Liverpool could face stiff competition from FC Barcelona for their pursuit of Domagoj Vida this summer, claims agent.
According to Ugur Avan, the agent of Domagoj Vida, Barcelona are among the clubs interested in the services of the Croatian star this summer. The Besiktas defender has caught the attention of a host of clubs across Europe, chief among which are believed to be Liverpool.
That being said, the Reds could stiff competition from a series of top clubs around Europe including Sevilla and Barcelona, as reported by Ajansspor. The latter, in particular, are reportedly keen on the services of Vida, who has been identified as the perfect candidate to beef up their defence this summer.
The 29-year-old was one of Croatia’s top performers as they surprised everyone to reach the finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup only to be denied the glory by France. Regardless of their defeat, Vida was arguably the best defender for Hrvatska as he formed a formidable defensive partnership alongside Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren that saw the Slavic giants concede only five goals prior to their humiliating defeat against France.
His incredible performances in the coveted tournament raised a lot of eyebrows across Europe and thus, the interest from Barcelona is not surprising at all.
Even though the Catalan giants look quite promising ahead of the start of the new campaign, they do lack depth in the defensive department.
Samuel Umtiti and Gerard Pique have been the ever-present figures in the Barcelona backline. But, while Umtiti has seen a tremendous rise in his stock over the past 12 months, Pique has already entered the final of his career.
And even if the Spanish international manages to perform at the top of his game, it’s needless to say that he’ll require frequent pauses in a gruelling schedule of European football. However, aside from new signing Clement Lenglet, Barca severely lack the services of any reliable defender with Thomas Vermaelen struggling with injuries and form ever since joining the club.
Additionally, both of the young defenders in the shape of Yerry Mina and Marlon are expected to leave the club, either on loan or a permanent exit. Thus, the addition of someone like Domagoj Vida will be a huge boost for the Spanish champions.
This, however, will be a huge blow for Liverpool, whose officials were tipped to fly to Turkey in order to complete the transfer of Vida to Merseyside. There are have been also reports suggesting that Premier League rivals West Ham are also keen on the services of the Croatian international, who could cost around €30 million.
