Liverpool eye Cheick Doucoure as potential Jordan Henderson replacement as Crystal Palace stick on hefty price tag
Liverpool are reportedly eyeing Cheick Doucoure as a potential replacement for Jordan Henderson, who is on the verge of moving to Saudi Arabia. The deal with Al Ettifaq, managed by Steven Gerrard, has been agreed upon for £12 million. Liverpool is interested in Doucoure due to his defensive capabilities. However, Crystal Palace is demanding a hefty fee of at least £70 million for his services, with Paris Saint-Germain also showing interest. Liverpool is facing a midfield problem with Fabinho set to depart for Al Ittihad as well. Jurgen Klopp aims to revamp his midfield this summer and sees Doucoure as an ideal target. Palace is aware of Liverpool’s situation and is preparing for a potential approach in the coming weeks. They value Doucoure at £70 million to deter Liverpool, considering the extravagant moves made by other midfielders this summer. However, if an offer of £70 million is made, Palace may be tempted to cash in on the 23-year-old, who joined last summer for £18 million. Liverpool is also interested in Brighton’s Moises Caicedo, along with Chelsea. The Reds could face a difficult situation with a major overhaul of the midfield before the Premier League resumes next month. Fabinho and Henderson, despite not having their best seasons, played crucial roles in Liverpool’s recent successes. Their departures will leave Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, and Stefan Bajcetic as the only remaining midfielders from last season. In addition to Doucoure and Caicedo, Liverpool has been linked with Manu Kone, Romeo Lavia, and Sofyan Amrabat.
Liverpool are reportedly identifying Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucouré as a potential replacement for Anfield veteran Jordan Henderson.
The Merseysiders are understood to have been frustrated in their efforts to find a credible successor for their current club captain, whose contract expires in 2021.
If no suitable replacement is found, Henderson – who signed for Liverpool from Sunderland back in 2011 – would have to extend his current deal.
However, the Reds seem to have identified former Watford man Doucouré, 26, as a potential replacement for the 30-year-old.
Doucouré has made 40 Premier League appearances for Palace since signing from Watford last year and is arguably one of the most talented ball-playing midfielders in the division.
He is currently under contract at Selhurst Park until 2022, but the Eagles are understood to be placing a hefty price tag on their midfield enforcer.
Liverpool head coach Jürgen Klopp will surely be mindful of avoiding any overspending in the forthcoming transfer window, as the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic continues to be felt across the sport.
Doucouré – who has earned 12 caps for France at senior level – has featured on eight occasions for Roy Hodgson’s side in the 2020-21 campaign, recording a passing accuracy of 83.7 percent and averaging 1.7 tackles per game.
The question of whether the Reds will make a move for Palace’s midfield lynchpin this spring remains unanswered, but anyone who knows Klopp’s style of play won’t be surprised to see the Merseysiders set to make an advancement for such a creative and ‘storytelling’ player.