Liverpool are 'still watching' Bundesliga star after summer transfer interest

Liverpool still hold an interest in Borussia Monchengladbach's Manu Kone, but face competition for his signature, according to one reporter.

22-year-old Kone was among the many players linked with the Reds at the start of the summer transfer window, as Jurgen Klopp oversaw a midfield rebuild.

A highly-rated operator and France Under-21 international, links to Kone were partly strengthened by the fact that Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke's son, Nils, works in a similar position at Gladbach.

However, Kone suffered a knee injury while at the Under-21 Euros in June, forcing to miss out on pre-season and the start of the 2023/24 campaign, and Liverpool turned their attention elsewhere in their recruitment plans, ending the window with four new midfield arrivals.

The Reds haven't totally forgotten about Kone, though, according to German journalist Christian Falk.

Falk claims that Liverpool are 'still watching' the Gladbach star, but are not the only ones, with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich also interested.

Bayern are known to be in the market for a defensive midfielder, having famously missed out on Joao Palhinha from Fulham on transfer deadline day in September.

Anfield Watch understands that Liverpool are now monitoring the 28-year-old Portuguese star, who would cost around £70m.

While the Reds' priority for 2024 will be reinforcing the defence, there is speculation that the midfield overhaul isn't totally finished.

With Thiago in the final year of his contract and the first-team still light on specialist defensive midfielders, there is a chance that the Reds could still move for another 'number six'.

Anfield Watch has also reported that Andre Trindade, another player Liverpool looked at during the summer, is still hopeful of a move to Merseyside in the winter. His current club Fluminense have always maintained that the 22-year-old Brazil international will be allowed to move once their Copa Libertadores campaign is completed.