Liverpool, it seems, missed out on quite the opportunity to land a highly promising prospect this summer.
Christian Falk reported that the Merseysiders did hold talks with Brajan Gruda’s entourage, though couldn’t evolve conversations to the point of a transfer.
Brighton & Hove Albion instead swooped for the Germany U21 international in a £25m deal.
“One other English club also knocked on the door this summer – it was Liverpool,” the Bundesliga reporter wrote in his Fact Files column for CaughtOffside.
“I heard that Liverpool were interested in him and perhaps they made a mistake not getting concrete with this one. That’s also the case for Bayern Munich, of course! In the end, they all couldn’t give him guarantees for this position, but they tried. They saw the big talent of Gruda.
“Liverpool were the only club from England’s Big Six who were talking with the management, but in the middle class of clubs in England there were plenty of sides who were interested in him. If Liverpool had been concrete for Gruda, it would have been a big challenge for Brighton to sign him.”
The 20-year-old, who signed a four-year contract with the Seagulls, recorded seven goal contributions in 28 Bundesliga games as Mainz finished 13th in the German top-flight last term.
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There’s certainly a discussion to be had over Liverpool’s failure to pursue Gruda to the point of completion this summer.
“Failure” perhaps might be considered too harsh a judgement, of course, in light of the signing of a quality, experienced talent in Federico Chiesa who had fallen out of favour at Juventus.
Though, £25m for a talent as promising as the German youngster could very well be overshadowed by his eventual value should his vast potential be fulfilled.
As a left-footed right-sided winger (a particularly rare trait), one has to wonder why on earth the Reds didn’t move heaven and earth to secure the potential Mo Salah successor.
Are there any other options in world football that can claim to possess a similar level of quality and potential, a low asking price and characteristics that would enable them to be suitable backup for the Egyptian international?
Liverpool, one might reasonably suspect, may very well come to regret their decision here.
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