Tuesday, July 09, 2013

Liverpool In Talks With Suarez's Agent

Luis Suarez’s agent has met for clear the air talks with the Liverpool heirarcy as speculation surrounding his client’s future persists, according to Sports Direct News.

Liverpool reportedly rejected a £30 million offer from Arsenal for their prized asset yesterday, whilst Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have also been linked with making a move for the Uruguayan.

Suarez is now seeking clarification over his future at Anfield, although it is understood that Liverpool are desperate to keep hold of him, and Per Guadiola, his adviser, met with both manager Brendan Rodgers and chief executive Iain Eyre.

Guardiola, though, has ensured Liverpool that Suarez will not seek a transfer elsewhere and is quite happy at Anfield.

Rodgers will certainly be hoping that Suarez stays at the club as he looks to mount a charge towards the Champions League.

He has already been particularly active this transfer window bringing in Iago Aspas, Kolo Toure, Simon Mignolet and Luis Alberto.

Real Madrid President Denies Bid For Suarez

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez says the club has not bid for Uruguayan duo Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.

Los Blancos have been repeatedly linked with Liverpool’s Suarez and Napoli striker Cavani this summer but Perez told Spanish daily AS: “We have not bid for either.”

Cavani, 26, has previously admitted an interest in joining Real but looks set to sign for Ligue 1 champions PSG after the French club’s director Leonardo admitted a deal was close.

Suarez, meanwhile, has made no secret of his desire to leave Anfield this summer, with Real thought to be leading the chase for the controversial forward.

The 26-year-old scored 23 Premier League goals last season but claims the British press have hounded him out of the UK.

Arsenal reportedly made a shock £30m bid for the former Ajax man last week and, given Perez’s comments, it would appear the Gunners are currently the only serious suitors for the Uruguay international.

Liverpool Reject Arsenal Bid For Suarez

Arsenal has failed with a £30 million move for Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, according to reports.

The Gunners are in the market for an elite striker and have made a shock move for the Uruguayan, who is though to want to leave the Reds this summer in chase of Champions League football.

The north Londoners have been linked with a move for Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and are thought to have tabled a bid for departing Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain.

Bookmakers last week stopped taking bets on Suarez moving to Arsenal, which fuelled speculation that he was close to the move and the Daily Mail says that they have failed with a £30 million offer.

A move within England is considered unlikely for Suarez, not withstanding the fact he has to serve the rest of his 10 game ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic, and Arsenal's on-going pursuit of Gonzalo Higuain suggests they believe the player would prefer a move to Spain.

Arsenal Could Sign Liverpool Star For £40m

Arsenal have had a £30 million bid for Liverpool forward Luis Suarez rejected, but just over £40m could be enough to entice him away from Anfield.

The Independent reports that the Uruguayan forward may have a release clause of €47 million (approximately £40.5m), though Liverpool played down such claims last summer.

Suarez has claimed that he is looking to leave England because he feels persecuted by referees and fans, so an Arsenal transfer would make little sense, but the Gunners could certainly benefit from his recruitment.

The 26 year-old scored 23 goals and supplied five assists in 33 Premier League games last season, as well as three goals in four starts in each of the UEFA Europa League and FIFA Confederations Cup.

However, the Liverpool striker comes with some baggage; namely the controversy that appears to follow him.

Suarez has bitten two players in matches for Ajax and Liverpool, and was involved in an incident of racially offensive language with Patrice Evra, and ten yellow cards in his 33 Premier League appearances indicate a petulant streak.

He will be suspended for the first six games of next season, and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger must now decide whether the positives outweigh the negatives for Suarez.

Given Real Madrid’s interest in Suarez, and Arsenal’s transfer offer for their forward Gonzalo Higuain, it will be interesting to see how the Spanish giants react to the north London club eyeing up other strike targets.

Liverpool Boss Keen To Sign Real Madrid Midfielder

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is set to have a meeting with club owner John W Henry in the next week so that he could ask whether or not he is prepared to invest up to £10m in order to sign former-player Xabi Alonso, according to the Daily Mail.

The club's owner is very strict about signing players that are over-30 and do not likely spending a lot of money on players who are deemed 'past their prime', but the ex-Swansea manager is keen on bringing back the club legend.

Rodgers has pinpointed his midfield as the place that needs more work and was close to signing Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but he eventually joined Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund.

After missing out on signing the Donetsk midfielder, Rodgers has now turned his attentions to trying to re-sign Alonso for a fee estimated around £10m, but it isn't understood whether or not the club's owners will be prepared to spend that much money on a player that is over the age of 30.

Alonso, 31, originally left Liverpool in order to join Spanish giants Real Madrid back in 2009 and since then, he has gone on to make over 100 appearances for the La Liga side, but he is now stalling on signing a new contract as he doesn't know where he sees his future now that Jose Mourinho has left the club.

It was reported that Mourinho wanted to sign Alonso for Chelsea, but an offer never materialized and now it looks like Liverpool are preparing to bring him back to Anfield.

Speaking in November, the club captain, Steven Gerrard revealed that he would love to have Alonso back at the club.

"Xabi Alonso - best midfielder I've played with, I miss playing with him," he commented.

Liverpool Eye Up Cut-Price Deal For Valencia Star

Valencia full-back Aly Cissokho has emerged as a transfer target for Liverpool as manager Brendan Rodgers prepares to make the most of Los Che’s financial problems with a £4m bid, reports the Mirror.

