Liverpool could explore Jaka Bijol transfer as Leeds prepare for summer offers
Leeds United are bracing themselves to receive offers for key centre-back Jaka Bijol at the end of the season.
The Whites have been resurgent under Daniel Farke of late, and now find themselves six points clear of the Premier League’s relegation zone with 12 games to play.
Nevertheless, the West Yorkshire outfit may still face a major battle on their hands to keep hold of Bijol in the summer transfer window, as former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider earlier this week that several Premier League clubs have him on their radar.
Brown expects that Leeds will be ready to deal with the interest that is mounting in the 27-year-old, and he feels that will only continue to grow, even if Farke’s men beat the drop.
Liverpool to make obvious move for Jaka Bijol
Liverpool appear resigned to losing Ibrahima Konate when his contract expires at the end of the season, and that has created a clear priority for them to address with their summer business.
The Reds will only have three senior centre-halves on their books once the Frenchman leaves, and that includes Joe Gomez, who has hardly played this season, and Giovanni Leoni, who remains out with a long-term injury.
Arne Slot and Co. have already remedied that to some extent by securing Jeremy Jacquet for £60million, who will join at the start of the summer, but it is clear that they will need further reinforcements in the centre of defence.
With that in mind, it is surely a no-brainer for them to launch a move for Bijol, given how impressive his displays have been since his move to England last summer.
Leeds paid just £15m to sign him from Udinese, which in turn should make him a relatively cost-effective option for the Merseysiders, by the standards of their recent spending.
With the likes of Jacquet coming in and Virgil van Dijk still at the club, Liverpool likely only need another back-up option, and it would surely be a no-brainer for them to pursue Bijol for that role.
£60m loss could boost Reds’ need for Bijol even further
Former Everton and Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness recently told Football Insider that Liverpool could lose up to £60m if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.
Slot’s men are currently sitting sixth in the table and are outside the top four by three points, something they will be desperately hoping to change between now and the end of the season.
Failure to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition would likely affect their ability to spend big again in this summer’s market, and that could see Bijol become an even more attractive option.
It would be highly unlikely that the Reds would have to shell out big money to bring him in, and with that in mind, he is surely an option that they should be looking to explore.
For more information on Bijol’s future at Elland Road, check out MOT Leeds News.