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Former Klopp protégé? Check. Unhappy player? Check. Fulfills an area of need? Check. Obscure local paper as a source? Check. Welcome to transfer season, y'all.
If reports out of Turkey are to be believed, 27-year-old former Borussia Dortmund winger and fullback Kevin Großkreutz has agreed to a deal in principle to reunite with Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. The transfer fee, said to be in the neighborhood of £1.8 million, would actually be a profit for Galatasaray. The club bought the German international for £1.5 million this summer, but Großkreutz never saw the pitch for the Turkish side because of a failure to complete the necessary transfer documents in time.
Although Großkreutz would be available to play for Galatasaray starting in January, the player is said to be very unhappy about the handling of the situation and is seeking an exit. Lesson to Galatasaray: never mess around with Germans and their paperwork.
If the signing comes to fruition, it could be a shrewd signing for the Reds. The transfer fee is practically negligible, basically amounting to whatever Ayre drops out of his pockets as he hops off his bike. Großkreutz would provide much needed depth in wide areas, he knows Klopp's system, and he would not be cup tied in the Europa League. One down side is that he hasn't played a competitive match since last season, so match fitness would be a concern.