Liverpool Transfer News: Brendan Rodgers Wise to Target Gylfi Sigurdsson

So much for Brendan Rodgers swearing not to pillage Swansea City.

According to ESPN Soccernet, the new Liverpool boss has hinted at the possibility of pilfering Gylfi Sigurdsson from the Swans, despite pledging not to sign players away from his former club for 12 months. Swansea have already agreed to a fee with Hoffenheim to bring Sigurdsson on board on a more permanent basis, after the 22-year-old Iceland international spent the last season on loan in Wales.

However, Sigurdsson has yet to sign off on the move himself. If he decides not to return to Liberty Stadium, then Rodgers will essentially be free to bring him to Anfield. As Rodgers told the Sunday papers:

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"Gylfi came to Swansea because I was there as manager and his scoring record was fantastic.

"I pushed the club to make an agreement [to sign Sigurdsson permanently] and they did that in terms of the fee - and agreed the salary. So I have said to [Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins]: 'I'm not going to do anything untoward. This is a guy you want, but it is down to Gylfi'.

"If he comes on the market I have to be interested. He knows that I rate his qualities and abilities.

"I said to Huw: 'If I speak to the kid I'll tell him to speak to the new manager, whoever that is'. But if he's not comfortable with that, he's in the market place then - and I have to look at him."

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Sounds like Rodgers' hands are tied—or not.

Rodgers can hardly be faulted for his interest in Sigurdsson, after the kid tallied seven goals and three assists in his half-season stint with the newly-minted English Premier League members. Liverpool, on the other hand, had only one player (Luis Suarez) who scored seven or more goals during the previous campaign and had an attack that ranked among the most feeble in all of England.

The Reds' cause wasn't helped any by Kenny Dalglish's lavish spending spree last summer. Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson all proved to be expensive disappointments in the Merseyside midfield and ranked among the least effective transfers in the EPL, even more so when factoring in fees and wages against production.

Throw in the failures of Andy Carroll and the departure of Dirk Kuyt to Fenerbahce, and it's clear that Liverpool need an influx of attacking talent.

Problem is, the Reds can't promise European football to some of the bigger stars on whom Rodgers likely has his eye (i.e. Clint Dempsey) on account of an eighth-place finish in the Premiership.

Sigurdsson, though, likely realizes the upside of a move to Anfield for a player of his lesser profile. He'd have the opportunity to play for one of the most famous clubs in the world, under the auspices of a manager he knows well and an ownership group that's shown a willingness to spend in pursuit of victory.

Ultimately, Sigurdsson's decision is his own, unless he turns down a transfer to Swansea.

At which point, Rodgers' sway and FSG's money will way ever more heavily.

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