By now Liverpool should really know better than to go head-on against Real Madrid in the transfer market.
A general rule of thumb should be that if Madrid are after a player, then he’s usually worth getting.
Over the years the Spanish giants have assembled a quite brilliant team. Any player capable of slotting into that is also going to be worth trying to bring to Anfield.
However, whenever Liverpool do attempt to take on Florentino Perez, they inevitably end up losing. Aurelien Tchouameni was seemingly close to joining the Reds before Madrid swooped in. Jude Bellingham is another who is playing in red in a parallel universe.
Despite the failure to get those two transfers over the line though, it seems that Liverpool are set to take on the Madrid machine once again.
Real Madrid confident of Leny Yoro transfer
Obviously, when Liverpool target a player, they don’t know for sure that Real are going to come into the picture.
It’s actually arguably a feather in the cap of the scouting department that they’re identifying players who could also do a job at the Bernabeu.
In the case of Leny Yoro though, his talent and potential are obvious. Thierry Henry has determined the Lille defender as being ‘extraordinary’ [Le10Sport] and what he’s doing at just 18 is simply phenomenal.
With Liverpool on the lookout for a new centre-back, they have seen all of this and have reportedly ‘forcefully’ entered the race for Yoro.
But according to French outlet Foot Mercato, the Reds’ interest is unlikely to register. They claim that Madrid have already spoken to Yoro, telling him to remain calm and patient while they negotiate with Lille. For his part, the teenager is claimed to have already been sold on the Madrid project.
PSG are said to remain in the running, although their Spanish counterparts have reportedly ‘taken a big lead’ in the race.
An initial offer of just £25.5m from Madrid will seemingly be rejected, with Lille claimed to be hoping for ‘much more.’ With the La Liga behemoth having turned Yoro’s head, they are said to be ‘very confident’ that they will end up getting their man.
What about Liverpool?
Though Liverpool have been mentioned frequently in connection to Yoro, Foot Mercato don’t name-drop them at all.
Reports from Fabrizio Romano on Monday did put the Reds in the picture, although the suggestion again was that PSG and Real Madrid are more likely destinations.
Perhaps tellingly, that’s a thought that is also said to have originated from Liverpool themselves.
Speaking exclusively to Rousing The Kop, journalist Graeme Bailey claimed that the Reds are of the belief that Yoro is heading to Madrid.
When the Spanish champions get their hooks into a player it’s often hard to get them out.
Unless Los Blancos inexplicably bow out of this one in the coming weeks, we’d suggest Liverpool move on to other targets.