Liverpool Transfer News: Reds Set to Sign Madrid's Nuri Sahin on Loan

Liverpool and Real Madrid have agreed on a season-long loan deal for Turkish midfielder Nuri Sahin, according to the BBC, with personal terms between the player and the team expected to be completed in the next 24 hours.

Arsenal were thought to be the front-runners for the services of the former Borussia Dortmund player following the completion of Alex Song's move to Barcelona on Monday.  Negotiations stalled however, and Liverpool continued to quietly pursue a deal.

Sahin was unable to secure regular playing time with Los Galacticos following his move from the Bundesliga champions last summer, and Madrid manager, Jose Mourinho recommended him going on loan.

Mourinho saw a move to the Premier League as a good option for helping Sahin continue his improvement as a player, stating:

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"[A season in the Premier League] can teach him particular characteristics of play that he doesn't have at the moment."

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According to the BBC, talks with Arsenal collapsed under the weight of demands that the Gunners be given an option to purchase Sahin at the end of the loan.  There allegedly were demands that Madrid also shoulder a larger portion of his salary than was palatable to the Spanish club.

Into the breach stepped Liverpool with an offer to pay more of Sahin's £120,000-a-week wage, reports The Guardian, and the Reds expect the player to arrive on Merseyside for a medical ahead of Sunday's match with Manchester City.