World-class player who called Liverpool his 'dream club' is now 'unlikely' to join in blow for Klopp

RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol is “unlikely” to join Liverpool in the summer, according to a fresh report.

The Reds already have one eye on the transfer window having endured a tumultuous season plagued by poor form and injury problems.

Jurgen Klopp’s men are sixth in the Premier League, some six points adrift of Tottenham Hotspur in fourth, albeit with a game in hand.

Meanwhile, they have long been eliminated from both domestic cups and look likely to drop out of the Champions League this week. On Wednesday the club travel to the Santiago Bernabeu looking to overturn a 5-2 last-16 first-leg deficit against reigning champions Real Madrid.

In turn, Klopp has been tipped to lead a squad overhaul in the summer, with the club having been linked to the likes of Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount and Gvardiol.

However, they may struggle in their pursuit of the latter.

Gvardiol to Liverpool?

According to The Athletic Liverpool’s recruitment team “admire” Gvardiol but the club are “unlikely” to sign the Croatian this summer.

The publication claims that the Reds have bigger transfer priorities, with the club likely to focus on strengthening their midfield in the summer rather than their centre-backs.

Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are Klopp’s first-choice centre-back partnership, with Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Nathaniel Phillips acting as understudies.

Yet, Matip will enter the final year of his contract this summer while Phillips is expected to leave, meaning the Reds may look to bring in another centre-back as cover.

However, given the competition for Gvardiol’s signature and the size of the fee required to sign the 21-year-old, he is unlikely to move to Anfield.

That’s despite the Croatian having claimed he “dreams” of a Liverpool move.

Speaking to TV channel RTLDanas he said in January: "My dream club? That would definitely be Liverpool. Since I was little, I watched a lot of their matches with my dad.

"We covered every season in detail. It is a club that has remained in my heart".

Topics: Football, Transfers, Josko Gvardiol, Liverpool, Croatia, RB Leipzig, Bundesliga, Jurgen Klopp

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.