Liverpool have reportedly walked away from trying to sign Youri Tielemans this summer after being priced out by Leicester.
Jurgen Klopp is now back to the drawing board in his search for a midfielder after Georginio Wijnaldum left on a free transfer to join Paris Saint-Germain.
Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez was also a target but the Spaniard is on the verge of joining Barcelona in a sensational swap deal with Antoine Griezmann heading in the other direction.
Tielemans had been identified as Klopp’s preferred option with all efforts going in to securing his signature, but according to The Telegraph Liverpool are reluctant to shell out a mammoth fee and are not considering an approach for him this summer.
The £64million-rated Belgian was said to have been pushing for a move to Anfield as per reports in his homeland, but any deal now appears dead in the water.
Leicester are understood to be extremely confident that Tielemans will remain at the club for the foreseeable future and have already offered him new terms, which he is expected to sign ahead of the coming season.
Tielemans has established himself as one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League over the past two years and scored a stunning winner to help Leicester get their hands on their first ever FA Cup last term.
Liverpool’s failure to land Tielemans will come as a huge blow to Klopp, who had been a key influence behind the club’s decision to try and sign him this summer.
The Liverpool boss must now look elsewhere and may pursue Borussia Monchengladbach’s Florian Neuhaus, Brighton and Hove Albion’s Yves Bissouma or Renato Sanches of Lille instead.
Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse has also been suggested as an outside option if they can’t wrap up deals for their other top midfield targets.
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