Liverpool to break club transfer record on Dembele

Bengaluru, November 15: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is ready to splash a club-record £85million in January on Barcelona misfit Ousmane Dembele.

The Liverpool boss wants the France winger, 21, to boost his team’s Premier League title chances in the second half of the season.

And he is prepared to break the transfer record yet again, beating the £75m trasnfer fee spent on Virgil van Dijk, to rescue Dembele after a frustrating first year at the Nou Camp.

Barca boss Ernesto Valverde dropped Dembele from his matchday squad to face Real Betis at the weekend after the Frenchman missed training with a “stomach bug”.

France coach Didier Deschamps has also revealed he is among the players with a habit of turning up late for training. But Dembele’s agent, Moussa Sissoko, has defended the ex-Borussia Dortmund youngster and says his client wants to stay.

However, Klopp looks set to test Barcelona’s resolve for the player they bought from Bundesliga for £135.5million at the start of last season.

He has a healthy return of six goals and two assists this season, but focus has been on his discipline after a rapid rise to the top.

Just over two years ago he was at Rennes in France making a name for himself and getting Europe’s top clubs looking to snap him up.

Klopp admitted his interest in Dembele back in May when the Barcelona forward was left on the bench for El Clasico against Real Madrid.

Klopp said: “Is he on the market? Now I’m interested.”

He fits the bill for Klopp and the club's sporting director Michael Edwards looking for a wide forward.

Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane led Klopp’s team to the Champions League final last season and they remain unbeaten this season in the Premier League, and Dembele could give them an edge in the second half of the season.

Liverpool have not yet been at their attacking best which they were last season and Dembele's addition could give them that firepower back.

Klopp has spent £177m this year on the likes of van Dijk, Alisson and Naby Keita, but is still keen on adding further quality in order to challenge Manchester City who are looking even stronger than last season.