Liverpool have been scouring Europe for a Gini Wijnaldum replacement, with Sheffield United’s Sander Berge the latest name in the frame.
Central midfielder Wijnaldum looks destined to leave Anfield in the summer after letting his contract run down.
But despite the Blades all but guaranteed Championship football next season, Berge won’t come on the cheap.
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Landing the Norwegian will cost the Reds substantially more than the £22.5million United paid for him last summer, according to the Sheffield Examiner.
So news that Liverpool have already let a cheap, ready-made replacement slip through their grasp will do nothing to appease those in charge of the purse strings. And all over a matter of centimetres.
Ahead of Celta Vigo’s La Liga clash with Real Madrid, AS.com have been comparing the qualities of the two sides’ defensive midfielders, Renato Tapia and Casemiro.
And they reveal that Tapia attracted the interest of Liverpool while still an academy player in his native Peru.
But despite the player impressing on the pitch, he fell short, literally, when it came to a medical exam.
“It didn’t happen because of the issue of height,” he said when speaking about the failed move in 2013.
I went to test myself as a centre back and the minimum was 1.90 meters. They did the analysis of my hand and they told me that I would only grow up to 1.80 metres.”
Tapia went on to join Eredivisie side Twente before making the switch to Feyenoord for a reported €2.4million.
He won a league and cup at the Dutch giants before moving to Celta Vigo on a free transfer last July.
Twenty-two appearances have followed, with his performances in the centre of the park catching the attention of some of Europe’s top sides.
To fend off interest, Celta have slapped a club-record €30million release clause on their prize asset.
However, that is not thought to be a barrier to a summer bidding frenzy.
And his height? He is listed on Celta Vigo’s official website as 1.85 metres.
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