Liverpool have held talks with Donyell Malen’s agent about a possible move to Anfield and the PSV Eindhoven forward is demanding a contract worth around £85,000-a-week, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Jurgen Klopp has already snapped-up centre-back Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig this summer and is looking to buy a midfielder to replace Gini Wijnaldum following his free transfer move to Paris Saint-Germain.
However, the German coach is also in the market for another forward as Klopp knows he needs more depth in the forward areas next season, especially with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah off to the African Cup of Nations in January.
Malen has been touted as a target by the media in recent months and the Liverpool Echo says Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards has held talks with his agent, Mino Raiola, to discuss a potential move to Anfield this summer.
The 22-year-old has developed into one of the most highly-rated players in Dutch football since joining PSV from Arsenal and he contributed 27 goals and 10 assists last season to earn a place in the Holland squad for Euro 2020.
Malen is predominantly a centre forward but he’s also comfortable playing out on the wing so he’d provide Klopp with a versatile option in the final third if he did end up moving to Merseyside this summer.
However, the Liverpool Echo says Malen is demanding a deal worth around £85,000-a-week [€100,000-a-week], which could put Liverpool off as they have a strict wage structure and such a deal would put the Dutchman on a much higher salary than Diogo Jota.
Considering Malen would be behind Jota – as well as Mane, Salah and Roberto Firmino – in the pecking order if he did join Liverpool, the Reds may feel his wage demands are excessive.
Not only that, but Liverpool will face competition from Borussia Dortmund for his signature and the Metro suggests that PSV will want around £34m to do business so any deal for Malen isn’t going to come cheap.
Liverpool could offset the cost by selling the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi but it remains to be seen whether they will opt to go for Malen or pursue other, possibly cheaper, alternative targets.
