Liverpool are linked with the signing of highly-rated Belgian midfielder Samuel Bastien, according to reports on Wednesday.
- Versatile, 19-year-old Belgian midfielder
- Likened to Kevin De Bruyne by some
- Tracked by several Italian sides
Italian website Irpinia News claims the Reds have agreed a deal for the 19-year-old Anderlecht man, as Jurgen Klopp continues to look for reinforcements this summer.
Liverpool are thought to have been tracking Bastien during his impressive loan spell with Serie B side Avellino in 2015/16 and they are now prepared to make him their fourth signing of the Klopp era.
The Belgium U21 international is rated at approximately £4.6million, and would be loaned out again straight away, in order for him to earn more much-needed first-team football.
Bastien has also been watched by Serie A giants Juventus, Roma and Fiorentina, but his heart appears set on Liverpool.
It certainly doesn’t sound like the most concrete of rumours, with Irpinia News not exactly among the most well known of sources.
There are more pressing areas of the pitch for Klopp to add experience and quality in, and acquiring Bastien’s signature will not do much to strengthen the Reds’ short-term ambitions.
With Pedro Chirivella, Cameron Brannagan, Marko Grujic and Allan Rodriguez, another young midfielder should be the low down on the priority list this summer, but Klopp and Liverpool are always looking to plan for the long-term future.
The youngster was linked with Liverpool last November, with the Reds seemingly tracking his progress since then.
Bastien, who has been dubbed the ‘next Kevin De Bruyne’, clearly has bags of potential and while we always need the long-term vision, it won’t be signings such as this that will see us reach our short-term goals on the pitch.
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