Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is intent on adding further to his summer spending spree, with Portuguese playmaker Joao Mario said to be his current top target.
The reds have already made one bid for the Sporting CP midfielder, who has attracted the interest from likes of Real Madrid and Inter following a successful Euro 2016 with the Portuguese national side.
The Liverpool Echo reported that an initial Liverpool bid of £33 million was rejected by Sporting, but it is thought that an increased bid of £35 million could be enough to secure his services.
The speculation regarding a possible move away from Sporting has been affirmed by the players father, who revealed the club had rejected offers from both Inter and Liverpool this summer.
As reported in the Liverpool Echo, the player father stated: ‘Proposals for the lad don’t come directly to me. They go to his agent, Kia Joorabchian, and the Sporting President. I was informed, however, that the club said no to €35m plus €10m in bonuses from Inter and to €40m from Liverpool.’
‘Nothing particular has happened, my son is a professional and knows he has a contract with Sporting.’
‘At the same time, we’re talking about a very valuable player for the club, who would aspire to bigger projects in the course of his career.’
