Liverpool to beat Man United to in-demand midfielder

Liverpool's business in recent windows has both encouraged supporters and left them with questions.

For the first time the club have sanctioned several £100 million deals, breaking the British transfer record twice and seemingly futureproofing a team that won the Premier League title less than 18 months ago.

This season though there are obvious weaknesses in the squad, and the team still feels like a side in transition under Andoni Iraola, who took charge during the summer.

The Reds' midfield has been a major talking point among the Anfield faithful, and it will presumably be a top priority for the recruitment team when the winter window opens.

Liverpool to beat Manchester United to midfielder

Several midfield targets were linked with Merseyside moves this summer, especially once a sale for local hero Curtis Jones was sanctioned.

No midfield signing came though, and with the established starters struggling to impress under new management and fringe players like Wataru Endo unable to win any minutes, a new face is a must in January.

One of the names being heavily linked with a switch is Italian international Cher Ndour, who was a mainstay in Fiorentina's side last season.

The 22-year-old's impressive season earned him a number of admirers, including Liverpool, and competition for his signature looks set to heat up in January.

Now, a report from TEAMtalk has suggested that Liverpool maintain a strong interest in Ndour, alongside fellow Premier League clubs Aston Villa, Newcastle, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Hull City.

Manchester United showed a strong interest in the summer, but the recruitment of Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos has led them to fall behind in the race for the Italian according to the report.

This could give Liverpool the upper hand, as they will presumably be able to beat any offer from their interested rivals.

The club's reluctance to offer Alexis Mac Allister a new deal is likely a sign that they will move on from the Argentine international in the near future, leaving the door wide open for Ndour to be a starter at Anfield.

A deal is far from close, but it would make a lot of sense for Liverpool to action their interest in the Italian midfielder this winter.