It has been reported that the Reds and Manchester United have scouted the player on a number of occasions, and were considering going for him in the summer. But Italian club Lazio is thought to be preparing a £13 million ($20.2 million) bid for the 22-year-old striker. That could force the Premier League duo into a bidding for van Wolfswinkel sooner rather than later.
Sporting would like to keep the player, but financial difficulties could see it sell him for much more than the £4.5 million ($7 million) it bought him for in June.
“The Portuguese club are understood to value van Wolfswinkel closer to the £22 million ($34.2 million) bracket but news of Lazio’s firm interest could yet spark a bidding war,” the report says.
The Dutch international has been called the “new [Marco] Van Basten” in some circles. He is in his fourth full season as a first team regular, playing at his third club.
This season has seen him net 14 goals in 24 appearance (in all competitions) for Sporting. Big clubs across Europe have been keeping tabs on van Wolfswinkel, and could see now as the only time to purchase him for a reasonable price.
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Thumbnail photo via Flickr/Carlos Costa Photography
