Liverpool is reportedly set to rival Newcastle United for the signature of Sevilla defender Loic Bade.

Spanish outlet AS has claimed the Frenchman is on the "agendas" of the Premier League clubs and could be available for around €25m ($26m/£21m) in January.

Sevilla are struggling with a €80m loss in the last year and may be forced to sell players in order to comply with La Liga’s financial regulations. Bade is, therefore, seen as a player who could raise funds.

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AS adds that the 24-year-old opted against joining Roma or Stuttgart last summer, instead choosing to stay at Sevilla and sign a contract extension that included a €60m ($61m/£50m) buy-out clause. It's believed half of that would be needed to secure a January exit, though, with AS reporting his sale is now seen as ‘probable’.

The defender was called up to the French senior squad in October and has established himself as one of La Liga’s most consistent center-backs since his arrival in January 2023, following a short stint at Nottingham Forest, where he didn’t play a single game.

Whether Liverpool would make a move for Bade is another question - Arne Slot has already confirmed he has no plans to strengthen during the mid-season window. Liverpool is also well stocked at the heart of the defense, with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, and Jarell Quansah, while Wataru Endo recently deputized in that role.

For now, Slot’s main aim in the January market will be to secure the futures of Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The latter has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid this season, given the European champions’ need to strengthen at right-back.

The team’s defensive woes were highlighted again over the weekend as Real were beaten 5-2 by rivals Barcelona, with Lucas Vazquez filling in at right-back. With Alexander-Arnold not expected to move in January, Rayo Vallecano’s Andrei Ratiu has emerged as a possible alternative for Los Blancos.

Fichajes claims the right-back is a "viable solution" and would be available for just €15m ($15m/£13m). Should the 26-year-old complete a move to the Bernabeu, it would put a possible transfer for Liverpool’s right-back in doubt.