Liverpool learn asking price for brilliant midfielder who has "great desire" to join the club

Liverpool will have to pay £53.5 million for Flamengo midfielder Joao Gomes, who is also a target for Real Madrid.

It’s been well documented that the Reds will be in the market for a midfielder in 2023 and this has inevitably resulted in numerous links to talented players across the globe surfacing.

Although Jude Bellingham has been cited as the top target by several reputable sources, another name who has been linked with a move to Anfield is Gomes, who himself once declared he had a "great desire" to move to Merseyside..

The Brazilian broke through into the Flamengo team in late 2020, and has since played 101 times for the Rio-based side, despite only turning 21 in February.

Liverpool’s interest has been circulating for a few weeks, but now reports have emerged that Real Madrid are also keen on the player, and will look to move for him in January.

A fresh report has also revealed Flamengo’s asking price for the player, which is supposedly in the region of €60 million (£53.5 million), according to Brazilian journalist Vene Casagrande, via Mundo Deportivo. 

Casagrande claims that this price tag is substantially over Real’s valuation of Gomes, who they see as worth £35.5 million, but that the Spanish giants are still likely to compete with Liverpool for his signature.

Bayer Leverkusen have also said to be interested in the player, although could be priced out of a move as Flamengo are understood to be adamant on their asking price.

The Merseyside club have also been said to be in direct competition with Real Madrid for Bellingham’s services, so it’s likely to be a difficult window or two for the Reds, competing with one of football’s financial superpowers for top targets.

Jurgen Klopp will be desperate to reinforce and rebuild what is an ageing midfield department, consisting of three players over the age of 30 in Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson and James Milner, as well as two players whose contracts expire at the end of this season in Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Liverpool may need more than just one addition in the middle of the park, and targeting young players who can grow with the likes of Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho would appear a likely strategy.

Gomes is said to be a tenacious ball winner who is also superbly technically, with impressive athleticism.