Liverpool Transfer News: Latest on Ezequiel Lavezzi, Sardar Azmoun Rumours

Rumours Ezequiel Lavezzi could be on his way out of Paris Saint-Germain continue to gather steam, and according to the latest reports, Liverpool could bring the experienced winger in during the January transfer window at a discount.

According to the Daily Express' David Wright, Les Parisiens have highlighted Benfica's Nicolas Gaitan as his replacement and could move the 29-year-old for as little as £8 million:

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The Reds are long-term admirers of the Argentine international, having lost out to PSG to sign him from Napoli in 2012.

But Lavezzi could finally arrive at Anfield for a measly £8m with PSG looking to offload the 29-year-old in January.

The Ligue 1 giants are aiming to improve their Financial Fair Play situation by reducing their wage bill, with Lavezzi on a sizeable salary of £3.5m per season.

And the deal is looking increasingly likely as Parc des Princes boss Laurent Blanc lines up Benfica winger Gaitan as his successor.

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While such a bargain fee appears too good to be true, the steady stream of reports linking Lavezzi with an imminent departure from the French champions indicates manager Laurent Blanc could be willing to part with the veteran for just about any price.

Italy's leading sports paper, La Gazzetta dello Sport, values him at €15 million, as shared by FourFourTwo's Adam Digby:

The winger hasn't appeared in a match for PSG since December 14, via WhoScored.com, and his continued exclusion from the squad is fuelling speculation even more.

Lavezzi has started eight Ligue 1 matches this season, per WhoScored, and he's a valuable commodity for Les Parisiens as both a starter and a creative influence off the bench.

ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson thinks Blanc is taking a big risk freezing out the Argentina international, something he wouldn't be doing if he wasn't planning on moving the winger:

He also knows PSG are even entertaining the idea of sending him out on loan to Valencia, giving the Spanish side an option to make the move permanent in six months:

The key in any deal for Lavezzi is value. A fee of £8 million for an experienced contributor like Lavezzi would be an absolute steal, but with the French champions keen on balancing their books under the Financial Fair Play regulations, such a move would actually make sense for PSG.

Liverpool could use an extra creative force in midfield, as explained by Bleacher Report's Ryan Bailey and Janusz Michallik:

Lavezzi's wages could present a problem, but if the Argentina star is willing to compromise a bit in order to go to a club where he'll receive plenty of minutes, this could be a major coup for the Reds.

Liverpool are rumoured to be leading the race for Iran international and talented youngster Sardar Azmoun, according to the Scottish Daily Express' Ben Jefferson.

The 20-year-old striker should cost the Reds roughly £5 million, with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur also reportedly interested. The Gunners have been chasing his signature for a while, and the youngster, who currently plays for Russian side Rubin Kazan, has already stated he's open to a Premier League move, according to Jefferson:

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There already are solid offers coming from both Arsenal and AC Milan.

I'm really happy for such clubs being interested in signing me, and playing in Premier League would be a dream coming true.

But now I'm just focused on the remaining part of Russian championship.

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The striker isn't one of the biggest names on the open market—local media call him the Iranian Messi, something pundits appear to do with just about anyone under 20 who can kick a ball—but he has shown some serious promise, particularly when playing for Iran's national team.

ESPN FC's John Duerden ranked him in his list of top 10 talents emerging from Asia, and he's recently been scoring a number of decisive goals for Iran, most notably in wins over South Korea and Iraq:

Azmoun shows a ton of potential, but as is often the case with younger players, he's quite raw. Liverpool need an immediate impact player to help the squad push for a European ticket, and the young Iranian likely won't be able to help out right away.

It never hurts to add young prospects, but the Reds are already well stocked in that department. Azmoun could be a solid purchase, providing manager Brendan Rodgers also invests in a more seasoned option at the position.

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