Liverpool may be hoping to exact a measure of revenge for their FA Cup defeat to Manchester United by beating them to the punch for a reported mutual transfer target.

In Christian Falk’s Fact Files for Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, the journalist outlined that Donyell Malen is of interest to both clubs (as well as Arsenal), with the 25-year-old potentially being the subject of a proposed swap move which’d see him come to Old Trafford and Jadon Sancho rejoining Borussia Dortmund permanently.

That is supposedly ‘plan B’, with the Bundesliga club eager to discuss another possible loan move for the England international, who’s currently back at Signal Iduna Park on a temporary basis.

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Falk wrote: “Jadon Sancho is getting better and better. Most recently he scored against Bremen and Eindhoven. The club looked up old data from the archives to compare Sancho’s stats from his first time at Dortmund. His training plan will then be adjusted.

“Sports director Sebastian Kehl is very happy with Sancho. That’s why he wants to talk to Manchester United in May. The goal: another loan.

“But there is also a plan B: Donyell Malen is currently playing in his best form since he joined Dortmund. Manchester United are interested in him. Dortmund would give him away. A swap deal would be possible. Good for Dortmund: Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC are also interested in the Dutchman.”

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Malen has emerged as a possible summer transfer target for Liverpool in recent days, with Sky Germany reporter Patrick Berger claiming that the winger ‘wants to leave Dortmund’ and is ‘expected’ to move on during the off-season.

If the Bundesliga club simply negotiate another loan deal for Sancho, one which doesn’t entail a potential swap involving the Dutch winger, that could make it theoretically easier for the Reds to land the 25-year-old than if United were to sign him in exchange for the Englishman.

As Falk outlined, Malen has been enjoying a hot streak of late, with four goals in his last four league games (Transfermarkt), so it’s little wonder that he’s been attracting interest from some of the Premier League’s big hitters.

It remains to be seen just what positions and which players will take priority in the summer shopping list of Liverpool’s new sporting director Richard Hughes, with the identity of the new manager set to shape the plan of attack for the transfer window.

Nonetheless, if the Reds were to beat United to the punch for the Dortmund and Netherlands winger, it’d no doubt bring a wry smile to Merseyside faces.

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Jadon Sancho seemingly had the world at his feet as he swapped Dortmund for Manchester United but a disastrous spell at Old Trafford has led to a public fallout and Alan Shearer is sure this wouldn’t have happened at Anfield.

Speaking on ‘The Rest Is Football’, the Geordie spoke about the England international: “At Liverpool they’ve been really successful, so all the power is with the manager.

“If one player messes around, then it’s it’s up to the squad as well to jump on that player, for whatever reason”.

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Jurgen Klopp has such an iron grip over proceedings at our club, that it’s clear to those even outside Merseyside that we would not be played about or a player – nor allow an argument to spill over to the outside world.

The longer we can watch from afar and laugh at our M62 counterparts, the better and let’s hope these public embarrassments continue!

You can watch Shearer’s comments on Sancho and Liverpool (from 19:21) via The Rest Is Football on YouTube:

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Donyell Malen could be back on the cards for Liverpool as a potential transfer following Jadon Sancho’s loan return to Borussia Dortmund.

BVB would reportedly be more than open to the prospect of selling the Dutchman in January should an offer come from the Premier League, according to Christian Falk.

“Sancho’s arrival would put a lot of pressure on Donyell Malen,” the BILD reporter exclusively informed CaughtOffside.

“He could be sold immediately. There was an idea of a swap deal with Manchester United for Sancho – they didn’t go for it.

“But if there is an offer coming from the Premier League for Malen, Dortmund will be open to talks.”

The 25-year-old have been previously linked with an Anfield switch, with commentators suggesting the former PSV star could fill Mo Salah’s boots in the long-term.

READ MORE: ‘No longer in training’: 21-y/o ‘big talent’ closes in on Liverpool decision this January – La Voix du Nord

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Malen could be devastating

In the right circumstances, the Dortmund attacker could be a frightening prospect for one of Europe’s top sides.

Don’t let the low tally of six goals this season (in all competitions) fool you; Malen’s numbers suggest he could (and probably should) be bagging a lot more.

FBref currently have the right-sided winger down as having a superior non-penalty xG rating (99th percentile) than Mo Salah (98th percentile).

Don’t get us wrong, the versatile attacker has quite a way to go to match our Egyptian King’s ludicrous rate of a goal or assist every 75.47 minutes.

But surely our coaching team would have some amount of faith in themselves to transform Malen into a devastating force?

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Neil Jones has pointed to Liverpool’s prior interest in Jadon Sancho when discussing the player’s public fallout with Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag.

The Merseysiders were understood to have taken ‘a good long look’ at the former Borussia Dortmund wideman during his days in the Bundesliga, though instead invested in alternative options.

