Liverpool in Bayern Munich, Real Madrid transfer scrap to sign £43m midfield standout
Liverpool are reportedly ready to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid over the potential signing of a top PSV Eindhoven midfielder in the January transfer window.
Having spent big money on their forward line and defence over recent windows, the Anfield engine room of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Ryan Gravenberch has remained in situ.
That’s not to say that new midfield additions were not being sought, with Liverpool battling Chelsea for Monaco star Lamine Camara late in the summer window before the French giants ultimately pulled the plug on letting the play leave.
The Reds have also been linked with rising Fiorentina star Ched Ndour, 21, but now it’s a top Austrian talent who is also reported to be on the club’s radar.
PSV star Paul Wanner is making a big name for himself in Dutch football, attracting the interest of some of Europe’s elite clubs in the process.
The 20-year-old actually began his career at Bayern, only making eight appearances for the Bundesliga giants in all competitions, in between loan stints at SV Elversberg and Heidenheim.
Wanner joined PSV on a permanent deal in the summer of 2025 and emerged as a key performer for the Eredivisie side over the past year, as they won the Dutch league title in a maiden campaign that saw him find the net four times.
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Liverpool in three-way battle to sign PSV star
And now, according to Polish outlet Sportowy, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Bayern are all keeping tabs on Wanner as a possible long-term signing.
The report adds that Manchester City have also been credited with interest, but that a ‘special situation’ concerns the German giants.
Indeed, it’s reported that Bayern have an option to re-sign Wanner and that could have a ‘significant impact on the course of negotiations’.
As for PSV’s take on a potential new year sale, it’s claimed that while they want the midfielder to stay they will not rule out talks in the event of a very ‘advantageous offer’.
The Dutch outfit are reported to view Wanner at around €45-50m (£38.5m-£42.85m), but a final deal may also ‘depend on achievement bonuses and provisions for his future sale’.
From Liverpool’s perspective, they need to add more midfield competition after allowing Curtis Jones to leave over the summer, although there remains high hopes that teenage star Trey Nyoni will make a major breakthrough this season.
Indeed, our sources have previously reported how Iraola has been ‘blown away’ by the 19-year-old’s talent and that it’s only a matter of time before he starts pushing for regular starts on Merseyside.
Meanwhile, Iraola has been told why Szoboszlai should be moved into a more advanced midfield role and why an expensive star has to be dropped, following the disappointing 0-0 draw with Fulham over the weekend.
