Liverpool face fresh competition from Atletico Madrid in the pursuit of David Neres, it has been claimed.
The Spanish giants are preparing for life without Antoine Griezmann next season and have identified Neres as a potential replacement.
According to Daily Mail, Atletico Madrid will provide stiff competition to Chelsea and Liverpool in the race to sign Neres this summer.
As for Liverpool, they have already missed out on Julian Brandt, who joined Borussia Dortmund for a fee of €25 million. And the Reds will be hoping to avoid a similar situation with Neres.
Liverpool should double their efforts to sign Neres this summer
Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements in the attacking department despite an excellent campaign that saw them finish second in the Premier League.
England internationals Adam Lallana and Daniel Sturridge are both looking likely to leave Anfield, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has struggled with injuries.
As a result, Xherdan Shaqiri remains their only reliable alternative to the offensive duo of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. Hence, the addition of someone like Neres would add a lot more depth to their attack next season.
The 22-year-old was critical to Ajax’s incredible season that saw them reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League as well as secure the Eredivisie title. He was involved in as many as 27 goals in all competitions – making him the third most productive attacker for Ajax in the 2018/19 campaign.
Neres can offer pace and dynamism – something that is already present in the Liverpool attack. But, what makes him such an appealing target for the Reds is his versatility. The Brazilian sensation, aside from his preferred wide-attacking role, can also feature as an attacking midfielder, and a central midfielder.
This could be a boon for Jurgen Klopp, especially when it comes to squad rotation that has become imperative in such a long and strenuous schedule in English football. It also means that the German mastermind will be able to accommodate Neres in his attacking set-up without leaving out the duo of Mane and Salah.
Furthermore, Neres will be able to add more bite into the Liverpool attack, thanks to his impressive productivity. As his statistics would suggest, the youngster has a keen eye for goal, and can also create a plethora of chances in the final third. And at the age of 22, he would be an ideal long-term investment for Liverpool.
Hence, the Reds should double their efforts to sign Neres this summer as they aim to add more quality to their attack.
