Liverpool in line to seal €50m deal after crazy Real Madrid MISTAKE

Liverpool are in a fantastic position to seal a must-happen transfer. That comes after a crazy Real Madrid mistake.

Liverpool need to find centre-backs and they must do it this year. They should really do it this month, quite honestly, but the Athletic reports that the Reds will wait.

The situation at the back couldn't be more uncertain. Giovanni Leoni, only signed in the summer, is out for the campaign with a serious knee injury.

Ibrahima Konate's contract expires at the end of the season and doesn't look too likely to sign a new one. Certainly, Liverpool must operate on the idea that he won't renew.

Virgil van Dijk, who turns 35 this summer, has 18 months left on his contract. Then there's Joe Gomez - a player who nearly left in the summer and also has just 18 months left.

The club have to correct things and that means signing players. Signing elite ones, too.

Real Madrid's Nico Schlotterbeck mistake

Bild reported last week that Real Madrid were in a great position to sign Borussia Dortmund star Nico Schlotterbeck. Schlotterbeck enters the final year of his contract in the summer and will almost certainly be sold.

The report suggested that Real Madrid were pushing hardest to sign him, while they were helped by the fact Dortmund don't want to sell to Bayern Munich. €50m is said to be the minimum to get a deal done.

Only, Marca have quickly come out and denied it. They say that Schlotterbeck isn't particularly on the radar at Real Madrid - and that feels like a mistake.

Liverpool have also been strongly linked with a move for Schlotterbeck and we believe he'd be the perfect signing. He's essentially everything the Reds need as they rebuild their defence, capable of playing the right style and offering true solidity.

There is no better successor to Van Dijk - not obviously, anyway. €50m would be an absolute bargain if he lived up to expectations.

Real Madrid are making a crazy mistake in not targeting him. They need centre-backs just as much as Liverpool do and Schlotterbeck almost certainly is their best option, too.

But if they're willing to make that mistake, it sets Liverpool up to take advantage.

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