Liverpool turned down the chance to sign Marcos Llorente from Real Madrid this summer, according to his agent.
Llorente was deemed surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu by returning boss Zinedine Zidane and offered to numerous clubs.
The midfielder, who made 12 La Liga appearances last season, has now departed for cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid.
But Julio Llorente, his uncle and representative, has claimed Liverpool rejected the chance to bring him to Anfield as Jurgen Klopp had other priorities.
(Image: David Ramos)
“I contacted several clubs to let them know what had happened, the conversation that Zidane and Marcos had,” Julio Llorente told Cadena SER .
“One of them was Liverpool, but Marcos’ position was covered and it wasn’t a priority.
“But Atlético are those who perhaps took the strongest step and convinced us.
“I think we’re right. I hope it’s like that, I hope Marcos does very well.”
Despite turning down Llorente due other priorities, Klopp is yet to dip his toe into the transfer market to strengthen his first team.
The Reds are set to announce the capture of Dutch prospect Sepp van den Berg after winning a transfer battle with Bayern Munich.
Lille attacker Nicolas Pepe has also been heavily linked with an Anfield switch, although numerous clubs are interested, including Manchester United .
(Image: REUTERS)
Some Liverpool fans were fooled by a transfer hoax earlier this week , with a viral picture doing the rounds of Pepe supposedly giving an interview for LFCTV.
The mocked-up picture was, in fact, an edited picture with words taken from Naby Keita’s first exclusive interview after joining last summer.
Pepe’s future is still up in the air, with United still believed to be keen and Paris Saint-Germain also considering him as a potential replacement for Neymar if he departs.
