Liverpool Transfer News: Arda Turan Would Rescue Reds' January Window

Liverpool could yet be set to make a mark on the transfer window with the signing of Arda Turan, Atletico Madrid’s attacking midfielder.

His performances have caught the eye of many of Europe’s biggest clubs including Manchester City, says Ben Jefferson of the Express, who will bid for the talented midfielder along with Liverpool.

According to Jefferson, Liverpool could try and sign the midfielder before the end of the January transfer window. Turkish international Turan has been instrumental in Atletico Madrid's rise in La Liga this season, as they sit joint top with Barcelona on 54 points.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has aired his frustrations at the club's inability to add a player in this window, but has vowed to keep searching for new talent until the last minute, reports Dominic King in the Daily Mail. Rodgers said:

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We’ll probably judge that (whether this month has been a frustration) best when the window has shut. We will see where we are at when the window shuts. Of course I wanted to strengthen the team that was already here. If we are unable to that it would be disappointing, but there’s nothing you can do about it. If we don’t get them in then, as a coach, I’ll work with what I’ve got. There’s no point in looking back on it.

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Signing Turan would boost Liverpool’s hopes of finishing in the Champions League places, with the club having a real chance this season in one of the tightest Premier League campaigns in recent times. Rodgers wants players of quality, and Turan would fit that void. "We’ve wanted to bring in players who could help us and players of quality. Let’s hope we can do that between now and the end of the window," he said, per King.

Rodgers saw target Mohamed Salah sign for Chelsea after Jose Mourinho sold Juan Mata to Manchester United. But a bid for Turan would be the perfect anecdote for what has been a frustrating window thus far.

Sang Tan/Associated Press

Turan, who is 26 years old, signed a contract extension with Atletico earlier this season, and Liverpool will have to meet his release clause which increased from £20 million to £33 million, per Jefferson. With City’s infinite resources, the Reds may find it hard to compete with them for Turan’s signature but they’ll need to move quickly if they are serious about a bid.

Turan was on fire on Sunday scoring twice in a 4-2 win at Rayo Vallecano, which was Atletico’s first win in three games after two draws. The creative midfielder was also the best player on the pitch in the Jan 11th top-of-the-table clash with Barcelona, exceptional both in attack and defence.

Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press

His performance earned him the admiration of four-time Ballon d'or winner Lionel Messi, who swapped shirts with him, as this video shows.

Rodgers will be hoping that a move for Turan will super-charge Liverpool’s bid for a Champions League place. The Reds currently lie in fourth spot, tied on points with Tottenham, with rivals Everton—whom they defeated on January 28th—four points behind.

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It is imperative that Rodgers’ men finish in the Champions League places after it was revealed in December by John Richardson in the Express that star-striker Luis Suarez has a clause in his contract to leave if they fail to do so.

Despite signing a £175,000-a-week deal which could yet rise to £200,000, Suarez asked for the clause to be inserted, which lets him join a club on the continent, per Richardson.

Lefteris Pitarakis/Associated Press

Should Liverpool go in for Turan, the talented playmaker would also add quality in the long-term for the Reds and will be fresh this summer as he will not participate in the World Cup. Turkey finished in fourth place in Group D behind the Netherlands, Romania and Hungary, in what was a poor qualifying campaign for coach Fatih Terim's Turkey side.

Turan only showed marginal levels of his genius. He only scored once in his nine group appearances, ESPN stats show, but his club form this season has given him many plaudits.