Nathan Collins, a defender for Wolves, is supposedly close to signing a contract to join Brentford, but Liverpool is apparently waiting in the wings.
The 22-year-old is reportedly poised to sign with the Bees for close to £25 million this week following a £23 million initial proposal, according to The Irish Sun. The manager of Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, is reportedly a fan of Collins and is willing to make a transfer, according to the publication.
Collins’ last-week selection as the senior men’s player of the year for the Republic of Ireland highlights the reason that teams are interested in signing him this summer.
As manager Julen Lopetegui paired January signing Craig Dawson with Max Kilman at the centre of a defensive that would aid the Wolves squad to Premier League safety, he had to wait for his time to play in the first team.
Rivals Brentford have, however, taken notice of Collins’ potential. Collins, who went through Stoke City’s youth programme and made an impression in the Championship before joining Burnley for £12 million in the summer of 2021, has just finished his third season with a third different club.
He was acquired by Wolves for £20.5 million last summer thanks to his Premier League performances, and as of right now, he’s getting ready to assist Wolves begin their sixth straight season in the top division.
A deal for Collins could tempt Wolves if Brentford come up with a reasonable price for a player who has Premier League experience at Molineux and at Burnley and still has four years left on his contract. The sale of captain Ruben Neves for £47 million to Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal won’t completely balance the books.
His performances for his nation have further demonstrated his talent, and on Tuesday night in Dublin at the 33rd FAI International Awards, he was named senior men’s player of the year. In the past year, Collins has started each of the 13 games that the Republic of Ireland has played.