Match Preview: Aston Villa vs Liverpool

Aston Villa take in their first home game of the new Premier League season, with Liverpool the visitors to Villa Park.

Villa may have come unstuck at Chelsea on Wednesday night, but manager Paul Lambert felt big decisions went against his side at Stamford Bridge and is pleased with how their campaign has started.

Lambert's men opened with an impressive 3-1 victory over Arsenal on the opening day, suggesting they should have enough to steer clear of the relegation struggles which haunted them in 2012/13.

They have also been buoyed by the summer commitment of Christian Benteke to a new contract, and the powerful Belgian forward has burst out of the blocks by netting three times in his two outings so far.

Liverpool will be hoping that someone within their ranks steps up to the scoring plate in the continued absence of Luis Suarez through suspension, with Daniel Sturridge seemingly the most likely candidate.

The England international struck the Reds' winner as they edged out Stoke City 1-0 at Anfield in their first fixture of the new campaign.

Brendan Rodgers is eager to see his side force their way back into top-four contention this term, and he will know that any side harbouring UEFA Champions League aspirations will need to collect points consistently on their travels - and Liverpool have emerged victorious in nine of their last 15 visits to Villa Park, losing just once.

Aston Villa should have defender Ciaran Clark available on Saturday.

Clark was forced off in the first half of the 2-1 loss at Chelsea on Wednesday with a head injury but is expected to be fit for the Reds' visit to Villa Park, while midfielder Chris Herd could be in contention for a first appearance this term following his calf problem.

Defender Nathan Baker (ankle) remains a doubt and winger Charles N'Zogbia (Achilles) definitely misses out.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez remains the only notable absentee in Rodgers' plans.

The controversial forward is now halfway through the 10-match ban he received last season after sitting out the Reds' season opener against Stoke.

Fellow Uruguayan Sebastian Coates, a defender, is likely to miss most of the season with a knee injury sustained on international duty last week. Striker Luis Alberto was an unused substitute in that game and is still to make his debut, while new signing Aly Cissokho could also be in contention.

Match Prediction

Aston Villa must be over the moon. I know they were beaten by Chelsea after winning against Arsenal, but with Liverpool coming up it could have been a nightmare start to the season. Whatever happens here, I didn't think they'd have this many points. I've said it before but the best signing they could've made, they have: Christian Benteke. The fact that he has started so well makes you wonder if someone is going to come in with silly money for him, but he will score 15 to 20 goals - and that is the one thing that could get Villa into mid-table.

Liverpool's main striker, Luis Suarez, is of course another topic of conversation. If Liverpool's best 11 are on their game, they can take on anyone, but go beyond that and onto the bench then they have youngsters and I am not sure they have any game-changers to turn to. If Brendan Rodgers can keep them all fit, they will do well. I like the look of Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge, and I think they are in for a better season.

FINAL SCORE: 2-2

Sturridge Urges Liverpool To Push On

Daniel Sturridge has called for focus from his Liverpool team-mates as they look to continue their strong start to the new season.

Liverpool opened their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 win against Stoke City last Saturday, with Sturridge netting the only goal.

Brendan Rodgers' side finished seventh last season, with defeats early in the campaign setting them back, and the former Chelsea man is now urging his side to push on and put together a long unbeaten run.

"It's always good to get off to a good start if you can and then going past Christmas, that's when you enter the business end of the season, so it's good to lay the foundations down at the beginning," Sturridge told the club's official website.

"It's important to try not to lose games - if we can try to get a draw here and there and then in the games we're drawing, we get a win here and there.

"The games where your backs are against the wall, but you stand up in and fight and get a win or a point, they're the ones that count towards the end of the season."

The 23-year-old impressed against Stoke as Liverpool showed their early promise, and ahead of the clash with Aston Villa this weekend he has underlined just how crucial it was to pick up all three points on the opening day.

"The first game was very important for us," he added. "To get off to a good start after the work you put in during pre-season and going into the game with the right mentality, it's a special feeling.

