Liverpool have made a “last-ditch” effort this week to sign goalkeeper Andriy Lunin from under the noses of Real Madrid, according to the Mirror.
The newspaper claim the Merseyside giants have hijacked their Champions League conquerors by trying to tempt the shot-stopper to spurn the Spanish capital and join them instead.
The Mirror report Liverpool are set to be foiled in their attempt as the 6ft 3in Ukraine international, 19, has his heart set on an £11million transfer to Real and the move is set to go through imminently.
OPINION
How Liverpool fans would have loved their club getting one over Real Madrid in the transfer market after the events of Kiev a month ago. The conduct of Sergio Ramos in the final left a particularly bitter taste in the mouths of followers of the Premier League giants after he contributed to Mohamed Salah’s first-half substitution through injury and then Loris Karius suffering concussion in the build-up to handing Karim Benzema the opening goal. But it appears that rising keeper star Lunin will move to Madrid rather than Merseyside, although he is likely to be no higher than number two in the pecking order as the club continue to look for a new number one, with Brazil’s Alisson said to be their top target. Liverpool fans are unlikely to regard Lunin as a massive loss, as he is still only a teenager and is more raw than uncooked chicken. They would love to beat Real to the capture of Alisson. That would really be worth celebrating.