Chelsea in for Lemar
the France international can command a megacontract, bigger than the one they offered him in summer.
Liverpool are still keen, but Chelsea hope to get a deal done in January, which may give them the edge over Jurgen Klopp.
Batshuayi has struggled to settle and was still on the bench when firstchoice striker Alvaro Morata missed Tuesday’s win at Huddersfield. JURGEN KLOPP is targeting sensational Champions League success for Liverpool.
He has given up on hunting down Manchester City for the Premier League title, but believes he can lift the continent’s elite compeition.
The German boss reckons his squad has the firepower to make a real impact in Europe this season, and a kind draw against Porto certainly helps their cause.
The FA Cup also offers the chance for salvation, with Everton their round three opponents.
Klopp believes winning the Champions’ League is possible, and cited 2013 when his Dortmund side came so close to beating Bayern Munich in the final, despite finishing 25 points behind them in the Bundesliga.
Liverpool start the weekend fifth in the Premier League, trailing
City by 18 points and he said:
“We cannot chase City, like we couldn’t chase
Bayern in these times but we could have beaten them in the Champions league final – that’s
100 per cent.
“We were not worse, it was an open game and nobody saw in this game a team 25 points ahead. We didn’t play a bad season, we got to the Champions league final and had some of our best moments in our life in that campaign.”
Klopp accepted the title race was over 10 days ago, even before his side dropping four valuable points in two listless Anfield draws, against Everton and West Brom.
That explains why he picked his strongest side possible for a Champions’ League winner-takes-all shootout with Spartak Moscow, and then made significant changes against neighbours Everton.
Klopp pulled no punches as he said: “This season nobody is really fighting anymore for the title. I don’t think Manchester United are. To be the best of the rest could be a fantastic target.” Klopp has injury worries for the visit of Bournemouth – the scene of perhaps his worst moment so far at Liverpool, when the Reds threw away a three goal lead there last season to lose 4-3.
James Milner, Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez have knocks and will be tested, while Joel Matip, Alberto Moreno and Daniel Sturridge are still out, but Adam Lallana returns.