Jamal Lewis 'Desperate' to Join Liverpool But Norwich Stand Firm on Asking Price

06 August 2020 09:55

Norwich City left-back Jamal Lewis is desperate to seal a move to Premier League champions Liverpool this summer, but the two sides remain some distance apart in negotiations over a fee.

Jürgen Klopp is on the lookout for some cover for Andy Robertson, who is the Reds' only senior left-back, and is understood to have identified Lewis as his preferred target.

Despite suffering relegation, 22-year-old Lewis was one of several Norwich youngsters to impress during the season, prompting Liverpool to prepare a £10m bid to try and land Lewis, but The Athletic note that that is not going to get the job done.

Norwich have made no secret of their determination to keep their young squad together as they look to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, and given Lewis remains under contract until 2023, the Canaries are sticking to their £20m asking price.

Liverpool's bid would be £8m up-front with £2m in add-ons, but Norwich 'would not even pick up the phone' for such an offer. Unless Norwich reduce their asking price significantly, Liverpool may be forced to look elsewhere.

That would come as a blow for Lewis, who is understood to be desperate to make the move to Anfield this summer.

The Northern Ireland international knows full-well that competing with Robertson would likely see him spend a lot of time on the bench, but the idea of developing under Klopp has won him over and he is hopeful that the two sides will find a compromise somewhere in the middle.

There was talk of a potential player-plus-cash swap deal involving Liverpool youngster Yasser Larouci, but that is understood to be unlikely as Norwich would prefer to turn to their own starlet, 19-year-old Sam McCallum, if Lewis does leave.

The idea of Norwich dropping their demands has not been ruled out, but it is seen as unlikely, so Liverpool have already begun looking for alternatives.

Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly, who was on the radar last summer before joining the Cherries, is not under consideration, despite reports suggesting otherwise, but one player who has impressed club scouts is Olympiacos' Kostas Tsimikas, who has been watched on a number of occasions this season.


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Source: 90min