Liverpool Went 'All Out' to Sign Key Real Madrid Midfielder

News in Spain has claimed that Liverpool were pushing hard to sign one of Real Madrid's key players.

Fede Valverde, Arda Guler, and Dani Ceballos / IMAGO / Pressinphoto

After Arne Slot joined Liverpool from Feyenoord last summer, most supporters were expecting FSG, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes to make some key signings to help improve the side and give the Dutch coach the best chance of continuing where Jurgen Klopp left off.

The Reds pursued Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi for the entire transfer window and in the end the Spanish midfielder decided to stay with his boyhood club.

After this rejection, Hughes and Edwards made the decision not to sign a defensive midfielder, a position that most thought was a major area that Liverpool needed to improve.

Despite this controversial decision, it has worked out well and Ryan Gravenberch has really kicked on at Anfield and made that role his own, something that might not have happened if Zubimendi had joined.

When the transfer window was all said and done, Liverpool had only signed Federico Chiesa from Juventus for €12million.

The reception from the fanbase for the Italian was positive, however, many supporters believed that at least one or even two more players needed to be brought in. As we know now, that did not happen.

It would've been ideal for the Reds to improve their team from last year, fortunately, it doesn't seem to have had a negative impact with Slot's side sitting top of the Premier League table and Champions League 'League Phase'.

Liverpool's next game is against Real Madrid, a bogey team for the Merseyside-based club, and that is expected to be the most difficult task of the season, so far.

As well as the pitch, the Spanish side have also been rivalling Liverpool in the transfer market, beating them to the signings of Aurelien Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham, most notably.

If news from Jorge C. Picón at Spanish outlet Relevo is to be believed, Klopp was actively trying to level the score and sign one of Real Madrid's most important players in 2023, Federico Valverde.

The report states that Liverpool had held meetings with Valverde's representatives and were going 'all out' to convince him of the project at Anfield.

Despite this, it is claimed that the Uruguayan declined the approaches due to wanting to continue with Los Blancos, however, it says that he 'appreciated the interest' from the Reds.

Valverde would have been a brilliant player under Klopp and would have worked amazingly in his system, however, for Slot, the 26-year-olds profile may not have been best utilised under the Dutch coach.