Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Liverpool Hope To Seal Loan Deal For Kevin Gameiro

Liverpool is pressing ahead with a loan bid for Paris St-Germain striker Kevin Gameiro, despite the imminent arrival of Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea.

Manager Brendan Rodgers had originally lined up the Frenchman as an alternative to Sturridge, in case the deal for the England striker faltered.

But he is now keen to add even more striking power to his ranks and hopes to sign Gameiro as well to revamp his attacking options.

The 25 year-old would be a versatile addition to the squad, able to play in a variety of forward roles. His age also fits the profile of the club’s American owners, who have made it clear they do not want to sanction expensive deals for players in their late twenties or thirties.

Gameiro was one of the most highly sought after attackers in French football when he moved to PSG for £9 million in the summer of 2011. He scored 14 goals last season, and is also a France international.

But the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic at PSG has limited his opportunities during this campaign.

Liverpool is not the only side interested in the player, but Rodgers will hope a fresh start on Merseyside will enable Gameiro to recapture his best form.

Sturridge’s signing will be confirmed this week, but it will be too soon for the £12 million purchase from Chelsea to make his debut against Sunderland on Wednesday. He has already completed a medical and agreed personal terms, but he will not be registered in time.

The 23 year-old has been pencilled in to face Mansfield in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.

Negotiations for Blackpool midfielder Thomas Ince have temporarily stalled after fraught discussions with the Championship club. Liverpool’s valuation of around £4 million – for a player who left Anfield last season for £500,000 and is available for free this summer – was considered ‘too low’. There is no prospect of Liverpool bidding any higher since Ince will be out of contract in the summer.

After similarly difficult negotiations when Charlie Adam made the same move – a deal which actually led to Ince moving to Blackpool – Liverpool is wary of overpaying again. Ince’s heart is set on a return to Merseyside.

Liverpool is also keen to loan out Uruguayan defender Sebastian Coates. Napoli, Juventus, Lazio and Santos are interested.

Rodgers is looking at 21-year-old French defender Nicolas Isimat-Mirin from Valenciennes, but Liverpool has also rejected a potential swap deal involving Joe Cole and Lille’s Salomon Kalou.

The Liverpool players were given Monday off to avoid the spreading of the illness which affected Rodgers on Sunday. The club’s pre-match press conference ahead of their Sunderland fixture was also cancelled.

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