Liverpool Transfer News and Rumours: Week of August 5

Liverpool have been quiet in the transfer market over the past couple of weeks, having secured a quartet of new signings early on in the window.

A few outbound players have made Anfield exits too, but fans are eagerly awaiting the newest names to display the Liverbird on their chests for the 2013-14 season, with the media still cranking out more than a few names for the fans to wonder about.

Here's all the latest transfer news and rumours regarding the Reds.

Latest update: August 8

Suarez Will Not Be Sold: Henry

David Maddock of Mirror Football reports that Liverpool's principal owner John W. Henry has said Luis Suarez will not be sold.

"I don't know why people ask us if we are selling the club or the best players, because we are not. We like to buy stuff, not to sell."

Liverpool are so far resisting any approach from Arsenal to sign the Uruguayan forward, who has yet to hand in a transfer request to ask to leave the club, despite a series of interviews stating that desire being given over the course of the summer.

Stewart Downing to Be Sold

One player reported to actually be allowed to leave Anfield is winger Stewart Downing.

Having won his place back in the team over the second half of last season, Downing remains an unfulfilled talent and the expectation is that he will once again be on the sidelines when the season starts up.

Liverpool Echo's James Pearce reports that he will be allowed to leave for just £5 million this summer, just a quarter of what the Reds paid for him two summers ago. Newcastle United are reported to be the interested party.

Martin Skrtel to Leave

Gazzetta report that Martin Skrtel is wanted by Napoli, where former manager Rafa Benitez is now manager and goalkeeper Pepe Reina is spending the season on loan.

The report indicates that Skrtel will join up with international team mate Marek Hamsik at the Serie A club. Skrtel has not featured heavily for the Reds in preseason and missed the Valerenga match on Wednesday with an injury, and was relegated to third-choice centre-back last season under Brendan Rodgers.

Brendan Rodgers on Luis Suarez

The Telegraph's Chris Bascombe reports that Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is unhappy with the conduct of Arsenal over the pursuit of Luis Suarez.

"

I’ve got to say I’ve always associated Arsenal as a club with class and so there was a wee bit of a game there. For us, it’s about moving on and doing our own work.

Obviously, they have an interest and they put that interest in with two bids which were nowhere near what the player is worth. That’s within their right. There is a market in football for players, but from us the message is constant: we do not want to sell. There will come a point where they understand that.

"

Rodgers has made allusion to the high prices being paid for attackers this summer including Edinson Cavani (£55 million) and Gareth Bale (potentially around £100 million) and used that as justification for the Reds not even considering selling Suarez for the £40 million the Gunners offered.

His comments on the official club website further indicate that, at present, Suarez is simply not for sale, and any bids which do not seriously improve on Arsenal's offer are not going to change that.

Dele Alli

Liverpool and Arsenal are also reported to be doing battle on another transfer front, that of completing the signing of 17-year-old midfielder Dele Alli.

Alan Nixon of Mirror Football reports that the two Premier League clubs are showing serious interest in the MK Dons midfielder, who is already a part of the first team at the League One club.

The story indicates that both Arsenal and Liverpool would be interested in signing Alli and loaning him back to his present club, so that he can continue his progression in a first-team environment. Alli is an England youth international and played seven times last season.

Kenneth Omeruo on Loan?

Only a few short weeks ago, Liverpool were being linked with a move for Chelsea left-back Ryan Bertrand. Now, Simon Jones of the Daily Mail reports that they've switched targets to another Blues defender, Kenneth Omeruo.

Brendan Rodgers is still seemingly to finalise his defensive plans for the season, though it would be a surprise to see Omeruo, a right- or centre-back, arrive on loan when the likes of Martin Kelly and Andre Wisdom remain at Rodgers' disposal.

Omeruo played at the FIFA Confederations Cup during the summer and was at ADO Den Haag for part of last season.

£21 Million Diego Costa Bid

Ben Smith of the BBC reported that Liverpool made a £21 million for Atletico Madrid's forward Diego Costa, which he stated met a release clause for the attacker.

The Liverpool Echo indicate that the player himself is positive about the move and would like to move to Merseyside.

The Reds already have Fabio Borini and Iago Aspas playing up front during this preseason, while Luis Suarez is slowly stepping up his return and Daniel Sturridge has returned to training after injury.

New Left-Back?

Gary Jones of the Daily Star reports that Liverpool are bidding for St. Etienne's Algerian defender Faouzi Ghoulam.

The 22-year-old left-back was said to be in negotiations with Torino before the Reds entered the frame, who are now favourites to sign him.

He has three caps for Algeria's senior international team.

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