Liverpool links to PSV attacker branded ‘madness’ as pundit accuses agent of spreading reports | OneFootball

Johan Bakayoko celebrates goal for PSV

Wim Kieft has explained how he thinks reports linking PSV attacker Johan Bakayoko with Liverpool are “madness” and his agent is “putting such reports into the world”.

The Reds do not seem to have looked too much into signing attacking players so far this summer. They’ve prioritised recruiting in the midfield, given they have lost five midfielders permanently, including Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.

They haven’t really needed to improve upon the attacking areas of the side. The squad already has five first-team quality attackers: Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz.

However, of late, links to PSV winger Bakayoko have arisen. Former Dutch footballer Kieft believes it’s mad those links even exist, and is of the opinion they’ve been fabricated by the player’s agent.

“I was also so surprised by the news that Liverpool were interested in Bakayoko,” he told Voetbal Primeur.

“That’s madness, isn’t it? I really think that’s total madness. I don’t believe all those reports. His agents are just putting such reports into the world.”

Links to Bakayoko came with the caveat that he was to replace Salah, amid reports that the Egyptian winger was considering a move to Saudi Arabia. They were not necessarily stating he would take Salah’s place as a starter, rather fill an attacking place in the squad.

It would be much more likely one of the other attackers would take up a starting role and Bakayoko would be eased in. However, if Salah isn’t to leave, him joining seems unlikely, so it’s really not too mad.

Kieft has already detailed how he believes it’s too early for Bakayoko to move to the Premier League, with one reason being that he “often lacks guts”.

But if he was to be eased in, as would likely be the case with a 20-year-old who has played just 42 senior games, he would begin to pick things up and progress.

Kieft might well be right that Bakayoko would not be fully ready, but five goals and five assists in 23 Eredivisie games last season suggest he’s a player that has a bright future, wherever that may be.

It feels unnecessary to suggest his agents must have planted reports of interest in him, downplaying the skill of a young talent.