With the January transfer window rapidly closing, Liverpool has reportedly made an offer for highly-rated Red Star Belgrade midfielder Andrija Maksimovic, according to the player’s agent. This surprising development comes as the Premier League leaders have otherwise maintained a relatively quiet transfer window.
Liverpool’s summer transfer activity was largely defined by the late acquisition of Federico Chiesa. Despite Chiesa’s struggles with fitness and form, Liverpool has remained Europe’s top-performing club, leading the Champions League table. This success suggests their existing squad is already exceptionally strong, hence their seemingly low-key approach to the current window.
According to The Daily Express, the reported interest in 17-year-old Andrija Maksimovic represents a departure from Liverpool’s typical transfer strategy, focusing on a significant young talent.
Maksimovic, a highly-rated attacking midfielder, has drawn comparisons to Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, illustrating the considerable expectations surrounding his potential. His rapid ascension through Red Star Belgrade’s youth system led to a new contract in September, just a month before his Champions League debut against Inter Milan.
Impressive statistics for a young player
In his debut Champions League season, Maksimovic played a crucial role in Red Star’s outstanding campaign. He featured in seven of their Champions League matches, contributing to their impressive 29-point tally.
Moreover, he’s displayed impressive goalscoring form, netting seven goals in 26 appearances across all competitions this season. This remarkable stat line, coupled with his evident talent, clearly demonstrates his readiness to possibly play at a higher level.
According to Maksimovic’s agent, Zoran Stojadinovic, several top European clubs have made offers for the young midfielder, including Liverpool, Aston Villa, RB Leipzig, and Atlético Madrid.
However, the transfer fee could present a significant obstacle. Stojadinovic stated, “It’s no secret, there are some [offers]. Liverpool are among them, Aston Villa, Leipzig and Atletico Madrid so all the clubs from the top leagues have shown serious interest. And then we get to whether the price is €12 million [£10m] or €20m [£16.7m], so they say ‘let’s see if it’s €20m by June’. If the price was €10m [£8.4m] and he could go, Maksimovic would have already been sold.” This indicates a potential disagreement regarding valuation, potentially hindering a swift resolution.
Despite the reported interest, the Liverpool Echo suggests that Liverpool is unlikely to make any further significant signings before the transfer deadline. Their focus might shift to facilitating loan moves for younger players like Jayden Danns and James McConnell to gain valuable experience.
