---
title: "Liverpool could take advantage of financial crisis to land Lille targets"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/lille-financial-difficulties-debts-gerard-lopez-liverpool-transfer-targets/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "Liverpool News"
published: "2020-12-17T19:00:00Z"
modified: "2020-12-17T19:00:00Z"
---

# Liverpool could take advantage of financial crisis to land Lille targets

Whilst it’s never nice to watch any football club go into financial turmoil, the current issues at French club [Lille](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2020/12/16/liverpool-eyeing-renato-sanches-as-wijnaldum-replacement/) could hand [Liverpool](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2020/12/17/stephen-warnock-sounds-warning-over-gini-wijnaldum-contract-saga/) a major transfer boost ahead of the January window.

The Ligue 1 side, [regularly among the top teams in the country](https://www.givemesport.com/1531479-liverpools-brilliant-transfer-business-since-michael-edwards-became-a-director), are facing huge uncertainty as their president Gérard Lopez has been forced out with [reported](https://twitter.com/GFFN/status/1338973241789079554) debts amounting to between €130m and €200m (£117m-£180m).

As ever in football, one club’s crisis tends to be another’s opportunity, and a host of Lille’s star names have already been [raised as possible cash cows](https://www.caughtoffside.com/2020/12/16/potential-targets-for-man-united-liverpool-and-arsenal-as-lille-face-serious-financial-issues/) as the club looks to get back on a stable footing.

Liverpool [haven’t been without mention](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-transfer-lille-van-dijk-19467826) as the Reds have previously held an interest in at least two Lille players – most recently, 23-year-old midfielder [Renato Sanches was touted](https://le10sport.com/football/mercato/exclu-mercato-losc-liverpool-pense-a-renato-sanches-529908?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter) as the ideal replacement for Gini Wijnadlum.

Le10 Sport, the publication [linking Sanches with an Anfield switch,](https://le10sport.com/football/mercato/exclu-mercato-losc-liverpool-pense-a-renato-sanches-529908?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter) also suggested that [Jurgen Klopp](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2020/12/16/jurgen-klopp-reportedly-urges-fsg-to-offer-gini-wijnaldum-new-contract/) was [keen on 21-year-old midfield enforcer Boubakary Soumaré](https://le10sport.com/football/mercato/exclu-mercato-real-madrid-liverpool-ne-lache-pas-soumare-501361) during the summer.

Klopp’s squad is currently experiencing a [dearth of centre-back options](https://www.goal.com/en/news/liverpools-defensive-crisis-klopp-has-no-idea-if-reds-will/jwe17r0ekcxm1fse0usc8d0jh) and one player stands out as a potential option, Sven Botman. The Dutch 20-year-old has an impressive rating of 7.3 from [Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/player/sven-botman/910046) – better than [Virgil van Dijk’s average](https://www.sofascore.com/player/virgil-van-dijk/151545) from last season.

The Reds are widely renowned as shrewd operators in the transfer market, with [Michael Edwards heralded](https://www.givemesport.com/1531479-liverpools-brilliant-transfer-business-since-michael-edwards-became-a-director) as one of the best in the business when it comes to negotiating a bargain. It would therefore be no surprise if Liverpool stand to gain from a potential cut-price sale.

### READ LIVERPOOL VERDICT

To take advantage of a financial crisis at a club certainly has a vulture aspect to it; but if it wasn’t Liverpool seeking to pounce, it would simply be somebody else.

Lille currently sit [top of Ligue 1](https://www.givemesport.com/1531479-liverpools-brilliant-transfer-business-since-michael-edwards-became-a-director) despite their off-field problems, and in the fullness of time, there may be no need for a fire sale in the north of France just yet.