Liverpool Join Rivals In Race For £100k-a-week World Cup Star

Liverpool have joined the race to land a midfield star at the World Cup this summer, as TeamTalk claims the Reds will be battling Premier League rivals for his signature.

It comes as the Merseyside outfit are looking at potential options for the central ranks, with changes expected for Andoni Iraola's first campaign in charge at Anfield.

Curtis Jones is expected to leave the club as he enters the final 12 months under contract, with interest growing from Inter Milan over the course of the summer.

Alexis Mac Allister is also facing an uncertain future, moving into the final two years of his deal, while teams appear to be positioning themselves for a possible move.

With that in mind, rumours have swirled surrounding Liverpool's interest in Alex Scott of Bournemouth as well as Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton.

However, there appears to be a new name on the radar: Felix Nmecha.

According to the report from TeamTalk, Liverpool have entered the race to sign Borussia Dortmund and Germany midfielder Nmecha this summer.

It's claimed that a return to the Premier League, where he broke through with Manchester City, is now appearing to be a realistic proposition for the 25-year-old.

The report claims that intermediaries have been looking at potential landing spots for Nmecha, even though his release clause worth £52 million doesn't kick in until next summer.

It's stated that while Liverpool are among those keen on a potential deal, there is also interest from rivals Manchester United, as they rebuild their own midfield options.

Fellow English sides Arsenal, Chelsea, and Man City have all been contacted about the possibility too, while Barcelona and Real Madrid have been touted as potential suitors.

It remains to be seen whether a transfer will be possible, however, as Dortmund remain relaxed over his contract situation and the release clause inserted into his deal.

That may change if a concrete offer is made by Liverpool or their rivals, which could heat things up.

As Liverpool enter the market for midfielders, a move for Nmecha makes sense. At 25, he has experience of living in England and thriving in Germany, which could make it an easier transition for some who are just moving over for the first time.

The Dortmund ace has impressed, enough to earn a starting place for Germany at the World Cup for their opening two group games, and there is potential for him to improve even further.

Klopp heard Van der Vaart's comments and he had to address them.

Considering he is touted as earning £100k-a-week in Germany, there may be no issue getting the personal terms done, while the larger hang up will be over a potential fee with his club.

However, regardless of that, the play profile may be an ideal fit to give Iraola the energy and control he needs in the middle of the pitch with his style of play.