Manchester United have put in a phone call to Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo who is one of two players Liverpool are tracking, according to reports in Spain.
Neither of the two arch-rivals have made a signing yet in January with the Premier League clubs having contrasting seasons.
Liverpool – who are unlikely to win the Premier League – are one point behind second-placed Chelsea with two games in hand, while Man Utd are currently sat in seventh placed with Ralf Rangnick under pressure over poor performances.
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And now Spanish publication Sport (via Sport Witness) has the two clubs after the same player, in the form of Barcelona’s Araujo, with Liverpool named as one of his top suitors.
However, Barca ‘know first hand’ that Man Utd have put in a phone call to the player to declare their interest with Araujo having 18 months to run on his current deal.
The defender is currently in negotiations over a possible new deal to remain at the Camp Nou but a previous report have claimed he wants ‘a large and important’ offer to stay. With Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet and Eric Garcia are all understood to earn a lot more than the 22-year-old.
Sport also add that Liverpool are also keen on Palmeiras wonderkid Endrick who has caught the attention of big clubs across Europe in recent weeks.
The 15-year-old striker scored a brilliant solo goal for Palmeiras’ under-20 side at the Copa Sao Paulo youth tournament earlier this month, which went viral on social media.
Remember the name: Endrick, only 15 years old. Same agents as Vini Jr pic.twitter.com/0E2ssCQwux
— Marcus Alves (@_marcus_alves) January 8, 2022
The two goals he scored in that game took his total at youth level to 167 goals in 170 matches and now Liverpool are the latest club to be linked after reports of interest from Manchester City and Sevilla.
Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has urged Curtis Jones to “make sure he fulfils the potential he has”.
The 20-year-old has endured a difficult time since October, with a freak eye injury in training being followed by a Covid-enforced absence.
“I had a long talk last week with Curtis,” said Klopp ahead of the visit of Brentford.
“I love the boy and the potential he has but we have to come to the next steps now and make sure he fulfils the potential he has on the pitch very often.
“You have these kind of conversations when you are not 100 per cent happy with the moment.
“He is very young but his potential is incredible and we both together have to find a way to show much more of him.
“It’s an ongoing process with Curtis and me but I know he he had a tricky time a long time out with the eye and then after that Covid which was not helpful.
“But now we try to make sure he gets rhythm and can show how good he can actually be.”
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