"After all the hard work you do, if you go into the first game and lose, it's deflating - everybody's gutted, leaving the stadium the fans and the players are unhappy.

"To get off to a good start and for everyone to be on a high going into the next game with confidence is always good."

Rodgers Senses Reds Revival

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers may still be looking for new players but he already feels his team has come a long way.

Rodgers is hoping to steer the Reds back into the Champions League for the first time since 2010 and has said he would like to add to the five summer signings he has already made.

But the Northern Irishman was hugely encouraged by the performance in last week's season-opening win over Stoke and is happy with the improvement since taking over a year ago.

Rodgers, whose side finished seventh in the Barclays Premier League last season, said: "In order to be a winner you have to have the belief. That was something last year we were maybe not able to find consistently.

"But we have picked up a lot. The group has grown over time. It might only have been a small thing last week, but to get that win shows the development mentally.

"I can only speak highly of the players. They are the ones doing the work, they are the ones being driven and asked. To get that last week was very important for us.

"Whatever transfer talk or speculation there has been this week, the bottom line is there are some outstanding players here - top, top players.

"They will hopefully keep finding the ways to win games and hopefully we will add to the squad alongside them."

Rodgers has indicated he may look for a central defender before the September 2 transfer deadline while recent, albeit fruitless, interest in Willian indicates a desire to bring in an exciting attack-minded player.

Liverpool impressed against Stoke although they scored only one goal through Daniel Sturridge and it needed a late penalty save from Simon Mignolet to preserve the win.

Rodgers said: "It was a really good win for us. Stoke are a very tough team to break down.

"The performance level was very good and we got the three points besides that, which is the most important element."

The Reds will hope to carry forward their confidence into this weekend's trip to Aston Villa.

Rodgers is preparing for a difficult encounter given that Villa, who last season survived a scrape with relegation, have shown vibrancy in their opening games against Arsenal and Chelsea.

Rodgers said: "I very much expect for them to have a very good season this year.

"They are very much a counter-attacking team. They set up to defend half a pitch and then they break out with pace - (Christian) Benteke and (Gabriel) Agbonlahor in particular.

"There is no doubt Benteke is the real reference point for the team. The ball goes up to him and he holds it up well. He is a big powerful boy.

"Andreas Weimann makes good runs and has a knack for a goal.

"It is about trying to control the counter-attack. They are very fast, energetic players.

"But our focus is really on our own game. Our mind is very good at the moment. The players are continuing from last season and we just want to keep that going."

Liverpool continues without Luis Suarez, who is now halfway through the 10-match ban he received last season.

The controversial forward's future remains uncertain even though Liverpool remain steadfast in their determination not to sell and the player is back in training after his recent calls to leave.

Rodgers is pleased with the way the rest of his squad have not been affected by the summer-long saga concerning the Uruguayan.

He said: "It is safe to say of any distractions or speculation, we have controlled that, and focused on performing well on the training ground, finding ways to be better every day and taking that into the games.

"We will go into this game with good confidence but expecting Aston Villa to be a good team and we'll have to work hard to get a result."

Liverpool Braced For Late Suarez Bid

Liverpool has insisted striker Luis Suarez will not be sold before the transfer deadline, with reports suggesting Real Madrid are planning a £40 million swoop for the Uruguayan.

The future of the Liverpool forward has been under intense scrutiny this summer, with Arsenal showing a keen interest in the 26-year-old who stated he wanted to leave the club.

However in a dramatic u-turn it appeared the situation had been resolved after the striker returned to training before appearing at Anfield for their Premier League opener against Stoke last Saturday.

But it seems that Spanish giants Real Madrid are preparing to throw a spanner in the works by launching a late bid for the striker, as a possible replacement for Karim Benzema if the Frenchman joins Arsenal, although manager Brendan Rodgers has insisted the striker is not going anywhere.

"It's very difficult at this time [for a Suarez bid to succeed]," Rodgers said.

