Liverpool may have to build bridges with super-agent Mino Raiola if they want to sign Marcus Thuram this summer. The Borussia Monchengladbach winger has caught the eye this season, with Liverpool said to be just one of his admirers.
Jurgen Klopp is looking to bolster his forward line, mindful of several potential setbacks in the distance next season.
First of all Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah could be heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations next January.
The pair are integral to the Reds’ hopes of success and will need to be replaced while they are away.
Salah could also be off to the Olympics with Egypt too though, with the Pharaohs keen on bringing the former Chelsea man with them to Tokyo.
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Yet any potential deal has been complicated by the fact he is represented by Raiola.
If history is anything to go by, the relationship between Liverpool and the Dutchman is slightly frosty.
That’s because Raiola took offence to the way another client of his, Mario Balotelli, was treated at Anfield under Klopp.
The German made Balotelli train alone during pre-season in the summer of 2016, telling him he had no future at Liverpool.
That prompted Raiola to take a swipe at Klopp, hinting that he would think twice before dealing with the Merseysiders again.
“At the end of the day the Liverpool directors admitted Klopp was unfair,” Raiola told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I won’t judge him as a coach, even if for me he isn’t a great tactician, but I don’t think he realised we were talking about a person.
“Mario was exemplary, he never complained even when training alone.
“It’s not enough to say Klopp was unfair: he was a piece of s***.”
Thuram remains an exciting prospect but they’re likely to swerve the deal if Raiola is involved. They won’t break their back or the bank to delve into any negotiations where there’s a grey area.
