Liverpool make early transfer move by opening defender talks

Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea look to be creating a three-horse race for the Premier League title.

The Reds’ emphatic 4-1 win at Merseyside rivals Everton on Wednesday means they sit third but just a point behind second placed City and two off leaders Chelsea.

Jurgen Klopp will be aware though that he’s set to lose key stars Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah to the Africa Cup of Nations at the turn of the year.

And it seems that the Anfield side have started to make moves to add more depth to their squad in January.

Klopp’s Liverpool are flying high.

However, according to reports, it’s a centre-back and not a forward in which the Reds have an interest in.

El Nacional (via the Mail) claims that Liverpool have opened talks with Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo.

It’s reported that the Premier League side are willing to double the salary of the 22-year-old, whose contract at the Camp Nou expires in 2023.

Araujo, who moved to Barcelona from Boston River in 2018, has played 14 times for the Xavi-managed La Liga giants this term and has 21 caps for Uruguay.

If the 6ft 2in player were to move to Liverpool then he would face heavy competition for a place in the team with Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Nathaniel Phillips all currently battling for a place in Klopp’s XI.