Liverpool and Klopp lining up summer move for Leverkusen ace

Bayer Leverkusen’s highly sought after winger Julian Brandt is set to be the target of a Liverpool bid this summer, according to numerous reports.

The 20-year-old has been a shining light for the Bundesliga outfit, netting twice in addition to supplying six assists.

But it’s the German’s form in recent weeks which has really caught the eye.

Since November in fact, both of Brandt’s goals and five of those assists have come in the last eight fixtures.

And should he move to Anfield this summer, the forward will be bringing Champions League experience, appearing in all six group games as Leverkusen reached the knockout stages at Tottenham’s expense.

Part of Brandt’s appeal to Liverpool will be to bring added depth to Klopp’s forward line.

For all the talents of Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho this season, Sadio Mane has arguably been Liverpool’s most influential man this season.

And it speaks volumes that the club have failed to win all three Premier League games in which the Senegalese forward has been absent.

It’s clear that Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge can’t quite provide adequate cover, while Adam Lallana is a different sort of player altogether.

Brandt is valued at £13.6m by transfermarkt.co.uk, but his contract will enter its final 18 months this summer, offering Liverpool the chance to swoop in.

Klopp is no stranger to bringing players in from his homeland, having signed Joel Matip, Ragnar Klavan, Loris Karius and Alex Manninger from German outfits last summer.

For now the Reds will be focusing on reaching the EFL Cup Final at Wembley, but to do that they must overcome a 1-0 deficit to Southampton.

But the bookies fancy Klopp’s men to do just that, with Liverpool 1/2 favourites to win the match, and 4/5 to qualify.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the day of publishing