Cissokho has played just one-year in Spain after joining from Olympique Lyon in a £5.3m move in the summer of 2012.

Since then the 25-year-old has made 36 appearances for Valencia in all competitions, which included seven matches in the Champions League.

The left-back also has one cap for France and the Reds are thinking of bringing Cissokho in as it looks like the club will lose out on first choice Lucas Digne of Lille to Ligue 1 rich boys AS Monaco.

The Frenchman has had plenty of experience in top European football over the past few years, having been a stalwart in the Lyon defence between 2009 and 2012.

Cissokho won the French cup during his time with the club and has also won the Primeira Liga in Portugal during a short six-month spell with FC Porto.

Rodgers views the left-back as the ideal candidate to come in and strengthen the back four at Anfield due to the France international’s experience and relatively low price.

If Cissokho were to arrive if would be the Northern Irishman’s third signing from La Liga already this summer, with Iago Aspas arriving from Celta Vigo and Sevilla’s Luis Alberto also joining the club – for a combined cost of £14.2.

At the back the Reds have also recruited with Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet signing for £9.3m, whilst Kolo Toure joined on a free transfer from Manchester City.

Chelsea Look To Snare Liverpool Target Ilori

Jose Mourinho is weighing up a move for Sporting Lisbon defender Tiago Ilori, who is thought to be a target of Liverpool.

According to reports Liverpool have been trying to thrash out a deal with Lisbon but are yet to come to an agreement, which leads the Mirror saying that Chelsea could come in and snatch the defender.

Liverpool has had two bids rejected for Ilori who is valued by Sporting at around £8.5million.

They could now see their efforts hijacked by Chelsea although the player is understood to want regular first-team football which could work in Liverpool’s favour.

Talented Ilori has a Portuguese mother and a Nigerian father. Spanish club Valencia has shown interest but the player wants to move to the Premier League.

Ilori made just eleven appearances for Lisbon last season, scoring just one goal as they beat Gil Vicente 3-2 in February.

Liverpool Bid For Verona Midfielder Jorginho

Widespread reports in Italy suggest Liverpool have made a 9million Euros offer for Verona’s Brazilian midfielder Jorginho.

Sport Italia journalist Alfredo Padulla was the first with the information who claimed on his personal website that Verona had received the Liverpool bid of 8million Pounds, just over 9million Euros on Sunday morning.

A swift sale of Jorginho is expected in the coming days, with only AC Milan challenging Liverpool for the signature of the attacking midfielder.

At just 21, Jorginho has become an integral part of the Verona side over the last couple of seasons racking up plenty of minutes.

Jorginho was key to Verona’s promotion to Serie A last season and is a midfielder that can play as both a deep lying playmaker or further forward, creating from either wing.

With suggestions that Liverpool have been beaten to Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan by Borussia Dortmund, perhaps Jorginho will be the attacking midfielder Brendan Rodgers is looking for.

Liverpool Suffer Mkhitaryan Transfer Blow

Armenia international Henrikh Mkhitaryan will complete his move to Borussia Dortmund today, according to sources in Germany.

Liverpool had identified the Shakhtar Donetsk star as their main transfer target as they make provisions for life without Luis Suarez, but he has instead opted to join the Champions League finalists.

The midfielder, who struck a record-breaking 25 goals in the Ukrainian league last season, is already in Dortmund and is expected to finalize his deal later today.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is already on the hunt for new alternatives, with talkSPORT revealing earlier on Monday that he is keen on Verona's Brazilian playmaker Jorginho.

Spearing Set For Blackburn Rovers Move

Liverpool is ready to sell midfielder Jay Spearing to Blackburn Rovers for a fee of £1.5m, according to the Mirror.

The home-grown starlet spent last season away on loan at the Championship club Bolton Wanderers. After spending an impressive season at the Reebok Stadium, Wanderers wanted him back for a season-long loan once more, only for their offer to be dismissed by the Reds.

Blackburn wants Spearing to fill in the void left by Danny Murphy. But Blackburn's Indian owners, Venkys, are pushing to clinch the deal quickly. Though, they might have to sell a player or two.

Rovers are looking to cash in as soon as the deal for Martin Olsson is finalized. Olsson is on his way to Norwich City for £2.5m.

Boss Brendan Rodgers does not see the Liverpool Academy lad Spearing as part of his plans, as the rebuilding of the Reds' squad continues.

Rodgers Ready To Let Defender Go

Liverpool youngster Andre Wisdom looks set to spend the coming season out on loan from Anfield, with both Wigan Athletic and Fulham interested in the player, according to reports.

According to The Sunday People, Brendan Rodgers is keen for his starlet to experience regular first-team football so he can return to Merseyside a better player.

The Yorkshire lad has benefitted from Liverpool’s lack of depth in defence over the past two seasons, and has made more appearances for the club than he could have possibly expected at the tender age of 20.

Wisdom has made 19 starts for the Reds since his debut in 2010, but now club boss Rodgers is determined he plays week in-week out to gain the know-how of being a consistent starter at the top level.

Of the two clubs that have expressed interest, it looks as if Wisdom may be more likely to join relegated Wigan, who can offer the slightly decelerated level of Championship football, as well as the thrill of Europe, a privilege which they attained after winning the FA Cup in May.

Rodgers hopes his adaptable defender will return ready to become a natural replacement to Glen Johnson in the Reds’ right-back role.