Liverpool set to miss out to PSG on £20m centre-back signing

Paris Saint-Germain are close to finalising a deal worth around £20m for Liverpool target Lucas Beraldo, sources have told 90min.

The 20-year-old has been on Liverpool's radar for a number of months as the club look to bolster their defensive options, though the six-time European Cup and Champions League winners have not been alone in tracking Beraldo.

Wolves tried to land the Sao Paulo centre-back in the summer but failed, while Russian giants Zenit Saint Petersburg previously had a substantial bid turned down. Bayern Munich had also shown interest.

Championship leaders Leicester City, who are on course to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, had also been hoping to land Beraldo, but 90min understands that PSG are now at the head of the queue to complete a deal and hope to complete an agreement before interest from England is taken any further.

Liverpool had earmarked Beraldo as a potential player for the future, though Jurgen Klopp would now appear to be short of options heading into January after Joel Matip's season was brought to a premature end by an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

90min has been told that Liverpool will scour the market to see if a replacement is available at the right price, despite Klopp publicly declaring that he doesn't feel an additional signing is needed. The German has Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez at his disposal, as well as emerging youngster Jarell Quansah.

PSG are also understood to be making progress in their bid to sign young Corinthians midfielder Gabriel Moscardo, who has been extensively tracked by Barcelona and Chelsea. Luis Campos, football advisor at the club, is keen to finalise agreements for both Moscardo and Beraldo before January, with a deal for the former also likely to be in the region of £20m.

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