Liverpool Transfer News: Fresh Jeremy Mathieu Rumours, Latest on Jon Flanagan

Liverpool are interested in landing Barcelona defender Jeremy Mathieu, with his place at the Camp Nou potentially under threat.

That’s according to Le Parisien (h/t Sport), which stated the Reds are considering a swoop for the Frenchman, with manager Jurgen Klopp said to be keen on bolstering his defensive options. It’s noted in the piece that although Besiktas are also interested, "the chance to play in the Premier League is an option that is hard to turn down" for Mathieu.

Since joining Barcelona in the summer of 2014, the defender has typically been the main backup option to starting centre-backs Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano. Here are some of his best moments in a Blaugrana jersey:

In a squad full of elite, technically brilliant footballers, Mathieu often stands out for the wrong reasons, with his main attributes not falling in line with the standard Barcelona blueprint. But he’s extremely effective at what he does.

The Frenchman is left-sided and therefore brings a coveted balance to the defensive structure. Mathieu seems like he’d be an ideal fit for the Premier League too, as someone who relishes the physical side of the game. Diana Kristinne of Grup 14 thinks the former Valencia man has been a fine squad player for Barca:

It’s difficult to see Mathieu getting too many minutes at the Camp Nou next season, especially after Barcelona’s recent captures of Lucas Digne and Samuel Umtiti. At 32 years old, the defender will feel as though he’s in the peak years of his career and, as such, may agitate for a move to a club with whom he’ll play a more significant part.

Liverpool could offer him that chance. Klopp has Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho to call upon already, and Mathieu would give the German another dependable and experienced option in this area of the pitch. Getting the defender on board could be savvy business on the part of the Reds.

Jon Flanagan Going Nowhere

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Klopp is keen to keep hold of defender Jon Flanagan despite speculation about a potential transfer.

That’s according to Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo, who stated the full-back is “very much a part” of the manager’s plans for the upcoming term. As noted in the piece, there has been speculation former Reds boss Brendan Rodgers wants to bring the player to Celtic on loan.

But it seems as though Klopp is a fan of the 23-year-old, who featured in recent friendlies against Tranmere Rovers and Fleetwood Town.

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Flanagan has been rarely seen in a Liverpool shirt in the past couple of campaigns, with his development rocked by serious injury problems. Under Rodgers, he was a key part of the side that came so close to winning the Premier League title in the 2013-14 campaign.

Having players with passion and pride for the Reds in the squad will be important for Klopp. As noted by Bleacher Report’s Jack Lusby, Flanagan can be a leader on the pitch for Liverpool:

He’s a useful footballer to have around when fully fit too. Flanagan may not be the most gifted player going forward, but in one-on-one battles against opposition wingers, he’s a capable defender. Additionally, during his time in the first team, he’s shown a lot of versatility, able to fill in on either the left or the right side of the defence.

What’s most important for the player this season is getting minutes under his belt. Having spent so long on the sidelines, it will take Flanagan a long time to get up to speed. Without regular football, it’s difficult to see him scaling the heights he did three seasons ago.