“It is easy to look at Jadon Sancho and wonder what might have been, isn’t it?” the former GOAL reporter wrote for CaughtOffside. “I know that Liverpool, for example, had a good long look at him when he was ripping it up at Borussia Dortmund, but opted to go down a different route when recalibrating their attack, choosing less heralded (and cheaper) players such as Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, both of whom have turned out to be successes.”

With 80 goal contributions in 179 appearances (across all competitions) collectively for the club, both Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota have more than proven their worth.

That said, one may have to wonder what will be going through the Reds’ recruitment team’s minds when observing Sancho’s steadily depreciating value.

Jones went on to add: “United are getting absolutely nothing out of Sancho at the moment, and given the money they invested in him and the talent he has, that is a serious problem, even before we think about the PR side of things. Were they to try and offload him in January, they’d be getting nowhere near the money they paid.

“Ten Hag, of course, might argue that his public criticism was an attempt to get the player’s attention and focus, a last resort, if you like, but given Sancho’s reaction it feels like that was a misguided move.

“The player clearly doesn’t agree with his assessment, or his approach, and there are no winners emerging from this situation. Sancho is sidelined, Ten Hag is without a potentially key player and United are watching the value of an asset diminish with each passing week.”

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Could Liverpool revitalise their interest?

We can’t really imagine a world where Jurgen Klopp and Co. will look at the Red Devils ‘phenomenon’ (as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig on X) as the kind of talent they’d like to bring into the club – particularly in light of the fact that Dortmund themselves have also raised concerns over his character.

At 23 years of age, however, there’s not a shadow of a doubt that there’s very much still a highly gifted player there for the right club to develop and get the best out of.

A tally of 36 goal contributions registered in 38 games for BVB surely demonstrates that fact. Sancho just needs the right conditions and a supportive manager to extract that kind of value out of him once more.

Sadly for United, Old Trafford doesn’t look like the kind of environment best equipped to carry out that objective.

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A big decision awaits for Jude Bellingham once he returns to Germany from the World Cup.

Hans-Joachim Watzke has already made clear that the club will establish the truth around his future very quickly after the tournament draws to a close.

Still, there’s a possibility that the ‘scary’ (as described by Jermaine Jenas on the BBC) generational talent could opt to remain in the Bundesliga if he were to seriously consider Gary Neville’s comments on Jadon Sancho.

“What do you think about him staying over there for a bit longer and developing a bit more?” the former Manchester United star was quoted as saying by the Echo. “He has been unbelievable. Do you think he would look at Haaland, he has been a sensation since he has come, but Sancho has been a really difficult one. Will he be looking at both situations and thinking: ‘What is best for me?'”

The 22-year-old forward has struggled somewhat since his switch to the Premier League, rather unlike Erling Haaland who has excelled under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.

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The question then remains as to whether the Englishman should opt for another year at the Signal Iduna Park or seek a new challenge elsewhere.

Dortmund have unquestionably been very good for his personal development as his most recent outing on the international stage has proven.

But the opportunity to work with a world-class manager like Jurgen Klopp at a club where expectations, with all due respect to the German outfit, are higher, could prove even more transformative.

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Manchester United star Jadon Sancho reportedly was an admired target at Anfield prior to his switch away from Borussia Dortmund with Liverpool’s owners, FSG, prepared to fork out the £73m necessary to sign the wide man.

This update comes courtesy of David Lynch who notes that the player’s wage demands came in the way of a deal being finalised between the two outfits.

“Jadon Sancho had two major admirers at Anfield in manager Jurgen Klopp and his assistant Pep Lijnders, while owners Fenway Sports Group were more than happy to meet Borussia Dortmund’s £73m price tag to secure his signature,” the reporter wrote for The National News.

“Unfortunately, any potential move was scuppered when the Englishman’s wage expectations became clear, paving the way for him to sign a £270,000-per-week deal at Old Trafford.

“Had the 22-year-old been willing to accept half that, then he would have become a Liverpool player; instead the Reds went on to land Diaz and then Nunez, the latter having turned down improved terms at United in order to play Champions League football.”

The England international went on to join then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford, registering eight goal contributions across 38 games (in all competitions).

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At 21 years of age, at the time, the former Bundesliga talent would have represented a potentially stellar addition to the side, particularly under the guidance of our German tactician.

That being said, given how well Luis Diaz has embraced life in Merseyside, it’s hard to be too disappointed about losing out on Sancho last summer.

Ultimately, the recruitment team has proven that it’s more than capable of finding sound additions to the squad, even if our first-choice options don’t pan out as we might have hoped.

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Arriving under much less of a fanfare and transfer fee than others, Luis Diaz has been one of the best signings in the Premier League this season.