"We are trying to get one or two more quality players in through the door. If we lose Luis at this stage, it would be difficult to replace him.

"There might have been a point a few months ago when there was time to do it, but not with only 11 days to go."

"I'm sure there will be plenty of activity in these last days (before the window closes). It is what it is. We will deal with it like we have during the summer," he added.

Real Madrid could be set to smash the transfer record in the coming days, with reports suggesting Gareth Bale's move to Spain is nearing completion.

Liverpool & Spurs Battle For Adem Ljajic

Liverpool has joined the race to sign Tottenham Hotspur target Adem Ljajic, according to reports.

The Daily Star claims Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is keen on the 21-year-old, who appears set to leave Fiorentina this summer.

Ljajic has a year left on his contract with the Viola, but club president Andrea Della Valle has accepted that the youngster could be making a move away from the club in the final stages of the transfer window.

“It’s difficult to see Ljajic staying with us. Personally I would like to keep him, of course, but one has to understand the player’s intentions and the atmosphere,” he said, according to the paper.

Ljajic scored 11 goals in 28 Serie ‘A’ appearances last season, alerting Premier League clubs to his availability.

And, the Liverpool manager has sensed an opportunity to add to his squad at Anfield, with the youngster available for as little as €9million, the report claims.

Rodgers has already brought a number of players to Merseyside this summer, with Simon Mignolet, Kolo Toure, Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas joining the Reds’ revolution.

The Serbian playmaker would provide Liverpool with another option in attack, but they face competition to bring the player to England.

Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas is also keen on the player, according to reports, with the north London outfit also looking to add quality to their squad.

Roberto Soldado, Paulinho and Nacer Chadli have already moved to White Hart Lane, although Tottenham Hotspur appears set to miss out on Willian this summer.

If Gareth Bale leaves Spurs this summer, then AVB will certainly still have money to spend, and Ljajic represents great value at the quoted price in the paper.

Arsenal And Liverpool On Turan Alert

Arsenal and Liverpool will continue to track the availability of Turkish star Arda Turan after his agent admitted he would jump at a move to the Premier League.

The 26-year-old joined Atletico Madrid from Galatasaray in 2011 for a fee of €12 making him the most expensive Turkish player of all time.

He has made 65 appearances for the La Liga side and has been an integral figure in Madrid’s side contributing to the sides Copa Del Rey triumph last season.

Atletico though, is reluctant to let Turan leave this summer as he still has two years remaining on his contract.

But his agent, Ahmet Bulut, admits that a move to the Premier League would be very difficult to resist.

He told tuttomercatoweb.com: "The club does not want to sell Arda. However, if we were to get an offer equal to his £29m buy-out clause Atletico should listen to such a proposal.

"Arsenal and Liverpool? A destination in the Premier League would be to the liking of the player and I can confirm there are clubs interested, like the two mentioned.

"At the moment there are no concrete offers, only preliminary contacts."

Although both clubs seem interested in taking the winger, the £29m buy-out clause remains a stumbling block.

Liverpool Wants Kiev Striker Yarmolenko

With the Willian deal now dead in the water, Liverpool is reportedly considering a move for Dynamo Kiev attacker Andriy Yarmolenko.

According to a report in Ukrainian newspaper, Liverpool is 'close' to signing Yarmolenko, whose current contract expires in 2015.

AC Milan tried to sign the 23-year old last summer, but according to his Agent, Mikhail Gulordava, Kiev rejected the Rossoneri's €20 million bid.

In a recent interview, Ukraine legend Andriy Shevchenko - a team-mate at Kiev - heaped praise on Yarmolenko, who is described by national coach Oleg Blokhin as ‘unstoppable'.

Liverpool is currently odds-on favourites to sign Yarmolenko, and reports in Spain claim that Reds are ready to make a €23m offer.

Yarmolenko is probably not the 'marquee' name LFC fans are hoping for, but there are some clear positives to his potential signing: 39 goals for Kiev in the last three seasons, double figures every year, and 11 goals in 32 games for the Ukraine national team.

