Liverpool have joined the race to sign Swansea City star striker Michu, according to the Mirror. The report states Reds manager Brendan Rodgers will move for the 26-year-old if he fails to sign Chelsea forward Daniel Sturridge.
Michu signed for the Swans in the summer from La Liga club Rayo Vallecano, and has since impressed hugely. The Spaniard is the leading goalscorer in the Premier League so far this season, with 12 strikes from 16 games. He scored both goals in last weekend's famous win over Arsenal at the Emirates, and struck twice more this weekend, in the 3-4 home defeat to Norwich City.
The forward was valued at £30m by Swans manager Michael Laudrup but the Mirror believes a bid of £10m could be enough to persuade chairman Huw Jenkins.
Sturridge, 23, was believed to be the subject of a £15m bid by the Anfield club but any move north is likely to hinge on two considerations - money and position. The young England international, the Mirror reports, wants £80,000 per week and the promise of a central attacking role. However, Liverpool will not guarantee the central role and have reportedly refused to pay so high a salary.
The bottom line, however, is that Liverpool are in need of strikers. The Reds have only 19 goals from 15 league games this season and Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez has 10 of those. The South American is the only senior striker available to Rodgers at present, with summer signing Fabio Borini still out injured and England international Andy Carroll away on loan to West Ham United. And with Suarez suspended for Sunday's match against West Ham, midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is expected to lead the attacking line.
Liverpool were recently also linked with Serie A club Napoli's Argentine striker Mauro Zarate and have been consistently linked with Arsenal contract rebel Theo Walcott. The 23-year-old England international is in the final year of his deal with the Emirates club and, like Sturridge, he is negotiating for a pay rise and a guaranteed central attacking role.
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