Sven Botman’s agent denies £35million transfer rumour

The agent of Liverpool target Sven Botman has branded reports linking his client with a move to the Premier League “fake news”.

Botman, 21, has been tipped to join Liverpool in recent months, with Jurgen Klopp and co rumoured to be eyeing up the defender as a potential recruit amid their injury crisis at the back.

The Premier League champions eventually added centre-halves Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies to their ranks in January  yet the former has only joined on loan until the end of the season, meaning he may not seal a permanent switch to Anfield.

And according to Canal+, Lille have agreed to sell Botman to an unnamed major European club for around £35million.

However, Dutch publication Voetbalzone claims Botman’s agent Nikkie Bruinenberg has rubbished these reports and instead branded them “fake news”.

The centre-back is under contract at Lille until the summer of 2025, having only joined in a £7million move from Ajax last summer as a replacement for new Arsenal signing Gabriel Magalhaes.

He has since become an important member of Christophe Galtier’s side at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, racking up 24 appearances so far in Ligue 1.

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Liverpool reportedly had their eye on Botman amid a nightmare set of injuries at centre-back which forced Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to play as makeshift defenders.

Klopp instead opted to sign Kabak on loan from Schalke, while also sealing a £2million deal to prise Ben Davies away from Preston, but the former got off to a poor start in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat away at Leicester.