Yarmolenko also scored for Kiev in the club's recent 3-2 Europa League victory over Aktobe.

Liverpool Reject £10 Million Bid For Skrtel

Liverpool has rejected a bid of £10 million for Martin Skrtel made by Napoli, it has been reported.

According to the Daily Mail, former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez made an offer for the central defender but it was instantly rebuffed by the Premier League club.

However, it is also reported that Napoli is now preparing a second, improved offer for the defender.

It was Benitez that signed Skrtel for Liverpool back in 2008, but if he wants to secure a reunion he will have to significantly improve his offer, according to the article.

The same article reveals that Brendan Rodgers is not willing to part with any of his defenders after an injury to Sebastian Coates has left him short at the back.

Coates has suffered a serious knee injury and is set to be out for around six months.

Skrtel has been a mainstay in the Liverpool defence since his arrival at the club and has made 151 appearances for the club in his time there.

Rodgers meanwhile has signed Kolo Toure this summer to replace Jamie Carragher who retired at the end of last season.

However, if Skrtel leaves then he will surely have to go and buy another centre-half before the transfer window closes.

Liverpool Drop Out Of Race To Sign Burak Yilmaz

Liverpool has been dealt a blow in the race to sign Galatasaray striker Burak Yilmaz, after the player's agent confirmed he is close to joining Lazio, reports the Daily Star.

The Turkish international has been the subject of intense transfer speculation all summer, after an impressive 2012/13 campaign at the Turk Telekom Arena, where he scored 32 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers was credited with an interest in bringing the 28-year-old to Anfield, as he looks to strengthen his squad even further, before the close of the transfer window.

With five new faces having already arrived on Merseyside, Yilmaz would have capped an impressive summer of business for Liverpool. But, it now looks as though he'll snub the chance to move to the Premier League, in favour of a switch to Serie 'A'.

"Lazio is the only side in the running to sign him," his agent, Ali Egesel, told Corriere dello Sport. "They have made an important offer for him, but it has not been accepted for now because Galatasaray don't want to lose him."

Yilmaz only joined Galatasaray from Trabzonspor last summer in an initial €5million deal, where he signed a four-year contract.

However, he could be about to leave the Super Lig champions as Lazio close in on the player's signature.

Liverpool Youngster Set For Loan Move

Stoke are plotting a loan move for out-of-favour Liverpool winger Oussama Assaidi, according to reports from the Daily Mail.

The 25-year-old appears to be surplus to requirements at Anfield, despite only having arrived at the club last summer.

Potters chief Mark Hughes is keen to take advantage of this as he continues his quest to inject some creativity into his inherited squad.

Liverpool is unlikely to stand in the player’s way if he is keen to push for the move, with Brendan Rodgers having already strengthened his attacking options noticeably over the last few months.

Stoke will face competition from a number of sides – including Genoa, Anderlecht and Feyenoord – for the Moroccan, who arrived on Merseyside with a promising reputation.

Despite showing glimpses of his ability in Europa League ties, Rodgers appeared to be unconvinced by the wide-man, and rarely allowed him first-team game time.

Hughes hopes that, given regular action, the pacey winger could develop into a lethal asset for his side.

Coutinho Could Be As Big As Dalglish

Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho has received a whole host of compliments since joining Liverpool in January but former Liverpool player Peter Beardsley has trumped them all, stating he could be on a par with legend Kenny Dalglish.

In his short time at Liverpool Coutinho has won the praise of the fans and the critics with quick feet, great ball control and the ability to create chances.

Beardsley, who played in the Liverpool team of the late 1980s that won the First Division title in 87/88 and 89/90, has said the Brazilian is a better player than he ever was and could even be as big as Dalglish if he fulfills his potential.

“I love Coutinho. He is outstanding and has unbelievable ability,” Beardsley told the Liverpool Echo.

“He’s better than I ever was and I really mean that. He’s miles better than me.

