Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Liverpool Plot Treble Swoop For Ilori, Papadopoulos & Alder

Liverpool has tabled a bid for Sporting Lisbon defender Tiago Ilori - and he could be joined by Toby Alderweireld and Kyriakos Papadopoulos in becoming Kop stars.

Sporting is reluctant to sell the 20-year-old talent - who is valued at around £4m - but boss Brendan Rodgers has the full support of owners Fenway Sports Group to go out and get him.

Signing players under 24 has been a policy of the American owners - Rodgers hasn't brought in any player older in his time at the club - and they will be fully behind the move.

Ilori was born in London but has gone on to play for Portugal at under-20 level.

Although it's too early to consider Ilori as a like-for-like replacement for the retiring Jamie Carragher, the 6ft 3ins centre-half has been tipped for big things in the future.

Carragher called time on his career after making 737 appearances for the club and Rodgers is eyeing up Schalke's 21-year-old Greece international Kyriakos Papadopoulos, valued at around £12m, to fill his boots.

Rodgers has checked in on Ajax’s Toby Alderweireld too.

Ajax has admitted they will have to sell the Belgian international but Tottenham and Roma are also interested in his services.

It's thought a bid in the region of £8m would be enough to prise him away from Holland.

No comments: