Journalist hints Liverpool are ahead of EPL duo in transfer chase for ‘incredible’ aerial brute
According to one reliable reporter, Liverpool are ahead of two Premier League rivals in the pursuit of a defender from the English top flight.In his latest transfer column for Football Insider, Pete O’Rourke claimed that the Reds are joined by Newcastle and Tottenham in being on ‘high alert’ to try and land Lloyd Kelly on […]
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According to one reliable reporter, Liverpool are ahead of two Premier League rivals in the pursuit of a defender from the English top flight.
In his latest transfer column for Football Insider, Pete O’Rourke claimed that the Reds are joined by Newcastle and Tottenham in being on ‘high alert’ to try and land Lloyd Kelly on a pre-contract swoop in January.
The Bournemouth man’s current deal expires next summer, and if the Cherries aren’t able to secure new terms for the player in the meantime, they may be left with no choice but to cash in on him for a cut-price fee in the winter.
The journalist wrote: ‘Several clubs, led by Liverpool, are on high alert with the 24-year-old’s contract set to expire in June 2024 – and therefore he is able to discuss a pre-contract from foreign sides from New Year’s Day.’
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Kelly has been linked with the Merseyside giants in recent days, and it’s no surprise to us that he’s reportedly on Jurgen Klopp’s radar.
The 24-year-old was outstanding when Bournemouth beat us at the Vitality Stadium six months ago, giving a performance that his then-manager Gary O’Neil dubbed ‘incredible’ on a day when the defender made five clearances and posted a 100% duel success rate (Sofascore).
Indeed, the Englishman is a beast in the air, ranking among the top 12% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues for aerial duels won per game (1.59) over the past year (FBref).
Liverpool’s pursuit of a homegrown left-footed centre-back during the summer saw them linked with Levi Colwill to no avail, but they could well prioritise Kelly in seeking to tick that particular box in January, particularly given the Cherries defender’s contract situation.
With the Reds already enduring injury problems among their defensive options this term, Klopp could well be beseeching the club’s recruitment team to spare no effort in trying to pounce upon the 24-year-old when the opportunity next arises.
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