LIVERPOOL IN TALKS FOR £21M ACE AS MANAGER SAYS HE’S ‘VERY DIFFICULT’ TO REPLACE

Roy Hodgson admits that Cheick Doucoure would be ‘very, very difficult’ to replace amid reports claiming the Crystal Palace ace is in talks with Premier League giants Liverpool. 

If any Liverpool supporters were wondering why the former RC Lens ace appears to have emerged as a genuine midfield target for Jurgen Klopp’s side after just one season in English football, his performance in Monday’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Selhurst Park provided a few timely answers.

Cheick Doucoure was outstanding up against Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Thomas Partey. It wasn’t just his off-the-ball abilities that caught the eye either; Doucoure’s best work arguably came when breaking the lines with his piercing passes, grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck and dragging Palace up the park in a manner reminiscent of Moises Caicedo at Brighton.

Liverpool hold Crystal Palace talks for Cheick Doucoure

Fabrizio Romano, in his latest Here We Go podcast, reiterated claims that Doucoure is rated ‘very highly’ not just by the Liverpool board but by Klopp himself.

Palace boss Hodgson, however, is under no illusions about the size of the task that would present itself to The Eagles if they have to go into the market for a Doucoure replacement before next week’s transfer deadline.

“I want to keep all of the players, there’s no doubt about that,” the former England coach tells Beanyman Sports when asked about Doucoure’s future. “I’m the manager, the club getting money for players doesn’t help me.

“It would be very, very difficult, I think, with whatever money we get to replace those players.”

According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool have held talks with Crystal Palace. Doucoure only joined a year ago in a deal worth £21 million, and Palace would likely demand a considerably larger fee for a player who is under contract until the summer of 2027.

The Mail adds that Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch is another option. Liverpool signed Wataru Endo from Stuttgart last week but, at the age of 30, the experienced ball-winner may be more of a sticking plaster than a long-term fix.