Besiktas Turn Down Opening €18m Bid From Liverpool for Croatia World Cup Star Domagoj Vida
By Henry Burt
Liverpool have seen an opening €18m offer for Besiktas central defender Domagoj Vida rejected.
The Croatian centre-back has excelled at this summer's World Cup alongside Liverpool's Dejan Lovren, helping Croatia reach the semi-finals of the tournament with a string of impressive defensive performances.
The Reds bid was swiftly turned down by Besiktas however, with the Turkish giants valuation of Vida believed to be in the region of €35m.
Other Premier League clubs such as Fulham, Everton and West Ham have been linked with a move for Vida but are likely to be put off by news of the central defender's exorbitant asking price, which is likely to be well out of their price range.
Liverpool currently have Lovren, £75m January signing Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip among their options at centre-back, though Fanatik claim that Vida is now a top target for Jurgen Klopp.
Although the Reds improved defensively in the second half of the 2017/18 season, the questions that have been asked about their defensive frailty in the past could tempt Klopp to dip into the transfer market again this summer.
Vida could be the man he goes for, though the defender only signed for Besiktas in January after joining from Dynamo Kyiv on a free transfer. The Turkish side are happy to let him move on this summer, provided they receive what they consider to be an acceptable offer.
Vida scored in extra-time during Croatia's quarter-final victory over Russia on Saturday, before also converting from the penalty spot during their dramatic shootout win, helping his side progress to their first World Cup semi-final since 1998.