According to CalcioMercato (via Liverpool Echo), Atalanta center-back Giorgio Scalvini is the next player on Liverpool’s transfer radar. The 19-year-old burst into the limelight last season when he was named to Atalanta’s senior squad.
Since then, the Italian international has appeared in 32 Serie A games across all competitions. In their pursuit of Scalvini, the Reds are joined by Manchester City, Inter Milan, and Bayern Munich.
The center-back is a frequent starter for his manager and has made four appearances for his country under Roberto Mancini. From this moment on, his trajectory appears to be only upward.
His contract expires next summer (Transfermarkt), indicating that his performances for Atalanta have piqued the interest of Europe’s elite. His club values him at €30 million and supposedly will not consider offers lower that figure, which makes sense given that he is already a full international for Italy.
Two of Liverpool’s starting center-backs have turned 30. Both Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip cannot play forever, and the Reds would be wise to look beyond the pair to make the transition simpler. Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate provide more than adequate depth, but the Reds understand the importance of having numerous quality backup players.
However, for the time being, any funds available for a transfer, if diverted towards securing the services of a midfielder, will be much more ideal and even the fans will appreciate that more than the purchase of a center-back.
As with Liverpool’s pursuit of Antonio Silva, even if it is not an immediate requirement, the Reds should keep an eye on any developments with Scalvini in the hopes of gaining his services in the future.
Furthermore, Scalvini has the versatility to play defensive midfield at times, which is something that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp should take note of as the midfield situation now seems dismal.
