Krishnan Sreekumar
Liverpool face Manchester United competition for 1899 Hoffenheim midfielder Christoph Baumgartner in the summer
According to SportBILD (h/t Mirror), Liverpool face competition from arch-rivals Manchester United for securing the signature of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim midfielder Christoph Baumgartner in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The player is enjoying an impressive season in the Bundesliga, going from strength to strength since making his senior debut for the club in 2019. He has since become a regular feature for both Hoffenheim and the Austria national team.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is said to be keeping a ‘close eye‘ on Baumgartner, with the manager’s interest in the star dating back to last summer. The German is a ‘massive fan’ of the playmaker and is keen to add him to his squad ahead of the new season to improve his already-impressive midfield.
The Reds already boast of players such as Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, and Naby Keita in the middle of the park to impose Klopp’s ideas on the pitch. Adding someone like Baumgartner would simply be like picking out the cherry to put on top of the cake.
Premier League interest for Baumgartner
The Merseyside club will not find it easy to sign their transfer target, however, as they face competition from arch-nemesis United – the Red Devils have had their eye on the player since his displays for Austria at the 2020 Euros. Both English giants are said to have made concrete inquiries with Hoffenheim about the midfielder, and have him on their transfer wishlist.
The two Premier League sides have also received a boost in their pursuit of the 22-year-old, given that the player is considering his future in the Bundesliga and could be set for a move in the summer. It will take a ‘mega offer’ to prise him away from Hoffenheim, with the midfielder having a release clause of €30m in his contract.
Between the two English clubs, United are arguably more in need of midfield reinforcements than Liverpool. The Manchester side is likely to see a shakeup of the squad in the summer, and their midfield could see a host of changes being made.
Nemanja Matic has already announced his departure from Old Trafford at the end of the season, and he could be followed on the way out by Paul Pogba. The Frenchman sees his contract expire in the summer, and there have been no indications that he could stay in Manchester for a few more years.
This leaves the Red Devils with Fred and Scott McTominay as the club’s only midfield options, stretching their squad extremely thin. Donny van de Beek is expected to return in the summer when his loan spell at Everton ends, but there is no guarantee that he could stay beyond the transfer window due to his previous lack of game-time.
More Manchester United News
- Fabrizio Romano confirms the exit of Manchester United director of football negotiations Matt Judge in the summer
- Manchester United suffer transfer blow as Juventus ace Paulo Dybala has chosen to join Inter Milan for free in the summer
- Manchester United star Aaron Wan-Bissaka eyed by AS Roma with former Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho keen on the player
Given this dire situation, signing Baumgartner could do a lot of good for the English club. His all-round game and ability to thread a pass through tight spaces make him a very attractive option for United, and hopefully, they are able to beat Liverpool to get his signature.
With Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard also on their way out this summer, perhaps it is time for us to restock our roster with a young, dynamic playmaker.
