Liverpool set to swoop for Estonia captain
Liverpool have identified Augsburg’s Ragnar Klavan as a target to provide defensive cover and will look to tie up a deal in the region of £4 million plus add-ons for the centre-back.
Goal revealed on Friday that Jurgen Klopp would source a senior left-sided player from the Bundesliga to provide support to the backline, with Mamadou Sakho and Joe Gomez both nursing tendinopathy of the Achilles.
The pair will miss the start of the new season and Klavan, marking his 15th year as a professional, is viewed as the ideal candidate to act as back-up with Joel Matip also tackling a niggling ankle issue.
Negotiations are at an advanced stage for the 30-year-old, who played in both legs of the Europa League last-32 tie against Liverpool in February in which the Reds only managed to score via a penalty.
Klopp counts Klavan’s leadership - he is the captain of Estonia - as well as his wealth of experience both at club and international level as important qualities to add to the squad.
He has earned over 100 caps for his country, and has also notched over a century of appearances in Germany’s top tier.
Prior to his move to Augsburg in 2012, he turned out a total of 173 times in the Eredivisie for Heracles and AZ Alkmaar.
Klavan is essentially a replacement for Kolo Toure, who was released this summer.
Klopp opted for a seasoned centre-back rather than a starlet as he is a huge admirer of 19-year-old Gomez, a player he views as an integral part of his long-term plan.
Source: Goal.com
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