Brighton & Hove Albion have reportedly set the asking price for their midfielder Yves Bissouma this month amidst links with Liverpool.
The Malian international, 25, is enjoying yet another strong Premier League campaign with the Seagulls but he has now entered the final 18 months of his contract. The central midfielder has been recently linked with a move to Aston Villa, who are looking to reinforce their midfield unit further after the signing of Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona.
According to The Athletic, Brighton have slapped a price-tag of £50m on Yves Bissouma, with Liverpool keen on the midfielder. The south coast club don’t want to lose one of their influential midfielders midway through a season but will be forced to sell if any of the player’s several admirers meet their asking price, the report adds.
Bissouma has established himself as one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders over the last couple of years. He has racked over 100 games for the Seagulls across all competitions since moving from Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille in the summer of 2018.
Yves Bissouma to Liverpool—Should the Reds splash the cash for the midfielder?
Liverpool are in the market for reinforcements after falling 11 points behind league leaders Manchester City. It is no secret that Jurgen Klopp is keen on signing a central midfielder as a long-term replacement for the ageing James Milner.
With Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara also entering their 30s and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain yet to bring consistency to his game, the Reds must make it one of their top priorities to bolster the midfield area next. And a player of Bissouma’s skill-set fits the profile perfectly at Anfield.
Yves Bissouma has seen his stock rise after consistent performances with Brighton in recent years, thereby, naturally catching the attention of some of Europe’s top clubs. Interest from Liverpool is particularly rife, with Klopp failing to bring in a replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum last summer.
While not as experienced as someone like Wijnaldum at the highest level, Bissouma could certainly prove to be a more dynamic option than the Dutchman, ultimately adding more physicality and energy to the Liverpool setup.
The Malian excels sitting at the base of the midfield, breaking the opposition’s play and driving forward with the ball whenever possible. A good passer and reader of the game, the 25-year-old would add plenty of energy and tenacity to the Reds’ engine room, as well as improve the depth of the squad.
At 25, Bissouma is set to enter the best years of his career and could turn out to be an inspired addition to Klopp’s squad. Liverpool could be an exciting prospect for him, with plenty of top players in the team.
With Brighton reportedly setting an asking price of £50m, Liverpool must splash the cash to sign Bissouma now.
