Liverpool told massive price tag for latest midfield target

Liverpool have been warned that it will cost them a minimum of £70m to prise Cheick Doucoure away from Crystal Palace this summer as they step up their interest in signing a defensive midfielder ahead of the new season.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have undergone major midfield surgery in recent weeks following a disappointing campaign in which they finished fifth, with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai having joined the club for a combined £100m.

However, with both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson set to depart for Al-Ittihad and Al-Ettifaq respectively in the coming days, they are set to dip back into the market for at least one more midfielder.

To that end, they have identified Crystal Palace’s no.6 as one of several options, with Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia another possible addition.

Doucoure, who only arrived at Selhurst Park 12 months ago from RC Lens, racked up 34 appearances in the Premier League and was voted the Eagles’ player of the season.

Still just 23 years old, he is under contract until 2027, and due to this combination of factors Roy Hodgson’s side have slapped a £70m price tag on his head, the Daily Mail report, with bids below that valuation set to be rejected out of hand.

They add that though no official contact has been made between the two clubs as things stand, the midfielder is ‘of concrete interest to Liverpool’ and that Crystal Palace are ‘bracing themselves for an enquiry’.

That valuation is in part thanks to the other key movers in the market, with Declan Rice having completed a £105m move to Arsenal six months after fellow midfielder Enzo Fernandez managed a similar move to Chelsea.

Likewise, Brighton have slapped a similarly high valuation on Moises Caicedo should he leave this summer.

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