Tuesday, August 06, 2013

Liverpool Call Off Move for Benfica Starlet

Liverpool is ready to abandon their pursuit of Benfica full back Lorenzo Melgarejo and instead focus their attention on Valencia's Aly Cissokho as Brendan Rodgers aims to strengthen the left hand side of his defence.

Rodgers is still keen to add to his squad ahead of the new season and has identified left back as a position he needs additional cover in, with Spaniard Jose Enrique currently the club's only option in that area of the pitch.

Liverpool was thought to have tied up a deal for Benfica's 22-year-old defender Lorenzo Melgarejo which would have seen him join the club on an initial season long loan, with the option to buy the player on a permanent basis for €10m next summer.

But Portuguese reports suggest the Premier League club have had a change of heart and will now look to recruit France international Cissokho, who has reportedly agreed personal terms with the Reds who must now settle on a fee with Valencia for the full back's services.

Melgarejo, who joined Benfica from Independiente in 2011, arrived in Europe as a left winger, a position he took up during a loan spell with Pacos Ferreira during the 2011/12 season.

The 22-year-old excelled in his attacking berth, finishing the campaign as the club's top scorer before returning to his parent club.

Despite demonstrating his qualities as a winger, Benfica manager Jorge Jesus opted to drop Melarejo back to full back last season, becoming the club's first choice option on the left hand side of defence.

The Paraguayan international's inexperience in his defensive position may have played some factor in Liverpool's decision to turn their attention to Cissokho, who has operated as a marauding left back his entire career.

Cissokho, who only joined Valencia last summer after spells with Lyon and Porto, recently announced that he was happy to remain at the Mestalla, despite having to settle for just 17 league starts for the club last season.

Having already explored the Spanish league for summer signings Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas, Rodgers could be looking to raid La Liga once again as he seeks to add at least two more players to his squad.

"There are obviously certain areas of the squad where we're a bit thinner than others," Rodgers said at the end of July.

"We probably need a bit more support - that extra bit of quality - at the top end of the field and that's something we'll look out for.

"That'll be mixed with needing cover in the left back position - that's something we're looking at. It's not really about numbers, it's about quality.

"If we can do that over the next number of weeks we'll be happy."

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