Liverpool’s hopes of signing the Brescia midfielder Sandro Tonali have been dashed after it has emerged the player wishes to stay in Italy. The club’s owner Massimo Cellino revealed the news in an interview with Italian radio station Gr Parlamento (via Goal.com).
Cellino said: “So far there’s only been a few phone calls, without anything beyond that, it’s difficult to talk about [the transfer market] after everything that’s happened, but I hope the lad keeps having fun on the pitch like he did before.
“I wouldn’t like all these rumours to lead to another problem, which hurts our chances of staying up. Inter and Juve have both asked me about him, as have other teams.
“What’s for certain is that the player wants to stay in Italy and we’ll accommodate him. I don’t like swap deals. We’re not that desperate.”
The Reds were reported to have an interest in the 20-year-old as far back as a year ago after Cellino claimed they had made contact with him in an interview with Corriere dello Sport (via sportsmole.co.uk). Jurgen Klopp’s midfield options currently include Fabinho, Georginio Wijnaldum, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones and James Milner.
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Tonali has made 23 appearances in Serie A this season, scoring one goal and providing five assists from a defensive midfield position (via Transfermarkt.co.uk). His average performance rating in the league currently stands at 6.96/10 making him the team’s second-most consistent performer only behind the goalkeeper Lorenzo Andrenacci.
He’s currently valued at £28.35m according to Transfermarkt.co.uk and whilst it is not known whether or not Liverpool would be willing to spend that kind of money on the player or remain interested in his services, it appears he’s closed the door on a move to the Premier League in favour of staying in his country of birth.