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Liverpool have been linked with a move for FC Koln’s 22-year-old goalkeeper Timo Horn for a couple of seasons now, and with the arrival of Jürgen Klopp as manager in the autumn it’s no surprise those rumblings have continued in recent months. Now, German tabloid Bild say he could be available for as little as €9M.
Thanks to a release clause in his contract, one of Germany’s best young goalkeepers could be had on the cheap this summer—for around £7M at current exchange rates—and Liverpool are reportedly one of the clubs interested along with Arsenal and Manchester United. Bild, though, are only putting two and two together to get their rumour.
Timo Horn has been linked with Liverpool before, Jürgen Klopp is now Liverpool’s manager, and it’s a young, talented player with considerable upside at a bargain fee. It’s a reasonable rumour, and the sort of option the club should be—and almost certainly is—considering, even if it never ends up amounting to anything at the end of the day.
The English tabloids, though, haven’t been content to put two and two together like their German counterparts, and have taken Bild’s suggestion a deal is possible as a report that a deal is probable. It’s the rumour monger echo chamber at work, with Bild saying it’s a move that could happen and the English press passing it along as Bild saying it will.
Still, it is a reasonable rumour. Though it’s also not one that’s fundamentally different than in November, when Horn’s release clause was first reported and Liverpool’s interest first posited. Nothing really has changed since, aside at least from the Euro recovering a little against the Pound and raising Horn’s cost to an English club from £6M to £7M.
So. Timo Horn is a good young goalkeeper. Timo Horn has a low release clause. Liverpool have been rumoured to be interested in the past and might be even more interested now they have a German manager. It all sounds exceptionally reasonable, even if so far it’s little more than pure, rumour mongering speculation.