It was recently reported by The Sun that Liverpool had placed a £45million bid for Borussia Dortmund winger Christian Pulisic, but it appears the hugely promising youngster will now be joining Premier League rivals Chelsea instead – after former USA star Eddie Johnson seemed to let confirmation of the move on Instagram.
While other sources have questioned whether Liverpool had a genuine interest in signing Pulisic in the new year, Klopp’s keenness on the American winger dates back several years – having previously launched an £11million bid for his services.
Considering his contract situation and slump down the pecking order at Dortmund this season, it’s likely Klopp had hopes of signing the Black-Yellows prodigy at some point in the coming transfer windows.
But with Chelsea seemingly winning the race for his services, it’s time for Liverpool to consider some alternatives to the highly-rated 20-year-old. Football FanCast lay out five suggested solutions below, and then give Liverpool fans the chance to decide who the club should target…
Nicolas Pepe
Ligue 1 is producing exciting young footballers at an incredible rate right now and Nicolas Pepe is one of the latest to emerge from the French top flight. The 23-year-old notched up 13 goals and four assists during his first season at Lille following a summer 2017 move from Angers but is just two goals shy of beating that total this time around, with half of the campaign still to go.
Pretty much every major club in Europe has been linked with the Ivory Coast international at some point over the last 18 months. But being sensationally quick and incredibly potent, he’d certainly suit Liverpool’s style of play.
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Ryan Fraser
Something of an unsung hero as far as Premier League attackers are concerned. Ryan Fraser has been an incredibly consistent performer for Bournemouth during their time in the top flight and is only second to Eden Hazard this season for assists, with eight in 18 games, yet he’s rarely mentioned as a potential recruit for English football’s top clubs.
Bournemouth’s strong start to the season showed exactly what Fraser’s capable of in a team brimming with confidence, so one can only assume his performances would reach an even higher level when injected into a team challenging for the title.
Throw in a dose of industriousness and tenacity, and there’s plenty Fraser offers the Reds.
Ousmane Dembele
There may be some serious question marks over his attitude but Ousmane Dembele is clearly a huge talent, one who only required a single season at Borussia Dortmund to convince Barcelona to pay just shy of £130million (including add-ons) for his services.
Things have gone a little askew since then, Dembele’s first season at the Nou Camp disrupted by injury and his second overshadowed by discipline problems – even then, he’s still managed to score seven La Liga goals this term – but that’s what makes an Anfield transfer all the more plausible.
Although Barcelona reportedly have no plans to sell the player, a bid that covers the majority of their original investment may force them to reconsider. Transfermarkt currently value him at £72million.
Cengiz Under
Roma signed Cengiz under as Mohamed Salah’s replacement and while he’s not quite matched the heights the now-Liverpool talisman reached at the Stadio Olimpico, it may not be too long before he does. Indeed, this season has seen Under rack up eight goal involvements in Serie A and score three times in the Champions League, albeit against somewhat modest opposition in CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen.
Right now, the 21-year-old still feels a few shades short of Liverpool’s level, but that could change between now and the end of the season and if it’s a long-term investment the Reds are looking for, just like Pulisic, few young players in European football offer greater promise.
Leon Bailey
He’s still a little rough around the edges and this season has been a surprising disappointment, but Leon Bailey’s massive potential is impossible to ignore. Few players in Europe eat up ground with the same speed as the Bayer Leverkusen youngster, who matches his quickness with ingenious trickery.
Last term was a real breakthrough season for the Jamaican-born youngster, one that saw him bag nine goals and six assists in the Bundesliga, but he’s struggled to live up to those standards amid a worrying season for all at the BayArena.
Under contract until 2023, however, it will take a big fee to convince Bayer to sell any time soon.
So, Liverpool fans, which Pulisic alternative would you like to see Klopp sign? Let us know by voting below…