Liverpool Transfer News: Major Deals Rumoured for Brendan Rodgers January Spree

According to Paul Wilson of the Guardian, Liverpool are set to be the big spenders in what is likely to be an otherwise quiet January transfer window.

With that in mind, it is little surprise that the Reds have been linked with a host of intriguing prospects as 2015 draws ever closer.

The midseason window is a time when managers typically look for bargain deals that can give their team some short-term impetus for the remainder of the campaign. And Brendan Rodgers is keen on picking up Aston Villa pair Fabian Delph and Ron Vlaar on the cheap in the coming month, according to Ben Jefferson of the Express.

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Both of the aforementioned players’ contracts will expire in the summer, and while they’d both be available to sign a pre-contract in January, according to Jefferson’s piece, Rodgers is willing to offer £15 million to get both players to Anfield as soon as possible, with the club looking to surge up the table in 2015.

But as noted by Peter O’Rourke of Sky Sports, Villa boss Paul Lambert has already made his intentions abundantly clear when it comes to both players:

Indeed, he will have to juggle the club’s financial interests with their wish to stay in the Premier League. After all, if Delph and Vlaar were to be sold in January—arguably the club’s best two players—then Villa would surely be set for a struggle to avoid relegation.

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Both Delph and Vlaar are decent options for the Reds, but they’re not the kind of players who will suddenly inject some much-needed initiative into the club’s stuttering campaign. 

Delph is a player who would add plenty of energy to the heart of the Liverpool midfield, which is something that has been in short supply. But he remains a little erratic in the tackle and is a player who has yet to show a real incisive edge when carrying the ball into advanced areas.

Vlaar is a solid centre-back and someone who would help settle down a ropey Reds defence. But he’s not of the requisite quality to help Liverpool shed their deep-rooted problems in that area; and while he enjoyed an excellent World Cup, he’s yet to put together a sustained run of top-class performances in the Premier League.

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You suspect that after failing to attract any real big names in the summer, despite boasting a sizeable war chest and Champions League football, Liverpool supporters will be looking for a bit more ambition from the club midseason.

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One player who would potentially sate those desires is Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel Lavezzi, who is the subject of major interest from both Liverpool and Tottenham in the January window.

That’s according to Jamie Anderson of the Express, who claims that the Argentina international will be allowed to leave the Parc des Prince for £17 million.

Here’s a look at what the Reds could potentially be getting for that kind of money:

According to the piece, Lavezzi will not be offered a new deal with the French champions, and subsequently, they’re willing to listen to bids for the forward as soon as possible to prevent him walking away for a reduced sum or on a free transfer before the summer of 2016.

As noted here by French football expert Jonathan Johnson, that rules out the prospect of a loan deal:

The former Napoli man is an excellent forward, capable of playing through the middle or from a wide position.

But while he would add an undeniable edge to Liverpool’s attacking play, it’s difficult to see Rodgers willing to spend that kind of money on a player who is 29 years old, especially when you look at the young squad he has fashioned at Anfield.

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But Lavezzi is proven quality and a talent who would add some intensity and incision that has been lacking at the sharp end of the pitch since Luis Suarez left the club in the summer.

If Liverpool want an influx of goals and endeavour in the second half of the season, there are not many players out there more befitting than the PSG man.