Liverpool Transfer Rumours: Latest on Ryan Bertrand and Pepe Reina's Future

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will have one eye on the tour of the Far East and the other on strengthening his pack for next season’s assault on the Premier League.

Four players have already arrived: Simon Mignolet, Kolo Toure, Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas. They add some quality, both to replace outgoing players and to offer extra competition for the Anfield club.

It was important for Rodgers to build on some positive performances last season, replacing the retiring stalwart Jamie Carragher with someone of the same ilk and experience.

Now, Rodgers can play a little in the market and had targeted Chelsea’s Ryan Bertrand as a possible addition to bulk up his options on the left-flank.

But, as Goal.com's Greg Stobart reports, Bertrand’s exaggerated wage demands may have turned Liverpool’s interest elsewhere.

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The Reds made an approach to the Londoners for the 23-year-old but were told he would demand a salary package worth more than £60,000-a-week.

Bertrand currently earns £35,000-a-week at Chelsea and is happy at Stamford Bridge having made 38 appearances for the club last season.

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The England international has Ashley Cole for competition at left-back and is not ready to budge the experienced defender in the short term. Bertrand has already had a taste of the highest level in his UEFA Champions League final start against Bayern Munich in 2012 as a left-midfielder.

The defender has gone on to be promoted to the England national side and even represented the Great Britain Olympic side last year. If his demands were reasonable, Liverpool would have had a promising, versatile left-sided player to team up with Jose Enrique at Anfield.

But Rodgers is within his authority to block any progress on the move, as Bertrand’s wages are inflated and unsustainable long term.

From arrivals to departures, Spanish keeper Pepe Reina looks set to reunite with Rafael Benitez at Napoli.

The £9 million signing of Mignolet has only added to the talk that Reina is on his way out of Anfield this summer. The 30-year-old will look to sign a one-year loan deal, as reported by The Guardian. He is targeted as an alternative to Queen’s Park Rangers keeper Julio Cesar, who turned down a move back to Italy.

The Belgian was one of the Premier League’s best stoppers between the sticks with 11 clean sheets for Sunderland and an average of 1.42 goals conceded per game, according to the Mirror and generated from WhoScored. Mignolet played every match at the Stadium of Light and stopped 72 percent of 207 shots.

Through 2012-13, his overall WhoScored rating was 7.0 in comparison to Reina’s 6.66.

The 25-year-old looks to be a smart signing from Rodgers, who picked up another fine Belgian talent who has impressed in the Premier League. In addition, given Reina’s £110,000-per-week wages—one of the highest at Liverpool—it makes even more sense.

It’s back to the drawing board for Rodgers, as he looks for more strength at Anfield next season.