Liverpool missed out on the signing of Brajan Gruda when the 20-year-old joined fellow Premier League side Brighton earlier this summer.
The German U21 international featured heavily for Mainz in the Bundesliga last season, scoring and providing an assist in their 3-1 win over Wolfsburg to secure their top-flight safety.
Liverpool were known to be in the market for attacking options this summer, with an early move for Anthony Gordon failing and a deal for Federico Chiesa being finalised just days before the transfer window closed.
Now its being reported that Liverpool were also interested in Gruda but failed to act fast enough, letting the Seagulls seal a deal.
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How serious were Liverpool about Gruda?
Writing for Fabrizio Romano’s daily briefing, Christian Falk has confirmed that Liverpool were interested in Gruda but that the club never got ‘concrete’ with their interest.
Falk also revealed that Liverpool were the only of the Premier League’s top sides that were interested in Gruda but that there was plenty of interest from other sides in the league.
He added: “If Liverpool had been concrete for Gruda, it would have been a big challenge for Brighton to sign him.”
Did Liverpool need Gruda?
It was reported multiple times throughout the window that Liverpool were interested in bringing in as many as two forwards and this was eventually the only position the Reds strengthened in ahead of this season.
Whilst Gruda looks a solid prospect, he plays the majority of his football as an attacking midfielder, and this is a different profile to Liverpool’s summer signing Chiesa and reported target Gordon.
Gruda would have offered a different option for Slot but he would have to compete with the likes of Dominik Szobszlai and Harvey Elliot for a place in the team and he would also be competing with one of Liverpool’s brightest young stars Trey Nyoni.
Only time will tell just how effective Gruda can be in the Premier League but Liverpool supporters will hope that the club’s decision not to sign the German won’t come back to haunt them when they next meet Brighton.