da casino： With just two Premier League fixtures and the Europa League final remaining, the summer transfer window is slowly beginning to loom over Merseyside.
da premier bet： And it looks set to be a particularly busy window for Liverpool, representing Jurgen Klopp’s first real chance of implementing his own ideals on a squad he inherited from Brendan Rodgers back in October.
As is often the case with relatively fresh managerial appointments, rumours linking Klopp with signings of his own choosing have hardly been in short supply over the last few months.
In fact, there’s been so many that we at FootballFanCast have been able to create a select Xi from reported Liverpool transfer targets which, according to tabloid valuations, would set the Reds back a staggering £186million.
We certainly aren’t expecting the Merseysiders to swoop for all of them. But nonetheless, this XI will keep you up to date with all of the loudest Liverpool transfer murmurings ahead of the summer transfer window.
Which of these targets would you like to see at Anfield next season, Liverpool fans? Is there a potential signing we’ve somehow missed out? Let us know by commenting below!
GOALKEEPER – MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN
Simon Mignolet’s ability to blend the sublime with the abysmal, often with a hefty bias towards the latter, has seen Liverpool linked with a number of replacement goalkeepers over the last 18 months – most notably Barcelona’s Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
The German international’s performances in the Champions League have often received rave reviews – he won UEFA’s Save of the Season award last term – but his participation at the Nou Camp has been limited almost exclusively to that tournament and the Copa del Rey, with Claudio Bravo filling the sticks in La Liga.
Most sources value the 24-year-old at around the £20million mark, but the La Liga champions remain reluctant to sell.
RIGHT-BACK – MARTIN CACERES
Liverpool have already sealed one Bosman acquisition in Joel Matip and the Italian press are tipping them for another in Juventus star Martin Caceres. The Uruguay international has just lifted his fifth Serie A title with the Old Lady but his terms are unlikely to be extended beyond the end of the campaign, having never made more than 18 league appearances in a single season for Massimo Allegri’s side.
Famed for his versatility, the 29-year-old has featured as a wing-back, a full-back and a centre-back throughout his career. He’d add enormous defensive depth to Jurgen Klopp’s current squad at little cost – but after so many seasons on the peripheries of the Juve first team, Caceres will want to find a club that view him as a regular starter.
CENTRE-BACK – NEVEN SUBOTIC
The heart of defence is easily Liverpool’s weakest department and wholesale changes are expected there this summer, even with the already-confirmed addition of Joel Matip. Having played under Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund and former club Mainz, Neven Subotic has been linked with an Anfield switch almost on a daily basis since the German gaffer took the Liverpool hot seat in October.
The Serbian international is no longer a guaranteed starter at Westfalen and with his contract due to expire in 2018, a decent bid will likely convince the Black-Yellows to sell this summer. Some sources have claimed he could be allowed to leave for as little as £4million.
CENTRE-BACK – SHKODRAN MUSTAFI
Despite once failing to make the grade with local rivals Everton, Skhodran Mustafi is now a World Cup winner with Germany and one of the most sought-after centre-halves in Europe, having produced yet another strong campaign at the heart of Valencia’s otherwise shaky backline.
A Spanish journalist has recently claimed Liverpool are in talks with Gary Neville’s former club to bring the 24-year-old back to Merseyside during the summer transfer window. But Juventus have also been linked with the ten-cap international, who is reportedly rated by the Serie A champions at around £12million.
LEFT-BACK – JONAS HECTOR
It’s been another unspectacular season for resident No.3 Alberto Moreno, leading many to speculate Liverpool will look to sign an upgrade during the summer transfer window in the form of FC Koln’s Jonas Hector.
The 25-year-old’s impressive contributions going forward, notching up four assists this term and the most created chances per match of any defender involved in Europe’s five leading top flights, has seen him emerge as Germany’s first-choice No.3 ahead of the European championships.
Koln appear open to cashing in on Hector this summer, with Mirror Football claiming they’ve already quoted Liverpool a £12million valuation.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD – GRANIT XHAKA
The transfer trail has gone cold in recent weeks but Liverpool were firmly in the mix to sign Granit Xhaka too not long ago, amid claims Jurgen Klopp had held talks with the Borussia Monchengladbach enforcer’s representatives.
Once dubbed ‘young Schweinsteiger’, the Switzerland international offers control of possession, tenacity and shin-shattering tackles – a style of play that has seen him pick up three red cards in the Bundesliga already this season.
In spite of his hot-headedness, interest in the £30million-rated midfielder is high ahead of the summer transfer window. However, most sources suggest Arsenal are currently leading the race for his signature.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD – PIOTR ZIELINSKI
Two impressive campaigns on loan at Empoli have reportedly thrust Piotr Zielinski to the forefront of Liverpool’s transfer thoughts. Rumours of a summer swoop first emerged during the January transfer window and they’ve only picked up momentum with the end of the season now drawing in – with recent reports claiming the Reds have already lodged a £12million bid.
The 21-year-old is highly-rated in Serie A and has been in fantastic form this season, notching up four goals and four assists from the heart of midfield.
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ATTACKING MIDFIELD – MARIO GOTZE
If Liverpool land one ‘marquee signing’ this summer, I’d bet a sizable sum on it being Bayern Munich’s Mario Gotze. The attacking midfielder is best famed for scoring the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final but has seriously struggled at club level in recent seasons, finding himself a peripheral figure during Pep Guardiola Allianz Arena spell.
Rated as one of the best youngsters in world football whilst playing under Jurgen Klopp at former club Borussia Dortmund, a reunion at Anfield seems like the most logical scenario. Bayern value the 23-year-old at £30million but with his contract due to expire at the end of next season, the Reds are hoping to sign him for around £10million less.
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RIGHT WING – JAVIER PASTORE
Having found himself an expendable figure in the PSG first team this season, Javier Pastore’s title-laden spell with the French champions looks set to come to an end this summer and Liverpool have already expressed an interest in signing him – according to reports in France.
The Argentina international can operate as a wide man or a No.10 and is famed for his creativity, notching up ten assists across all competitions this season despite his bit-part role at Parc de Princes. Recent reports have claimed Laurent Blanc’s side are prepared to cash in for around £20million during the summer but highly-regarded from his spells with PSG and former club Palermo, a number of clubs will likely be chasing the 26-year-old this summer.
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LEFT WING – ADEMOLA LOOKMAN
Liverpool swooped for one of Charlton Athletic’s most prodigious talents last summer in Joe Gomez and recent reports have suggested they could do so once again in the coming transfer window, with the Reds one of the many clubs chasing teenager Ademola Lookman.
Despite the Addicks plummeting into League One, the winger-forward has just come to the end of a formidable debut campaign at The Valley, notching up five goals and one assist in 23 outings to claim the Championship’s Apprentice of the Year award.
But amid a sensational rise since plying his trade with Waterloo FC in 2014, the Reds’ interest in the £6million-rated 18-year-old is rivalled by Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs to name a few.
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STRIKER – ALVARO MORATA
Liverpool are widely expected to replace misfiring frontman Christian Benteke this summer with Juventus striker Alvaro Morata one of the names mooted by the tabloids. The Spain international is a tall, mobile and technical centre-forward with a knack for scoring important goals, netting five times in Europe last season as the Old Lady marched to the Champions League final.
The 23-year-old certainly possesses world-class potential but his transfer situation remains a little complicated. Former employers Real Madrid are reportedly planning to exercise a £23.6million buy-back option this summer before selling Morata on for considerably more – potentially as much as £40million – and any interest from Liverpool could be rivalled by Arsenal and Bayern Munich.
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