“If he stays here for a long time he’s got a chance of being as big as Kenny – that kind of stature.

“I look at his ability and I think he could be the new Kenny Dalglish. He is a very special player.”

Beardsley now works as football development manager at Newcastle and remembers watching the 21-year-old at St James’ Park last season.

“I watched him closely that day and he ran the game against us.

“It was a smart signing by Brendan [Rodgers]. I don’t think anyone saw it coming and he was a real bargain.”

Speaking of Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, Beardsley believes Suarez will be forgiven by the fans and will come back after his ban as if he was a new signing.

“With the likes of Kenny and Kevin Keegan some special players have worn that No 7 shirt and I hope Suarez is wearing it this season,” he added.

“The healing process is underway and I think the fans will forgive him. He’s going to be like a new signing when he has served his ban.”

Agger Looks To Gerrard For Guidance

Daniel Agger has hailed the influence of Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard and says he will follow the midfielder's example after being made vice-captain.

The centre-back, who has been linked with a move to Barcelona in recent weeks, succeeded the recently retired Jamie Carragher for the new season, while goalkeeper Pepe Reina joined Napoli on loan.

And Agger is aware of the responsibilities that come with the armband, and sees Gerrard as the perfect inspiration to follow.

"I always have responsibility, no matter if you're vice-captain or not," Agger told the club's official website. "You have to always be there, always be at the front and, of course, try to help some of the young players.

"Now I have been here for almost eight years and Stevie has been the captain all the way. He is an amazing captain: he is the one I will look at.

"Not only in his football skills, because that speaks for itself, but the person he is and the way he treats people - he's just the best.

"It's the same in every single football team, in every single job - when somebody goes, somebody new has to take over. It has been like that forever. So there's nothing new there. Over the years, the players have changed a lot.

Agger, though, is confident he can shine when the opportunity arises, having captained Denmark of late - an achievement he describes as the pinnacle of a player's career.

He continued: "When I play for Denmark and I'm the captain for Denmark, I've learned a lot in the last 10 years of my career.

"I'm trying to take the best part of all the good things, also from Stevie, and put it together in the way I want to do it. I think that's the best way to describe that.

"It's the biggest thing you can achieve at international level, being captain of your country. Every time I put that armband on, it makes me proud.

"You learn something all the time and when you put that armband on, something happens to you. It's difficult to describe but it's a good thing."

Rodgers Disappointed To Miss Out On Willian

Brendan Rodgers has warned Liverpool they must get over the disappointment of being beaten to the punch by Tottenham to the signing of Willian from Anzhi Makhachkala.

Liverpool looked on course to make the Brazilian their marquee summer signing before Spurs swooped to agree a deal believed to be worth around £30 million with Anzhi.

Willian is believed to have completed his medical and will be announced as a Spurs player soon, but Rodgers says Liverpool cannot afford to dwell on the near miss as they try to improve their squad ahead of a push for a top-four finish.

“This is Liverpool football club and we're trying to get the best players we possibly can and if we can't get them in, then we have to move on," he said.

“If you're going to climb the league, then you have to get the best players you possibly can to help you and that are our aim.

“Of course, if you don't get the player you want, then there's always that initial disappointment, but you can't dwell on it.”

Rodgers went on to reveal that signing a new centre-back is his priority, and added that with 11 days to go until the close of the transfer window he still hopes to seal the arrival of a few new faces.

“There's still a chunk of the window left and we got a lot of our business done early on, which was good. If we can finish off in these remaining days and get players in that can help us, it would end a very good window for us.”

Liverpool has endured a frustrating summer in the transfer market despite the arrival of five new players, the latest of which being Aly Cissokho on loan from Valencia.

They originally targeted Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Shakhtar Donetsk but he opted to join Borussia Dortmund, while a bid for Diego Costa eventually resulted in the striker signing a new deal with Atletico Madrid.

