Liverpool are plotting a summer swoop for Stoke winger Ramadan Sobhi after a glowing recommendation from international teammate Mohamed Salah, according to TEAMtalk.
The football news site report that Liverpool first scouted the 21-year-old before he joined the Potters in the summer of 2016, and have now been back to watch him in action several times recently.
TEAMtalk claim that Stoke would be willing to sell on the Egypt international for £15million, making a profit of around £10million in just two years.
It is said that the Reds hope that signing Salah’s Egypt teammate would help increase their chances of keeping the 25-year-old at the club, with several of Europe’s top sides taking notice of his breathtaking form this season.
Good move for Liverpool?
This would be a good deal for its side-effects, and not necessarily as a footballing move.
Sobhi is no doubt a good player, but a return of just three goals and three assists in 41 appearances over two seasons at Stoke does not exactly inspire awe.
However, if a move for the young winger helps to keep Salah happy at Anfield, then this would be a brilliant move from Liverpool.
Keeping Salah is key to their hopes in the near future, and so a £15million outlay would be well worth it.
This is Futbol rating: 8/10
Likely to happen?
With Stoke reportedly willing to sell, and Liverpool desperate to keep hold of Salah, this one is definitely possible.
It will however depend on what happens between now and the end of the season.
If Liverpool win the Champions League then it is doubtful they will have to do anything to keep Salah at Anfield.
If they don’t, then they may have some convincing to do, and Sobhi may be key to that.
This is Futbol rating: 5/10