A top Liverpool reporter has detailed why there are elements of a summer swoop for a Tottenham Hotspur star that make genuine football sense, even if he’s not heard of concrete Anfield interest in the player.
While the majority of transfer speculation surrounding the Reds this summer has centred around finding Mohamed Salah’s replacement, there remains a need to bring in at least one, if not two, new full-backs.
The left-hand side is in particular need of finding fresh competition for Milos Kerkez, although Kostas Tsimikas is back from his loan stint at Roma and it’s reported that he will be involved in pre-season, as Andoni Iraola weighs up all his first-team options before the transfer window shuts on September 1.
However, TEAMtalk insider Gareme Bailey revealed on July 14 that Liverpool and Newcastle are in the mix to sign Tottenham and England defender Djed Spence, with the north London outfit ready to green light his sale.
While Italian giants Inter Milan remain the favourites to snap up Spence, who has been one of England’s standout performers at the World Cup, the Daily Mail‘s Lewis Steele has detailed why he thinks a move to Liverpool for the 25-year-old actually makes a ton on sense.
Discussing Spence on the latest edition of Media Matters on Anfield Index, Steele admitted he had not previously viewed Spence as a realistic Liverpool target until his displays at the World Cup.
Indeed, he highlighted Spence’s ability to play on both flanks as to why he would be a strong addition to Iraola’s first-team squad.
Steele said: “If you’d asked me this six weeks ago, I probably would have laughed you out of town because I didn’t really rate Djed Spence too highly at all.
“He’s done brilliantly at the World Cup. I thought he was England’s best player last night [vs Argentina in the semi-finals].”
While Steele stopped short of suggesting Liverpool are actually in the market for the full-back, he explained why Spence’s profile does fit.
Steele added: “It does make a lot of sense. He can play on the right and the left, which is exactly what Liverpool need. I think they’re a left back short. I think they’re a right back short.”
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Steele at odds over Spence to Liverpool links
While Steele’s comments identify exactly why Spence making the switch to Anfield makes plenty of sense, he is not convinced that any such move will actually happen.
He added: “I’ve not heard anything really to suggest that Liverpool are going to make a move for him.”
That being said, he can see the exact reasoning behind the Reds stepping up and actively pursuing a deal for the former Middlesbrough star, especially after his performance against Argentina.
Indeed, Steele added: “It would make an awful lot of sense if they were to step it up. “I haven’t had anything to suggest they will just yet.”
In terms of the reported price tag for Spence, we understand Spurs are looking for somewhere between £30-40million, especially given his displays for the Three Lions in North America.
Whether Liverpool are willing to fork out that much for a player to potentially just cover Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong remains to be seen.
Steele has also provided an update on Liverpool’s quest to sign Bradley Barcola, explaining why the saga is poised to become the ‘story of the summer’ and with three other sources also revealing the latest.
One deal that won’t be done this summer between Spurs and the Reds is one of Cody Gakpo, after a big update on the Dutchman’s future emerged.