Mamadou Sakho Tells PSG He Wants Anfield Transfer

Liverpool is hopeful of pulling off the signing of defender Mamadou Sakho after he told PSG he is desperate to move to Anfield this summer.

Brendan Rodgers is keen to add another centre back to his squad before the transfer window shuts on September 2, and Sakho is a key target.

The Reds have already approached PSG to discuss a deal, but their opening offer of £8million was rejected, with the French club speaking to other clubs about the player.

However, Sakho has made it clear to PSG this week that Liverpool is the only club he is interested in joining, and had ordered them to let him move to Merseyside.

Liverpool has so far failed to return with a new offer for the 23-year-old, but his agent has briefed Rodgers that a bid of around £12million would be enough to do business.

Sakho currently scoops around £60,000-a-week at PSG, which is topped up further with large performance related bonuses.

It’s a giant salary that Liverpool would be uncomfortable with paying, but Sakho is believed to be so keen to make the move, he would consider lowering it.

Arsenal, Tottenham and AC Milan have previously been linked with the defender, who is targeting regular playing time ahead of the World Cup next year.

Newcastle Rival Liverpool For Ayew

Newcastle has joined Premier League rivals Liverpool in the race to sign Marseille winger Andre Ayew, reports the Daily Express.

The Ghanaian has been linked with a move away from the south of France with Liverpool, Napoli and Inter Milan all reportedly interested in his signature.

He had previously stated his desire to join Brendan Rodgers at Anfield, saying to reporters: "I have a little preference for the Reds. I've always followed them ever since I was little, Liverpool, and Real Madrid."

Now reports in France have suggested that the Magpies will steal a march in the race for the 23-year-old after failing to sign Andre-Pierre Gignac.

Ayew has a buy-out-clause of £15.5m written in to his contract but it is believed his club no longer deems that as his value and is willing to accept less.

French publication Le10Sport reports that Newcastle believes £8.5m will be enough to tempt Marseille to sell the controversial star, who infamously retired from international football before reversing his decision months later.

Ayew and his brother Jordan decided to retire from their services to Ghana after independently falling out with the management.

They later reversed their decision after having peace talks with President John Mahama.

Marseille boss Elie Baup had ruled out an exit for Ayew earlier in the summer by saying: "Let me be clear: I am counting on all the players who are here."

However, after falling out with the player over his best position, it is believed Baup is ready to cut his loses and let Ayew go.

Arsenal Ready To Battle Liverpool For Diego Capel

Arsenal has fixed their sights on £6m rated Diego Capel with the clock ticking until the transfer window closes.

The 25-year-old winger has been on Liverpool's radar this summer and saw a £3m bid for him snubbed by Sporting Lisbon.

The Portuguese outfit would only consider selling should a suitor meet their £6m valuation.

Reports in Portugal ascertain that Capel is ready to leave Sporting and would relish playing at a higher level.

According to O Jogo, Arsenal is considering a move for him as it is believed he will complement their style of play.

They have it that Arsenal could make a formal enquiry for his services within the coming days.

Marseille have also been tracking Capel, and have made him a back-up option should they be unsuccessful in clawing away Arsenal and Newcastle target Florian Thuavin from Lille.

Capel has earned two caps for Spain at senior level.

He is currently contracted with Sporting until 2016.

Reds Yet To Receive Skrtel Bid

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers claims the club has not received any approach for defender Martin Skrtel.

It has been reported that Napoli, now managed by Skrtel's former Reds boss Rafael Benitez, have had a £10million offer for the Slovakia international turned down by the Anfield club.

Rodgers says that was news to him and he would have been informed had a bid been made.

When asked if there had been an approach, Rodgers said: "No, not at all.

"I haven't been told anything about that whatsoever. It was mentioned this morning but it is the first I have heard of it.

"Ian Ayre, our managing director, does a terrific job and he always informs me straight away of anything. I haven't heard anything."

Skrtel, 28, appeared to fall out of favour last season and faces increased competition for his place this term following the summer signing of Kolo Toure.

