Liverpool 'ready' to seal £51m powerhouse defender transfer after price tag update
The Reds are ‘ready to pay’ required fee after European club significantly drops price tag on defensive starlet
Liverpool are said to be ‘ready to pay’ the asking price of French starlet Leny Yoro, after his current club Lille were reported to have reduced his price tag from €100 million (£84.7m) to €60m (£50.8m).
As per reports from Sport, via Give Me Sport, the Reds are ‘still in the fight’ to bring the central defender to Anfield this summer despite the continuing interest from Lille’s league rivals and Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain. The report indicated that Lille had been hoping to secure a huge £84.7m for their defensive starlet but after dropping the price significantly, both Liverpool and PSG have reignited their interest.
However, both Arne Slot and Luis Enrique may face a further complication from yet another European rival as it was reported that the 18-year-old only wants to accept a move to UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid. It’s claimed, as per Sport, that Los Blancos are close to parting ways with Rafa Marin who is heading to Napoli for a fee of £10m and they are to use the funds to help bring Yoro to the Bernabeu.
Carlo Ancelotti does not, however, intend to pay more than €40m (£34m) for the 18-year-old. Madrid will only be ready to secure a deal on their terms and are hopeful that Lille will further reduce the asking price. Failing that, and if the two sides are unable to reach an agreement, there is the potential that Los Blancos will ‘wait another season’ to snap-up the central defender on a free transfer.
As it stands, Liverpool and PSG remain primary contenders to sign the star - who reportedly does not want either the Reds or PSG - as Lille will prefer to sell Yoro for cheap rather than losing him on a free transfer come summer 2025.
The France youth international debuted with Lille reserve team in 2022 and was quick to sign his first professional contract with the club in January of the same year. He became the second youngest Lille player to make their debut at 16 years six months and one day of age and last campaign helped to keep 15 clean sheets as the side finished fourth in Ligue 1.
Yoro was initially named in Thierry Henry’s Under-23 squad for the Paris Olympics but he since withdrew after being blocked by Lille.