Reds stepping up interest in Burnley star
Liverpool are intensifying their interest in signing Nick Pope with it unlikely they will make a move for Alisson Becker.
The Burnley goalkeeper has been named as a possible alternative to £80million-rated Alisson of Roma, who has been widely touted as Liverpool’s first choice target in goal this summer.
But the Daily Mirror say that the Merseyside outfit see Pope, reportedly valued at £18m, as a viable alternative to Alisson - who is also being linked to Real Madrid - after the 26-year-old’s excellent form for the Clarets last term.
With No 1 Tom Heaton out injured, Pope more than filled the void for Sean Dyche’s side and shone across 35 Premier League appearances, keeping 12 clean sheets and producing numerous sublime stops.
Pope, who was only on loan at Bury in League Two as recently as 2014-15, even earned himself a call-up for England’s 23-man World Cup squad and made his international debut against Costa Rica in a warm-up friendly.
Named as Burnley’s Player and Players’ Player of the Year, Pope’s form has put him on the radar of Liverpool
And the Mirror say that Liverpool have been sounding out whether Pope would be a good fit within their squad with Klopp known to demand personalities who fit into the team’s tight-knit atmosphere and subscribe to the hard-working mentality his playing style demands.
The Mirror say that as well as Brazilian shot-stopper Alisson, who has been strongly linked with an Anfield switch since the turn of the year, Stoke City’s Jack Butland is another who has been monitored.
Butland - also in Russia with Gareth Southgate’s England squad - is however viewed as being worth £30m by the Potters despite their recent relegation to the Championship.
And Liverpool could therefore prioritise a move for former Charlton Athletic man Pope over Alisson, Butland and other possible alternatives, according to reports, such as Lazio’s Thomas Strakosha, Yann Sommer of Borussia Monchengladbach and Werder Bremen keeper Jiri Pavlenka.
Pope has two years left to run on his current contract at Turf Moor with an option for another 12 months to stay with the Lancashire club - who will hope to play Europa League football in 2018-19, entering the tournament in the second qualifying round.
Source: Daily Express
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