Exclusive: Klopp blow as Liverpool fall behind in race for Schalke midfielder with Bundesliga giants making first move

Liverpool must act quickly if they are to win the race for Schalke midfielder Assan Ouedraogo with one of the Bundesliga’s big boys making early inroads over his signing, TEAMtalk has learned.

Schalke have produced numerous world class players down throughout the years – such as Mesut Ozil, Manuel Neuer and Leroy Sane – and their new star talent, Ouedraogo, is being tracked by the biggest clubs around.

A battle is beginning to form around Europe for Ouedraogo, as clubs look to make their move for the teenager dubbed the German Paul Pogba.

Ouedraogo is only 17 but already a target for some of the most illustrious names in the game. Manchester United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich have all been present the youngster’s games this season.

However, it is RB Leipzig who are trying to beat the pack and land one of football’s top talents. Leipzig have made contact with Ouedraogo’s agents to understand the conditions of a deal. He is represented by his father Alassane and the 43-year-old was in Leipzig last week to speak about a potential move.

That has put several clubs on red alert as the young midfielder is highly admired and could be available for as little as £15million, according to our sources.

Jurgen Klopp is also another who has marked the Germany youth international as an option for January. The Liverpool boss is understood to be a huge fan and would be keen to bring him in before he moves elsewhere and the Anfield side are forced to pay a premium in order to facilitate a move to England.

The Schalke youth product’s relatively low fee is currently tempting a number of sides. It is widely expected that he will demand a huge transfer sum in the future as he is described as one of the best talents in Germany by sources close to the player.

Ouedraogo has become a key player for the 2.Bundesliga side since moving up to the first team although Schalke’s horrible start to the season sees them as early relegation candidates. Ouedraogo has also represented his country at every level of the youth system so far, most recently with the Germany under-17s.

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Competition heating up for Assan Ouedraogo

Sources state that over 20 clubs have been keen on his signature, and, as one of the best young players on the market currently, there is no surprise that Leipzig have moved first.

It is understood that Ouedraogo Sr. will make trips to clubs around Europe as teams try to convince the player’s father that their club is the best place for him to continue to develop his potential.

Liverpool are no stranger to developing young talent and giving them their chance in the first team. 17-year-old Ben Doak is a recent example of this and has already made eight appearances for the senior team since joining from Celtic’s youth side.

Doak began his career with the Hoops before making the switch down south last summer and since then has been impressing coaches and fans with his performances, earning himself several first team appearances as a substitute.

Anfield the perfect place for young talent

Fellow teenager Bobby Clark is another youngster who has been making an impression on Klopp and has made two senior appearances so far, making his Premier League debut as well as tacking up 66 minutes in the league cup.

20-year-old Conor Bradley has been edging his way into the first team and has made five appearances so far with one assist but is currently sidelined with a back injury.

The likes of Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones are another two youngsters who have worked their way up on Merseyside and are more established members of the first team squad, the former having made 76 appearances whilst Jones has made 104 appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Speaking to club media earlier this summer, Klopp insisted that the “door is open” for young players in his team as long as they can prove they deserve to be there.

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