Liverpool Transfer News: Latest on Wilfried Bony, Mario Balotelli, More
Liverpool's young squad returned to Premier League action following the international break with a 3-2 win over Queens Park Rangers, but with several top players still struggling, transfer rumours continue to link new names with a move to Anfield.
The Reds' attack has been hampered by a series of injuries to star striker Daniel Sturridge, and summer arrival Mario Balotelli still hasn't scored his first Premier League goal for his new club.
It's no wonder speculation seems to be focused on Liverpool's attacking third, so let's have a look at the latest news.
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Wilfried Bony Expected to Sign New Swansea City Deal
Swansea City's Wilfried Bony was often mentioned as a summer target for the Reds, and with Balotelli struggling to adapt to his new surroundings, the Ivorian is once again being rumoured as a potential solution.
Bony himself ruled out a transfer earlier in the season, referring to the reports as "speculation" via the Daily Mirror's Neil McLeman, and now Swansea manager Garry Monk has revealed the club want to work on a contract extension, per the South Wales Evening Post:
"We haven't had any talks as yet, but a new contract for Wilfried is something the club would like to sort out.
In the coming weeks his representatives will probably make contact and we'll have a chat.
Wilfried is a great professional, one of the best we have, and it will be great for us if we can sort something out.
It would show that all the question marks that were surrounding him over the summer have been put to bed. Players who play for me have to show a certain level of commitment to the club and hopefully Wilfried's one of them.
"
The striker hasn't had the greatest start to the Premier League season, with just two goals in eight matches, but he's starting to find his form with goals in back-to-back fixtures, per WhoScored.com.
The 25-year-old is one of Swansea's biggest stars and would carry a significant price tag, even without the new contract. The arrival of Balotelli and return of Sturridge from injury will also eliminate the need for another forward, making it very unlikely the Reds will move for the Ivory Coast international.
Brendan Rodgers Defends Mario Balotelli
Balotelli had another miserable outing Sunday and still hasn't scored in a Premier League match for Liverpool, but manager Brendan Rodgers has asked fans and pundits to be patient and not to compare him to Luis Suarez, via Goal.com's Harry Sherlock:
"It’ll drop for the boy. The most important thing to me is his work rate. He’s working really hard. It’ll drop for him.
"
He's seen as a direct replacement to Luis [Suarez]. I’ve said before, Luis is irreplaceable, a real world-class talent.
That’s not what’s being asked of Mario. He’s a great boy, I’ve enjoyed working with him. He wants to be better. He’s a completely different player to Luis.
The Italian arrived from AC Milan for £16 million during the summer, per Sherlock, and showed much promise in his debut against Tottenham. He has struggled since Sturridge was lost to injury, however, and lost his position with the national team to Southampton's Graziano Pelle.
The Telegraph's official Twitter feed was particularly harsh on the striker after the team's 3-2 win over QPR:
So was the Daily Mirror's Oliver Holt:
One of the most controversial players in the world, Balotelli has always been a player who thrives the most when his coaches, teammates and the media believe in him. His current slump is headline news, and it's clearly affecting him on the pitch, as he spent more time sulking against QPR than anything else.
Rodgers is right to continue backing the 24-year-old, who has only been with the club for less than two months and has the talent and potential to catch fire at any time. In the absence of Sturridge, Balotelli remains the team's most gifted striker, and once the goals start to fall, critics will quickly change their tune.
New Deal for Raheem Sterling?
The Daily Mirror's Simon Mullock knows Raheem Sterling will be presented with a new contract worth £100,000 per week, ending any and all transfer speculation linking him with Real Madrid.
An inside source told Mullock the deal should be finalised before the January window:
"Talks with Raheem have progressed very well and we don’t see any problems arising from this point. There is no rush to get the contract signed, but we are now at a stage where we are talking weeks rather than months.
"
Sterling's emergence as England's finest young player and his relatively small contract made him a popular target for transfer speculation, but the 19-year-old was never expected to leave Anfield to begin with.
Liverpool gave him every chance to develop into the player he is today and have built their midfield around his abilities, giving him plenty of minutes on every level of competition.
Potential suitors like Real Madrid wouldn't be able to do the same, and if both parties can agree on a wage packet, there's no reason the marriage between Sterling and Liverpool shouldn't be a long and happy one.
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