Liverpool have joined the number of Premier League clubs interested in Nathaniel Clyne, with Southampton have rejected their opening offer of around £10m for the right back.
Brendan Rodgers, who faces a review into Liverpool’s miserable season with the Fenway Sports Group president, Mike Gordon, next month, is keen to improve his options at full-back for next season and Clyne has been identified as a leading target. Prising the 24-year-old away from Southampton this summer, however, will not be straightforward.
Rodgers opted for wing-backs when giving Liverpool a mid-season lift and persisted with Emre Can at right-back when he reverted to a four-man defence despite the German midfielder’s obvious discomfort in that role. His other options at right-back were Jon Flanagan, who missed the entire season through injury, and Glen Johnson, who is out of contract at Anfield this summer and will be leaving on a free transfer.
Clyne has attracted several suitors since establishing himself in the team at St Mary’s and particularly during Ronald Koeman’s impressive debut campaign as manager, during which the defender graduated to full international honours with England.
Manchester United have been strongly linked with the full-back as Louis van Gaal looks to address a long-running problem position at Old Trafford. Clyne has only next season remaining on his current contract with Southampton but this week insisted he is open to the possibility of extending his stay on the south coast.
“As long as you’re playing well for your club and you’re doing ever so well in the Premier League then, yeah, you’ll get a chance, regardless of whether you’re in a top team or not,” he told Sky Sports News.
“But Southampton’s pushing up, so why can’t we be a top team?”
Liverpool are also expected to bid for the Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke after the FA Cup final, with a revamped forward line their priority for next season. Despite a dreadful end to last season, culminating in a 6-1 defeat at Stoke City, FSG are pressing ahead with transfer plans agreed with Rodgers, indicating the manager’s position is safe at the moment.