But with fringe player Sebastian Coates suffering a serious knee injury playing for Uruguay last week, Rodgers says he may even need to strengthen in central defence.

Rodgers said: "I think it is something we are looking at certainly, a player to come in and cover that position.

One move Liverpool have made in the transfer market this week is to sign Valencia's French left-back Aly Cissokho on a season-long loan.

The 25-year-old, who has one France cap and has previously played for Lyon and Porto, brings strength to a position in which Rodgers only had Jose Enrique to call upon.

Rodgers said: "I think he provides competition for Enrique. He is a player with experience.

"A few years back he went for 15million Euros. He is a player with qualities.

"The idea was to build a squad and to make it competitive. It was important to bring in someone so that if anything happens to Jose he can come straight into the team, and to fight for the position.

"Hopefully that will get the best out of both of them."

Liverpool Chasing New Centre-Back

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed he is looking to sign a centre-back as Sebastian Coates has been ruled out for the majority of the season.

The 22-year-old damaged the anterior cruciate knee ligament in his right knee while on international duty with Uruguay and is now set to undergo surgery.

Rodgers has also confirmed he is willing to allow defender Andre Wisdom to move out on loan.

"We feel for big Seba because he's obviously played the latter part of the game," Rodgers told reporters.

"He's picked up a similar injury to what Martin Skrtel had last year, so it's probably going to rule him out for most of the season, which is disappointing for him because he's never given me a minute's problem since he's been here and this was probably the year where he needed to go out and play so unfortunately that put an end to that.

"It's something that we're looking at, a player to come in in that position. I really need to get young Andre Wisdom out on loan.

"It's one to strengthen the squad but it's also to allow some of our younger players to develop, for us to maximize Wisdom and his talent we need to get him some games and to get him out on loan, but I can only do that if somebody with a bit more experience can come in and support the ground. So it's two-fold really, but it's certainly a position that we're looking at."

Coates Set For Lengthy Lay-Off

Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates is set for a lengthy lay-off after suffering a serious knee injury on international duty.

The 22-year-old sustained an anterior cruciate knee ligament problem during Uruguay's 4-2 victory over Japan in Saitama, having featured in the final 10 minutes after replacing Diego Godin in central defence.

And the Uruguayan FA has now confirmed that Coates will undergo surgery on Friday prior to an extended recovery period.

A statement read: "After finishing Uruguay's friendly match against Japan on Wednesday, an injury to Sebastian Coates' right knee was discovered for which he received an anti-inflammatory treatment.

"After communication between the Uruguayan doctors and those at Liverpool, it was decided that further examination was required in England prior to his return to Montevideo.

"The studies showed an injury anterior cruciate ligament and so it was decided that surgical treatment was necessary. It will be done on Friday in the city of San Pablo.

"The player will subsequently undergo a rehabilitation strategy that will, in part, take place in Montevideo."

Coates made just 12 appearances for Liverpool last season after finding himself out of favour with manager Brendan Rodgers.

A close-season departure from Anfield had been mooted as a result, though his chances of sealing a switch now appear to be gone with a lengthy spell on the sidelines inevitable.

Liverpool Forced To Pay £6million For Capel

Sporting Lisbon is refusing to lower their price tag of £6million for winger Diego Capel with Liverpool reportedly interested in signing him.

Portuguese reports suggest that Capel is ready to leave Sporting and that the club has come to terms with his exit, although they are looking to maximize their funds.

Capel has asked to leave for a bigger club, according to O Jogo, and Liverpool would fit under that bill.

The Express report that Liverpool had a £3million bid rejected earlier this summer and will have to be prepared to cough up double that amount if they are to sign the 25-year-old before the transfer window shuts.

Marseille look set to challenge Liverpool for the winger’s signature if they are unable to beat Newcastle and Arsenal to Florian Thauvin, the article suggests.

However, having offloaded Stewart Downing to West Ham, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers may return with a second bid as he continues to build his own squad during his second summer transfer window at Anfield.