Mourinho's Transfer Market Maneuvers Frustrate Liverpool
Jose Mourinho has spent a career irritating Liverpool from opposing dugouts. Now at Real Madrid, he has done it again – this time in the transfer market.
Endrick unmoved by Liverpool interest
Endrick is understood to be staying put at Real Madrid despite Liverpool sounding out a move for the Brazil international. The Reds are reported to have asked about his availability after wrapping up a deal for Yan Diomande, but the response from Madrid has been clear: hands off.
Competition for places in Mourinho’s attack has intensified after the 19-year-old Diomande’s arrival, yet ESPN report that Endrick has been energised by pre-season and wants to fight for his place. Mourinho views him as a flexible option across the front line and has no intention of letting him go.
That stance has already been tested. Both Mourinho and Endrick are said to have rebuffed offers from Aston Villa and Roma in recent weeks. Endrick, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Lyon, has been heavily involved in Mourinho’s first summer in charge.
He started and scored in his first outing of pre-season against Fiorentina, then kept his place for friendlies with Deportivo La Coruna and Ferencvaros. He sat out the most recent game, when the spotlight instead swung to Madrid’s new wide man.
Diomande reveals Mourinho’s 5am pitch
Liverpool’s frustration will sting even more given how close they came to landing Diomande. The club were prepared to spend close to £100million on the Ivory Coast international before he chose Madrid over Anfield.
Speaking to SportyTV, Diomande laid bare just how hard Mourinho pushed to get him.
“Mourinho got up at five in the morning to talk to me,” he revealed. When Real Madrid call, he added, “you can't say no. So I said: ‘If they want me, that's where I'll be.’”
Diomande made his first appearance for Madrid in Endrick’s absence, coming off the bench for Brahim Diaz for the final half-hour of a pre-season clash. Since arriving from RB Leipzig, he has been effusive about his new coach.
“As soon as I arrived, he told me: ‘I promised you that you were going to be part of my team, and here you are,’” Diomande said in the same interview. “And I told him: ‘I'm happy to work with you because you are the best.’
“I can learn a lot from him; he is the right coach to continue my development. I am prepared to die for him.”
Those are the words of a player who has bought fully into Mourinho’s project – another blow for Liverpool, who watched one major target slip away and now see another, Endrick, closing the door on a move.
Liverpool’s hunt moves elsewhere
With Madrid unwilling to negotiate, Liverpool have been forced to look elsewhere for attacking reinforcements. Their most concrete move so far has been a £50million bid for Yankuba Minteh, which Brighton & Hove Albion rejected.
Liverpool have also held early talks over Ibrahim Mbaye and Magnhes Akilouche. Both, though, are now off the table after joining Paris Saint-Germain, where they link up with another long-term Liverpool target, Bradley Barcola.
PSG are demanding around £140million for the France international, who is understood to have made it clear privately that he wants to join Liverpool. For now, that price remains a major obstacle.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Said El Mala have been scouted as alternatives earlier in the window, but Minteh is the only one Liverpool have actually bid for so far.
Mourinho, meanwhile, has his forwards locked in and talking about dying for him. Liverpool keep knocking on doors across Europe. How many will slam shut before they finally get their man?
