According to media reports Liverpool have made a £24.5m offer for Shakhtar Donetsk forward Alex Teixeira. The prolific 26-year-old Brazilian had been targeted by Chelsea with Shakhtar willing to sell, but it looks like Liverpool have jumped ahead of their Premier League rivals.
Teixeira has scored 22 goals in 15 league games this season, as well as three in six Champions League appearances.
A delegation from Liverpool, including chief executive Ian Ayre, is in Orlando, Florida, where Shakhtar are playing in the Florida Cup tournament, to open talks with the Ukrainian club.
Teixeira has repeatedly spoken of his desire to move to help earn an international call-up. Though he has been capped at under 20 level, his lack of full caps could hinder his ability to get a UK work permit application.
If talks progress, Teixeira could link up at Anfield with fellow Brazilians Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Leiva, who are all key to Jurgen Klopp’s plans.
A goalscorer has to Jurgen Klopp’s main priority during the January transfer window and the Reds have been incredibly short of goals this season with Christian Benteke their top scorer in the Premier League with just six.
To put Benteke’s goals in perspective, Teixeira has scored just three fewer goals than Liverpool have as a team (25) in the Premier League this season.
What do you think about Alex Teixeira and Liverpool’s bid for him?
