Liverpool eye German winger Julian Brandt

Manager Jurgen Klopp is a big admirer of the 20-year-old Germany international, who has been scouted regularly by the Reds this season.

Liverpool know that securing Brandt’s services during the January transfer window won’t be possible with Leverkusen adamant that the £20million-rated attacker is not for sale.

However, the Reds are set to test the Bundesliga outfit’s resolve come the summer. There will be stiff competition for his signature with Bayern Munich among those clubs also linked with a move for the youngster.

But Liverpool will hope that Klopp’s track record of developing young talent - coupled with the club’s re-emergence as genuine Premier League title contenders - will help to get the deal done.

“I would not be scared to dismiss Bayern for a second time,” Brandt recently told Bild. “The same goes for other clubs too.”

Brandt, who joined Leverkusen from Wolfsburg in 2014, is currently contracted to Leverkusen until 2019 but reports in Germany suggest he has a release clause of around £17million which could be activated in 2018.

Asked about the possibility of penning a new contract at Leverkusen, he added: “Of course that is possible. I feel very comfortable here and I know what I’ve got here.

“I don’t want to deal with this (speculation) forever. It gets annoying and performances will suffer because of it.”

Liverpool will continue to keep a close eye on developments. If Brandt were to sign a new deal in Germany then it would significantly reduce the chances of the Reds being able to get their man.

Klopp is determined to bolster the wide attacking options in his squad. The Reds remain keen on Borussia Dortmund’s Christian Pulisic. However, like Brandt, the USA youth international would be one for the summer rather than this month.

Source: Liverpool Echo

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