Liverpool have spent the last two weeks trying to convince £53m Uruguayan star to join them

Liverpool have spent the last two weeks trying to convince £53m Uruguayan star to join them

Liverpool have been in direct contact with Sporting’s Manuel Ugarte over a possible move to Anfield over the past two weeks.

That’s according to Football Transfers, who say the midfielder is “important” to the Reds. As a result, Liverpool have reportedly been speaking directly with Ugarte for the past two weeks.

However, the 22-year-old would not be one of the Reds’ main targets for the summer. Other players are said to be “further down” on their list of possible additions. Moreover, Jurgen Klopp is said to be more inclined to strengthen the No.8 and No.10 positions. Therefore, Ugarte is currently ‘not a priority’.

Still, Liverpool wouldn’t get in touch if they weren’t interested. One of the sticking points is said to be the value of the Uruguayan’s release clause. The Reds are currently believed to be worth around £53m and have reportedly ‘haggled’ that price. If they ultimately decide not to pay it, it looks like someone else might.

Football Transfers report that – shock – Chelsea are also hovering around Ugarte. However, Mauricio Pochettino’s hiring process is reportedly holding things back in that regard.

Liverpool continue talks with Ugarte

It seems strange to suggest that Liverpool have come to talk to a player and haggle over the price when that player is not a priority.

In the opinion of many fans, strengthening the team in the No. 6 position should be a priority anyway. We can’t risk Fabinho falling further in another season. A ready successor should be considered.

Ugarte could very well be that successor. Extremely strong in one-on-one combat, young, tough and with a high ceiling – he has many preferences.

At £53million, it’s not the most expensive option either. Obviously, Liverpool will try to negotiate if possible, but the presence of other suitors could complicate things.

However, even if they end up having to pay a full blow for Ugarte, it seems to be good value for money. At only twenty-two he has plenty of time to become a player who is worth much more.

Somewhere in the course of the talks, perhaps Ugarte will end up becoming a prime target for Liverpool. With discussions going on for a couple of weeks, you’d imagine a breakthrough wouldn’t be that far off.

Also.. 

5 talking points from Liverpool 1-0 Fulham – includes Scrappy attack but more solid defence 

Liverpool secured a narrow victory over Fulham in stark contrast to Sunday’s drama against Spurs.

Liverpool 1-0 Fulham

Goals: Salah 39′ (penalty)

No repeat of the Spurs roller coaster

While Spurs’ game was a blistering mess after Liverpool took a 3-0 lead, this game against Fulham was a bit more settled overall.

Perhaps it’s a stretch to call it total control for Jurgen Klopp’s side as Fulham still had a strange and dangerous moment, but there was none of the madness of a few days ago.

It was 1-0. It could easily have been 0-0 as by far the best chance created by Liverpool came out of nowhere from a penalty, but they forced the possession problem enough to get that one goal. Klopp would probably prefer it that way, although he would like his attackers to have a lot more composure in the future.

Press

Whether it was players coming into the line-up to impress or a desire to attack in their second successive home game in eight days, Liverpool’s pressing seemed more intense, or at least more effective, at the beginning.

The front four, often consisting of Diaz, Jones, Nunez and Salah, were joined by Henderson and Fabinho as they tried to thwart Fulham’s buildup from behind while trying to capture the ball high up the pitch.

On one occasion, Henderson collected the ball high up the field, creating a good chance for Nunez, who had snatched the ball from him at the last second.

Nunez himself won a penalty by completing Issa Diop, touching the ball and drawing the foul. It was something out of nowhere to indirectly produce the first goal of the match by eliminating a player.

Defense structure plus Alisson

The experiment with Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield obviously worked and it’s worth sticking with.

The problem was how the rest of the team worked to cover that space defensively.

As shown against Spurs they don’t always do well but the defensive structure looked much stronger in the next game.

Ibrahima Konate is effectively a right-back in possession, and both he and Virgil van Dijk have done a much better job of covering that space when transitioning from attack to defence. Van Dijk was wrongly blamed for many defensive failures against Spurs as he was often isolated, but in a more organized unit against Fulham he looked like the defender we know best.

The left-back’s ability to score crosses hasn’t really been tested and while there’s still work to be done, it’s been an improvement for the defense individually and as a team.

One of the best chances Fulham had in the second half was Alisson to save them. A reminder that he was one of the best (arguably the best) goaltenders in the league this season.

scrap attack

Although Liverpool took the win, much of their attacking play lacked control and fluidity in the final moments. The attackers who entered the team were very direct players who could disrupt an opposing defense, but too often they lost control of their own offensive actions.

This was summed up even when Nunez won the penalty as the reason he charged the opposition to win the ball back was because he himself had lost the ball due to a bad touch.

Such touches were the order of the day, accompanied by poor choice or poor passing execution in the final third, which continued throughout the 90 minutes.

home run

This is the second of three home games in eight days, with four of the Reds’ last six games being played at Anfield.

The away games are against relegated Leicester, the last match of the season against Southampton, who may have been relegated at that time. It’s been quite a favorable run as Liverpool seek to qualify for the Europa League after an overall disappointing season.

Still, it’s a chance to get Anfield back into some kind of feel-good factor and make it a fortress again.

Four points behind Man United in fourth place despite playing two more games. A top 4 result seems unlikely, but a good end to the season will put us all in a better mood this summer and lead us into next season.