Liverpool have been interested in Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah for a long time now, with the USMNT international attracting attention from many of Europe's top outfits despite his LaLiga side's lacklustre campaign.
What's the latest on Yunus Musah to Liverpool?
That's following recent reports from Spanish sources, claiming that Liverpool remain at the forefront of the attention on the 20-year-old ace as Valencia deliberate over his availability.
Musah has a release clause of €100m (£88m) and could provide Anfield with the youthful exuberance it needs to return to prominence after falling by the wayside this season and failing to qualify for the Champions League.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp would welcome such a prodigious talent with open arms, and while his release clause threatens to be an insurmountable stumbling block, there would be every belief that a cheaper deal could be struck despite being contracted until 2026.
How good is Yunus Musah?
Despite his youthful age, Musah is an experienced midfielder, having racked up 108 appearances for Valencia after joining from Arsenal's academy ranks and starring for USA at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The 24-cap international started all four of his nation's matches at the prestigious tournament and earned an average rating of 6.75 – as per Sofascore – completing 87% of his passes and averaging two tackles per game, notably producing a gritty display against England in a hard-fought group stage draw, with Joey Barton waxing lyrical and saying he even "dusted [Jude] Bellingham".
A powerful and energetic ball carrier, Musah flourishes by providing defensive support and sweeping away danger before progressing the ball upfield, with ESPN writing: 'His speed of dribbling with the ball and eagerness to press opponents are other attributes that keep Premier League clubs alert to his availability.'
While the exorbitant fee touted for his services would no doubt dissuade the Reds' technical director Jorg Schmadkte from initiating formal negotiations, there is indeed every belief that the fee could be whittled down and a swoop as shrewd as the recent £35m acquisition of Alexis Mac Allister could be clinched.
And what a duo that could unfurl at the heart of Klopp's outfit as the German manager looks to craft a resurgence; Mac Allister's forward-pushing dynamism and Musah's robustness in the tackle could combine to return the intensity and balance on the red half of Merseyside to its former illustrious glory, scaling the lofty heights that have clinched the whole gamut of silverware – barring the Europa League – at the 56-year-old's disposal.
Mac Allister ranks among the top 20% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 18% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
The £25k-per-week Musah, comparatively, ranks among the top 8% for progressive carries per 90, while also averaging 1.5 tackles per match in the Spanish top-flight this term.
Signing Musah, if the staggering valuation could depreciate with the opening of transfer talks, it would be a stunning move for the Anfield side, and he could be moulded into a first-rate star under Klopp's wing, concurrently absorbing the fruits of Mac Allister's labour and complementing the 24-year-old with a progressive approach to match his own.
