Liverpool: £30m bid for striker; Stoke miss out on Reds defender; Balotelli latest
Liverpool’s summer has mostly been focused on buying new players to improve on the squad that reached the final of both the Capital One Cup and Europa League last season.
However, with deadline day approaching, the future of Daniel Sturridge, being played out of position, if at all, looks uncertain, and the rumours of a Sturridge exit will only increase with a supposed bid for Brazilian striker Luan Vieira being made.
Luan, of Gremio, played for Brazil in their triumphant Olympic campaign, and has scored 31 goals in 120 appearances for his side in Brazil’s Serie A.
A move for Luan would certainly be in line with Jurgen Klopp’s high energy, high pressing style, but it would also carry serious implications for England striker Sturridge, who has looked out of favour so far this season.
Sturridge has struggled to make an impact so far in Liverpool’s inconsistent start to the season, but it is still a surprise that Liverpool are considering a bid for Luan. Replacing a striker with a proven goalscoring record with another forward with an inconsistent record in the weaker league of Brazil would certainly be a risk for Klopp, and at £30 million, is probably not one worth making.
Elsewhere, Mamadou Sakho’s hopes of leaving on loan in a bid to get his career back on track may have hit a stumbling block after the Liverpool Echo reported that Stoke have turned their attention to Phil Jones over the Frenchman.
Sakho, who has seemingly lost his place in the side to Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren was tipped for a loan move in order to recover the form he showed at the end of last season, after a drugs ban and disciplinary problems convinced Jurgen Klopp that he cannot be trusted as a first team name.
Liverpool fans were stunned at the news that Sakho could be departing the club, and many will be relieved that he looks as if he is staying, with Ragnar Klavan the only fit back up option available at centre back at the current time. Sakho should remain at the club, even if not as a first team player, in order to provide the Reds with a quality option from the bench.
Finally, the future of flop striker Mario Balotelli is still up in the air, with Palermo coach David Ballardini claiming they want the Italian, but are unsure about whether they will secure his services.
Balotelli has been on the radar of many clubs throughout the summer, without securing a deal away from Anfield, and it currently appears that Sicilian club Palermo are most keen on signing the enigmatic forward.
After just four league goals in two seasons for both AC Milan and Liverpool, Balotelli is going to have to take a huge pay cut in order to secure first team football, but a move back to Italy looks good for the striker, and crucially gets him away from Anfield.
Featured Image: All rights reserved by Scouser Masaka
