Liverpool Transfer Rumors: Reds Must Beat Arsenal in Race for Nuri Sahin

Liverpool has been trying to complete a loan deal for Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin in an attempt to provide the squad with another boost as the new season begins. But now the Reds face competition for him and must act fast to finish the move.

Charlie Wyett of The (U.K.) Sun reports Arsenal has intensified the race for Sahin. The Gunners have been in engaged in talks over a possible Alex Song transfer and sent striker Robin van Persie to Manchester United, so it's easy to see why they want to turn the tide around.

It's a report that makes landing Sahin even more important for the Reds. Since they are expected to battle Arsenal closely in the table, stopping the Gunners from adding a potentially key piece while at the same time adding him to their own roster would provide a huge boost.

Sahin would have a much clearer path to playing time for the Reds than he would for Real Madrid, which is loaded with talent at every level of the field. And he's exactly the type of player Brendan Rodgers has been looking for as he implements his system.

The 23-year-old Turkish star made just 10 appearances for Madrid last season due to a combination of injuries and a star-studded roster. It would be difficult for a player with as much as talent him to spend that much time on the sidelines again.

Two seasons ago with Borussia Dortmund, Sahin scored eight goals and chipped in 13 assists, illustrating the playmaking ability that made him an attractive option to one of the top clubs in Europe.

A move to Anfield on loan would give him a terrific opportunity to find that form again and potentially earn a more consistent spot in the lineup for Madrid moving forward.

Rodgers hasn't broken the bank with any mega transfer deals during his first summer in control of Liverpool. Instead he's opted for a couple more modest moves to bring in talented youngsters Joe Allen and Fabio Borini.

It's a sign of what's to come as the new boss rebuilds the storied club. Smaller moves like bringing in Sahin on loan will help the team remain competitive until Rodgers feels comfortable going after some bigger deals.

Doing it while also stopping Arsenal from getting him is simply a bonus and perhaps the added motivation needed to reach an agreement.

But with the transfer window ending in two weeks and the Gunners in hot pursuit, the Reds must act quickly.