Chelsea Backed Down as Alex Teixeira Will Join his Friends at Liverpool, Official Announcement Coming

Liverpool are still in negotiations with Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk over the signing of Alex Teixeira. Daily Mail reports that Shakhtar have turned down Liverpool’s improved bid of £28million.

This was Reds’ second bid after their initial bid of £24.5m was dismissed by the Ukrainian club last week. Liverpool’s chief executive Ian Ayre met with Shakhtar officials last week in Miami to discuss a possible move for the 26-year old.

However, two clubs are still a far apart in their valuations of the player as Shakhtar value their player at £38m.

Meanwhile, Sky Sports have reported that the player wants to move to Liverpool and has informed his club of his decision.

Alex counts Liverpool players Phillipe Coutinho and Lucas Leiva as his best friends in football and is eager to join with the at Anfield.
According to the report, player’s representatives are pushing for the deal from their end. Reds manager Jurgen Klopp was tight-lipped about the potential transfer in his pre-match conference for League Cup semi-final today.

“It’s absolutely nothing to say,” he told reporters when asked about the reported bid for Teixeira. “Maybe it surprises you. Nothing to say to things like this.”

Teixeira recently confirmed to Brazilian media that he wants to leave Shakhtar during the January transfer window and that the club is considering offers from Liverpool and Chelsea.

Teixeira told Brazilian newspaper Globo Esporte: “I would like to move in this transfer window and have told them [Shakhtar] that.”

“They have received a very good offer, and they are working on a solution. But if I don’t go now then I will leave in the summer. After six years in Europe and with Shakhtar we are ready to move, and I have spoken to my wife and daughter.”

“It is my desire to move to a big league, and I know that the English league is very strong. I am ready, and I know that I will grow up a lot there. I am aware that two big clubs such as Liverpool and Chelsea are interested, but I haven’t given my word to either of them.”
Until last week, Chelsea looked confident of signing the Brazilian, but now it looks like Liverpool have the edge in the pursuit of the player.

He has scored 22 goals in just 15 league games this season in the Ukrainian league.