Despite arriving on the final day of January, our latest acquisition has amassed an impressive four goals and three assists in his 12 league games so far.

Considering also that two of those appearances came off the bench, the impact of the Colombian has been nothing short of tremendous.

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When compared to two similar players: Jack Grealish and Jadon Sancho, the 25-year-old’s maiden campaign has been even more amazing.

Transfer fees:
Diaz – £36 million
Sancho – £76 million
Grealish – £100 million

Goals:
Diaz – 4
Sancho – 3
Grealish – 2

Assists:
Diaz – 3
Grealish – 3
Sancho – 3

Appearances:
Sancho – 29
Grealish – 24
Diaz – 12

It’s another show of our amazing transfer policies and recruitment and what a signing our No.23 has been so far.

Imagine how good he’ll be with a full pre-season and the opportunity to take part in an entire campaign for Jurgen Klopp’s side!

You can view the compared statistics via @LFCTransferRoom on Twitter:

Luis Diaz – £36m

Jack Grealish – £100m
Jadon Sancho – £76m

If I speak…. pic.twitter.com/Kvfb1KkiXO

— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) May 10, 2022

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Jadon Sancho is undoubtedly a huge English talent and his Premier League return could have been much different, thanks to some of our players.

Speaking with Sky Germany, the 21-year-old said: ‘I’ve met Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw with the national team. They always said: ‘Come to United’.

‘There were also the guys from Chelsea and Liverpool, who all tried to convince me of their club, but it only really got serious after the European Championship’.

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Seeing as Jordan Henderson was the only Liverpool player in the England squad (after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s early injury) for the Euros, then it’s fair to assume it was our captain who did the pushing.

Given his first season in a Manchester United shirt, there will be many of our supporters who will be more than happy that the former Borussia Dortmund man chose the club he did.

When the England international scored against Manchester City though, there would have been possibly even more of our fans cheering – in the hope of Pep Guardiola’s side dropping points.

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Former Premier League and Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate has claimed that Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho ‘would be an unbelievable player for Liverpool’.

The former Borussia Dortmund star joined the Manchester club last summer and has only scored four goals in 28 appearances since his return to England.

“He was exceptional at Dortmund,” Woodgate said on BBC’S Match of the Day (via Read Liverpool).

“You need a little bit of time to settle in. You need a manager to believe in you. He is starting to play a lot of games, and he is starting to show what he can do.

“You need that time to settle in. At Manchester United at the minute, it hasn’t been great.

“[I] tell you what, he would be an unbelievable player for Liverpool him. He would fit into their system perfectly.”

It’s clear that the 21-year-old does have a lot of talent and huge potential and Liverpool were linked with the England manager before he opted to move to Old Trafford.

He does appear to be a player that would suit the style of play that Jurgen Klopp has implement at the club since he arrived in 2015.

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With the ability to drive at defenders and create chances for those around him, it’s hard to disagree with the claim Woodgate has made.

It’s not like we’re in need of attackers, though.

Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and new signing Luis Diaz all found the back of the net against Norwich on Saturday and our attacking threat is looking as good as ever.

Diogo Jota, who is currently nursing an injury sustained in the Champions League victory over Inter Milan last week, is also the Premier League’s second top goalscorer behind Salah.

We’ll need another big attacking performance against Leeds United at Anfield on Wednesday – a game which provides us with a chance to close the gap on Manchester City to three points before we travel to Wembley on Sunday to face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final.

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Robbie Savage has claimed that Mo Salah is currently ‘the best player in the world’ following the Egyptian’s remarkable start to the 2021/22 campaign.

The 29-year-old has found the back of the net nine times this term in just as many games across all competitions.

“Mo Salah is the best player in the world right now. Would I have him over Messi and Ronaldo? Yes. Mbappe? Yes. Neymar? Yes,” the Welshman was quoted as saying by William Hill (via the Metro).

This follows on from Savage’s prior claim that he would have started Jadon Sancho ahead of the former Roma attacker in the Reds’ starting front-three.

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The Egyptian appeared to attract a wealth of attention following his solo goal in our 2-2 stalemate with Manchester City.

Comparisons to the likes of Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have since been more forthcoming from commentators outside of Merseyside who appear to have suddenly awakened to the talent on offer from Salah.

It’s something of a bizarre situation – particularly when our appreciation for the forward was questioned – though we’re glad to see the player finally get the widespread recognition his performances have been warranting for some time now.

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As the end of last season was winding down, Robbie Savage made a claim about Liverpool superstar Mo Salah that now looks incredibly short-sighted.

Jadon Sancho, of Manchester United, was linked with a move to Anfield before leaving Borussia Dortmund and the former pro suggested the England international would be suited to start ahead of Salah for the Reds.

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“For me, I would play him next season. This is just my opinion,” Savage told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport back in March 2020.

