgen Klopp is planning to replace them adequately before the new campaign begins next month.
As a result, Cheick Doucoure has reportedly emerged as a potential target for Liverpool. Doucoure, 23, enjoyed an impressive debut season at Crystal Palace after moving to the Premier League from French club Lens last summer in a deal worth up to £26million. He made 34 league appearances for the South London club, registering three assists in the process.
However, Palace are reluctant to lose the Mali international after just one season and have slapped a whooping £70m price tag on his back to scare off Liverpool.
Cheick Doucoure could be a fantastic replacement for Fabinho
Liverpool’s midfield situation continues to be one of the most talked about transfer window topics, with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson now closing in on moves to Al-Hilal and Al-Ettifaq, respectively.
Speaking about Fabinho, the defensive midfielder has been pivotal to the Reds’ success since signing from AS Monaco in 2018. He has made 219 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool and, while his form nosedived last season, losing him, Henderson and Milner in one transfer window would be a big blow for Jurgen Klopp.
With both Mac Allister and Szoboszlai looking to be more creative options for Liverpool, Klopp needs a destroyer behind them. In short, he needs a quality replacement for Fabinho. Cheick Doucoure, in that regard, would fit the role perfectly.
Doucoure settled in seamlessly at Crystal Palace following his switch from Lens last summer, catching the eye with his tenacity, work ethic, tackling and interception skills. At just 23, the Malian is brimming with both quality and energy, and he could serve as the long-term replacement for Fabinho in Liverpool’s engine room. He is also a decent passer of the ball and more than capable of creating chances for his teammates, as demonstrated by his three assists for the Eagles.
With the Reds in the Europa League and wanting to compete for the Premier League title next season, it is crucial that they sign top players like Doucoure. It will be a huge statement if Liverpool can persuade Palace into selling the 23-year-old defensive midfielder and will no doubt worry teams in the ‘Big Six’ trying to compete near the top of the Premier League.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
