Liverpool find themselves in the trappings of a developing saga when it comes to Andy Robertson and Atletico Madrid, who are ready to offer a low transfer fee.
Though deemed unlikely heading into the summer, late last week it emerged that not only was Robertson attracting interest from Atletico, but that he could be open to the move.
It comes with Liverpool close to signing a new left-back in Milos Kerkez and the Scot, who enters the final year of his deal this summer, expected to drop down the pecking order.
Arne Slot would seemingly prefer to keep Robertson as experienced competition for Kerkez, but Atletico appear to be beginning a familiar process.
With their interest now known, the Times‘ Paul Joyce is among those to have now been briefed on a possible alternative target.
That would be Lucas Digne, who like Robertson is also 31 and will see his contract at Aston Villa expire in 2026, and Diego Simeone “likes his ability to attack and defend.”
While it is normal for clubs to draw up a shortlist of targets for any position, the cynical view is that Digne’s name has been brought up to coax the fire around Liverpool and Robertson.
As Robertson is claimed to be willing to make the move to Madrid this could be an attempt to build pressure on the club to allow him to leave.
Joyce also reports that Atletico are “looking to pay as little as €5 million (£4.3m) should matters progress.”
Liverpool fans should be familiar with similar lowball offers for fellow PLG clients Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold before him.
Before Henderson’s transfer to Al-Ettifaq in 2023 and Alexander-Arnold’s pre-Club World Cup switch to Real Madrid this summer, it was widely reported that the club would even be asked to waive a fee in order to facilitate a move.
Liverpool held out for favourable deals
Both times, Liverpool held firm, securing £12 million for Henderson’s ill-advised move to Saudi Arabia and £10 million to release Alexander-Arnold from his contract a month early.
Whether that will be the case with Robertson and Atletico remains to be seen, as it is arguably a very different situation with the left-back.
There could be a sense of honouring the player’s commitment to the club over the eight years since his £8 million move from Hull and his desire to continue as a first-choice starter, which he would find himself at Atletico.
Liverpool signing Kerkez could push things forward with regards Robertson, with the Hungarian’s father confirming on Monday that it was “basically a done deal.”
Fan Comments