Liverpool Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Asier Illarramendi, Alberto Moreno

Liverpool are reportedly unwilling to give up their attempts to sign Real Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi, as Marca (h/t Metro's Simon Osborn) reports the Reds have made a formal offer for the former Real Sociedad star.

The 25-year-old seemed destined to leave the Bernabeu after spending most of the 2014-15 campaign on the bench, but new manager Rafa Benitez seems more inclined to give the Basque a chance, per Osborn:

"

Spanish newspaper Marca claim the Reds have submitted a formal offer for the 25-year-old although a deal is unlikely at this stage.

It had looked as though the former Real Sociedad star would leave the Bernabeu this summer but the change in manager seems to have given Illarramendi a second chance in the Spanish capital and has returned to first team plans.

Nevertheless, it is believed Liverpool remain hopeful of completing a deal for the player as he may still struggle for game time.

"

Illarramendi remains unlikely to start for the Spanish giants anytime soon, despite the departure of Sami Khedira, who joined Juventus on a free transfer. Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are expected to start the bulk of Real's matches this upcoming season.

Casemiro and Lucas Silva Borges are also options in midfield, further complicating matters for Illarramendi. Yet despite those questions surrounding his future, the player is reportedly not actively seeking a transfer away from the club.

A move seems unlikely, or as Paddy Power put it:

Illarramendi has failed to live up to the expectations during his time in the Spanish capital, and it's reasonable to ask whether things would be any different at Anfield. Emre Can is expected to see more minutes in midfield this season, and the likes of Jordan Henderson and James Milner are expected to start the majority of matches as well.

That said, Illarramendi is no scrub, and when he has been given the chance to play for Real, he has performed well, via WhoScored:

For the right transfer fee, he could be worth the gamble. Perhaps all he needs is a change of scenery to fulfil his potential, in which case the Reds could be signing a huge steal. But if Benitez isn't eager to sell and Illarramendi wants to stay in the Spanish capital, the club's asking price is unlikely to plummet anytime soon.

He's clearly a talented player, but he may not be enough of an upgrade over the midfielders manager Brendan Rodgers already has at his disposal to warrant a significant investment. There's plenty of time left in the transfer window to see how this transfer saga plays out, but for now, don't expect Illarramendi to move to Anfield.

Barcelona Reportedly Want Alberto Moreno

Vincent Thian/Associated Press

Barcelona's transfer embargo clearly hasn't had the desired effect, as the Champions League holders have already signed Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal during the summer, and according to Mundo Deportivo (h/t the Daily Star's Rhys Turrell), the Blaugrana will turn their attention to Liverpool full-back Alberto Moreno.

The Spaniard joined the Reds from Sevilla during the summer of 2014-15 and immediately staked his claim to become a starter. In total, he made 28 Premier League appearances, via WhoScored, showing why he's regarded as one of the top emerging defenders in the world.

Moreno's first season at Anfield wasn't perfect―far from it, in fact―but he showed enough flashes of his raw athleticism and abilities in the attacking third to warrant excitement. Defensively, he's a work in progress, which may explain why the Reds are reportedly chasing Paris Saint-Germain's Lucas Digne, per Get French Football News' Antoine Kpb:

Indeed, there are plenty who question whether Moreno is good enough to be Liverpool's left-back of the future, including ESPN FC's David Usher:

"

Liverpool look to have recruited well this summer. Positions of need have been filled and, while only time will tell how successful the new recruits will be, manager Brendan Rodgers appears to have bought quite well -- on paper at least. It's likely that he is not done yet, not while there is only one recognised left-back in the squad (Alberto Moreno) and especially when there are question marks over the quality -- and also the future -- of that left-back.

"

Digne would provide competition for Moreno, which wouldn't be a bad thing as Liverpool don't exactly have a lot of depth at the position. For the same reason, it's difficult to entertain the idea of selling Moreno at this particular time.

The defender would be a luxury buy for Barcelona, who already field one of the top left-backs in the world in Jordi Alba. Moreno would act as his main backup, with the Catalans hoping he continues his development and eventually fulfils his potential.

Depth is an issue for the Blaugrana―behind the starting duo of Alba and Dani Alves, the likes of Douglas and Adriano don't inspire a lot of confidence. From that perspective, their interest in Moreno makes sense, even if he wouldn't be eligible to play for the club immediately due to the transfer embargo.

But even if Digne moves to Anfield, it's still unlikely that Rodgers will move Moreno on. The Reds spent months bringing him into the fold last season, and there's no way they're willing to give up on the talented Spaniard after just one season.

Selling him would create an immediate depth issue, and unlike Digne, Moreno has Premier League experience and familiarity with the Liverpool system. Expect him to be the opening-day starter for the Reds, instead of wasting his time on the Barcelona bench.

Follow @ReverschPass