“The front three, amazing. [Mo] Salah got 20 goals this season and he’s brilliant. [Bobby] Firmino, brilliant. [Sadio] Mane, brilliant – [but] I would play Sancho next season instead of Salah.”

Naturally, Liverpool fans ridiculed Savage at the time – something which has picked up pace again this week on Twitter.

As it stands, Salah has five goals and two assists to his name so far this season; while Sancho is yet to register a goal contribution in his seven appearances for Man United thus far.

Time will tell if the Red Devils winger will go on to become a success, but one thing is for certain – nor in March 2020 or right now is he superior to Liverpool’s No.11.

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Borussia Dortmund are believed to be closing in on the signing of PSV forward Donyell Malen, who has been linked with a move to Liverpool in recent weeks.

That’s according to respected Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, who claim the Bundesliga giants see the 22-year-old as an ideal replacement for Jadon Sancho.

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They’re not alone in that affirmation, though – typically reliable German publication BILD made a very similar claim a few weeks ago.

Calciomercato in Italy have previously reported that Liverpool are keen on Malen, but it seems the goalposts have now been shifted.

Manchester United have agreed to cough up around £73 million to sign Sancho from Dortmund, so the Germans will not be short of cash this transfer window.

If BVB are as interested in Malen as reported, Liverpool don’t stand much of a chance against them in a bidding war.

The Reds are believed to be in the market for a new attacker this summer, but Michael Edwards and co. may have to look elsewhere this time around.

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Jordan Henderson incited some laughter from fellow England international Jadon Sancho when commenting on his first goal for the national side in a Twitter clip.

The Liverpool captain jovially pulled the Manchester United-bound forward into a headlock, the 21-year-old insisting in response that he was “joking”.

The Three Lions ran riot against Ukraine yesterday, with the No.14 registering a headed goal to help seal a 4-0 victory over Ukraine that has booked Gareth Southgate’s men a ticket to the semi-finals of the European Championship.

READ MORE: Liverpool-linked target free to leave La Liga giants for bargain fee despite long-term contract – report

Seeing the 31-year-old’s great relationship with both the former Dortmund man and current Bundesliga ace Jude Bellingham, it’s a shame that the Reds haven’t expressed anything more than interest in either pair.

Either way, we couldn’t be happier to see Jordan Henderson register his first international goal for England, especially given how chuffed the midfielder appears to be with the achievement long after the clash.

You can catch the clip below, courtesy of England’s Twitter account:

Rome Home

It's time for the #ThreeLions to head back to base – but first, a quick word with @JHenderson (and @Sanchooo10) pic.twitter.com/IIi6o7H1oX

— England (@England) July 3, 2021

Some seem to be forgetting about Andy Robertson when claiming Luke Shaw is the best left-back in the world

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Borussia Dortmund are reportedly set to rival Liverpool for the signature of PSV forward Donyell Malen.

That’s according to reputable German outlet BILD, while Calciomercato in Italy claim the Reds are keen on the 22-year-old.

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Jurgen Klopp is said to be interested in bringing more attacking options to Anfield this summer, and 27-goal Malen ticks all the boxes.

Dortmund, if the BILD report is accurate, could become a problem for Liverpool, as it’s stated the PSV star has been earmarked as a potential Jadon Sancho replacement.

The England international has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in recent weeks, with the BBC reporting that negotiations are ongoing.

If Dortmund were to cash in on Sancho, they’d surely have more than enough money at their disposal to blow any other side competing for Malen out of the water.

The post Dortmund target Liverpool-linked forward to replace Jadon Sancho – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool-linked star Jadon Sancho is reportedly looking to seek “clarity on his future” prior to the Euros, with Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund said to be in the thick of negotiations.

This comes from Sport 1 (as relayed by Ronan Murphy below), with the Reds potentially needing to intervene soon if their interest remains in the Englishman.

Jadon Sancho wants clarity on his future before the start of the European Championship, according to Sport1. Negotiations are ongoing between Borussia Dortmund and Man Utd and they are optimistic a deal can be done. #MUFC #BVB

— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) June 5, 2021

Having registered 36 goal contributions across all competitions this season, the former Manchester City youth prospect would be a valuable addition to most sides in the Premier League.

READ MORE: ‘His career is over at Anfield’ – Liverpool star has no future with Reds, says club journalist

Should Jurgen Klopp still be interested in adding a forward to his ranks, as recent reports have asserted, he could certainly do far worse than urging his recruitment team to take a look at the Bundesliga star.

At 21-years-old, the winger would add genuine quality to the side and likely be an important part of the squad for the next decade or so.

A figure in the region of £80m is likely to be requested in exchange for Sancho, however, which is more than likely to put off Michael Edwards and co. sadly.

As such, we’d expect our rivals to have a greater chance of securing the England international’s signature if their finances are viable.

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