Chelsea target Matheus Nunes is reportedly now wanted by Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
According to CM Journal, the Reds have made the Portugal international their priority next signing, adding to the acquisitions of Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho.
The Blues had been linked with a deal for the 23-year-old, after Todd Boehly had held a meeting with superagent Jorge Mendes.
It had even been claimed the club were at the front of the queue in terms of signing Nunes, with as many as 20 elite European clubs intrigued by a deal.
However, it appears Liverpool are set to up their interest in the transfer, with CM Journal claiming a deal for around £38m has encouraged the club to begin negotiations with Sporting Lisbon.
Thomas Tuchel’s side have certainly been prioritising other positions this window, with them already having a number of strong options available in central midfield.
Liverpool prioritise Nunes signing
It has been claimed Nunes will not be looking to join a club where he is not a guaranteed starter, and with the Blues having Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and N’golo Kante making it look, on the surface at least, like the road to a starting position would be difficult.
When looking a bit deeper though, the current options are riddled with either injury problems or uncertain futures.
Kante’s injury record in recent seasons has seen him arguably not included in Chelsea’s strongest line-up, an unimaginable thought just a couple of years ago.
Meanwhile, Jorginho has publicly stated he is unsure where his future lies, meaning Thomas Tuchel may have to consider rebuilding his all-star midfield sooner than he would have expected.
With Nunes perhaps soon to be out the question, the opportunity arises for Conor Gallagher to stake his claim. After committing his future to the club, he has shown the ability to compete against the best teams in the league, with his work rate matched by few at the club.
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