(Credit: Imago)

Evan Shaw

Fri 3 April 2026 9:30, UK

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Liverpool are lining up a potential £45million swoop for Atalanta right-back Marco Palestra in the summer transfer window.

The Reds are keen to try and strike a deal for the impressive 21-year-old ahead of next season, as his performances in his loan spell at Calgiari this season have seriously caught the eye.

Gazzetta Dello Sport say that Atalanta are holding out for a “monstrous offer” in order to sell the starlet, and it will take a bid of £45m to bring them to the negotiating table.

Palestra was subject to an approach from Bournemouth last summer, and while his entourage believed that it was too early for him to move to the Premier League on that occasion, it could be a totally different story this time around.

The youngster has been a standout performer across the entire Serie A this term, and as a result, he is set to form a major part of Liverpool’s transfer plans this summer.

Marco Palestra signing would be a huge coup for Liverpool

Palestra’s recent form for Cagliari has also seen him burst onto the scene at international level during the recent March fixtures.

He made his senior debut for his country as a late substitute in their World Cup play-off semi-final victory over Northern Ireland, before earning his first start in the ill-fated final against Bosnia.

The starlet was one of the only Azzurri players to emerge from that hugely damaging defeat with any credit, as his breakout season continues to go from strength to strength.

One look at Palestra’s stats in Serie A this season, and it is clear to see that he is ready to become a star.

The youngster is a monster when it comes to individual battles, as he has already won a staggering 200 duels so far this term, a total that no member of the Liverpool team can even get close to.

He ranks as the second-best player in Serie A in terms of duels, and his tally of 52 successful dribbles also stands him among the elite in that department as well.

Throw in the fact that he is also one of the league’s leading defenders when it comes to assists, and he has everything that a manager would want from a modern-day full-back.

Liverpool may be somewhat daunted by the prospect of paying £45m for a player with just one full season of senior experience, but if his stats are anything to go by, then Palestra would represent excellent value.

Conor Bradley injury may be worse than feared

Football Insider revealed at the start of March that Liverpool would likely be forced into signing a new right-back this summer, with Conor Bradley expected to miss the opening stages of the season.

Arne Slot is short of options on the right of the backline without the ability to call on the homegrown star, but he would have been hoping to get the Northern Irishman back as quickly as possible.

It is no surprise to see the Merseysiders targeting a move for a new right-back, but the fact that they have chosen such an expensive target in Palestra is undoubtedly eye-catching.

That perhaps suggests that Bradley could be facing an even longer spell on the sidelines than was initially feared, as Liverpool clearly want top-quality cover, rather than a makeshift solution.