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Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly could fill two of Liverpool's transfer needs


Liverpool have been linked with a move for Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly as the Cherries face the prospect of being relegated from the Premier League.

Kelly was on the Reds’ radar last summer, but joined the South Coast side in a £13million deal after impressing for Championship side Bristol City.

But Bournemouth look set for the drop after Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Southampton left them three points adrift of Premier League safety.

Eddie Howe’s side have just one game remaining, away to Everton on Sunday, compared to two apiece for Watford and Aston Villa.

Relegation to the Championship will leave the Cherries needing to raise between £45-60 million to make up for losing out on the top-flight television deal, according to a report from The Athletic .

Liverpool were reportedly keen on Lloyd Kelly before he signed for Bournemouth last summer

And some of that could be raised by selling 21-year-old Kelly, who is contracted to the club until 2024 but will be looking for a step back up to the Premier League.

The Reds came close to a deal for Kelly last year before he joined Bournemouth, according to Liverpool.com.

The publication reports that Liverpool are looking for a fourth-choice centre-back and a backup for Andy Robertson in the summer transfer window, and Kelly could fit the bill for both those requirements.

The England under-21 international can play anywhere across the centre of defence, or at left-back – so signing him would be a similar move to the capture of the versatile Joe Gomez from Charlton in 2015.

Kelly would be a signing in a similar vein to the capture of the versatile Joe Gomez five years ago

Kelly has missed 19 games this season thanks to a hamstring tear and an ankle ligament injury.

When he has played he has played mostly at left-back, although he sees himself as a centre-back.

Kelly carries the ball out well from the back and has a knack for breaking the lines to disrupt play.

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And with stats website Transfermarkt valuing him at just over £7m, he could prove a bargain for Liverpool if he can rediscover the pre-injury form which earned him a move to the Premier League last summer.

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