Liverpool 'wanted Niklas Sule from Hoffenheim this summer'
Liverpool made enquiries for highly-rated Hoffenheim defender Niklas Sule this summer, according to reports in Germany.
The 21-year-old is one of the most highly-rated centre-backs in the Bundesliga, and helped his country to Olympic silver in Rio last month.
Sule, who has one senior cap for the national team, was linked tentatively with the Reds earlier in the summer. But according to a report in Sport Bild this week, the youngster turned down their interest in order to continue his development at Hoffenheim.
“I need my familiar environment and has to constantly play at my level even further,” Sule said, with Sport Bild claiming he rejected offers from Liverpool, Milan, Napoli, Roma, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg.
The 6ft 5in centre back is one of a host of promising young German-based stars on Premier League radars.
Liverpool, for example, already have strong interest in Christian Pulisic, the teenage American with Borussia Dortmund.
And according to a report in German publication Express, Jurgen Klopp will send scouts to watch Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud as Germany U21s take on Finland today.
Liverpool chased Dahoud all summer long but were unable to convince Gladbach to sell their young star. The Reds’ interest, though, remains strong, and Express suggests that a January bid for the 20-year-old is not out of the question.
Dahoud is expected to win his fourth U21 cap against Finland in Seinajoki on Tuesday night.
Source: Liverpool Echo
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