Liverpool, Tottenham & Newcastle miss out as 27-year-old target completes free transfer

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Back in May, it was said that Liverpool, Tottenham and Newcastle were all considering a move for Corentin Tolisso.

The 27-year-old was available for nothing, after seeing his contract with Bayern Munich expire following five years at the Allianz Arena.

His availability represented an interesting option for Jürgen Klopp, Antonio Conte and Eddie Howe, although the Premier League trio have now missed out on the France international.

What’s the story?

Well, Lyon have just announced the return of Tolisso, who made 160 appearances for them before joining Bayern Munich in 2017.

The Frenchman emerged from the youth setup at Lyon, so it could be said that he’s returning home after a difficult time in Germany, where injuries hampered his progress.

It would’ve been good for Liverpool, Tottenham or Newcastle to sign a player of his experience for nothing, but it seems sentimentality has beaten them on this occasion, as Lyon’s prodigal son returns to France.

The World Cup winner made 21 appearances in his final season with Bayern Munich, scoring three goals as he was plagued by calf issues.

Liverpool, Tottenham & Newcastle needn’t worry

As aforesaid, signing a World Cup winner on a free transfer would’ve been a decent move – a quality player like Tolisso would improve most squads.

However, it isn’t the end of the world for the Reds, Spurs or the Magpies.

They all have solid midfield options as it is, with the likes of Thiago, Fabinho, Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur and Bruno Guimaraes in that area, so Tolisso would’ve only been a rotational option at best, despite his ability.

With the November World Cup set to cause mid-season fatigue among players, it is important to have a strong squad going into next term, but we’re sure the trio can find alternatives to Tolisso after losing out to Lyon.