Liverpool Transfer News: Miralem Pjanic Bid Readied, Shock Nemanja Vidic Rumours

There’s going to be an undeniable chasm to fill in Liverpool’s midfield next season with Steven Gerrard set to depart for pastures new, and according to reports in Italy, the Reds have sounded out Roma’s Miralem Pjanic as a player who can help with this transition.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t 101 Great Goals), Liverpool will bid €30 million to bring the playmaker to Anfield.

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The piece claims that with the Giallorossi currently in the midst of a battle for the Scudetto with Juventus, a January transfer looks unlikely. However, a move for the player in the summer could be on the cards, with Pjanic looking to increase his salary.

According to Football Italia, the Reds would be willing to pay the midfielder a whopping €4 million a year.

Here’s the kind of talents the Bosnia-Herzegovina international would bring to Anfield:

If Liverpool supporters are hoping for a player who can provide leadership and dynamism like the Gerrard of old, then they’ll be disappointed by a potential pursuit for Pjanic.

If they’re after a burgeoning playmaker with a vast passing range and a superb appreciation of the game, then the 24-year-old is just about perfect.

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With that being said, Sport Witness claims that Pjanic is not fussed about a move to Anfield and that the Reds will face staunch competition for the player’s signature if they are interested:

If Brendan Rodgers can lure him to Liverpool, it would be a major coup for the club. Then again, if Roma are willing to sell in the summer, you suspect there will be a host of illustrious clubs in the market for a player who is supremely talented.

A big second half of the season is therefore needed for the Reds so they can dangle the Champions League carrot at players of Pjanic’s calibre.

With that in mind, a few acquisitions in the midseason window are necessary.

Here, Andy Brassell assesses the latest January rumours surrounding the Reds:

The defensive side of this team has yielded perennial concerns for the Reds, and it's something that should be addressed by the manager in January.

There will surely be mixed opinions about a reported pursuit of former Manchester United skipper Nemanja Vidic, though.

According to reports in Italy, per Jamie Sanderson of Metro, the Serbian international is not wanted by Roberto Mancini. However, Liverpool are keen on bringing the player to Anfield.

The piece also claims that Lucas Leiva could go to the San Siro as part of the deal.

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Here's a look at the kind of commitment Vidic would potentially bring, per Squawka Football:

Looking at the player in isolation, this would be a good move for the Reds. Vidic is a defender who is well acquainted with the robust nature of English football and would afford this team some leadership in the back four that has been lacking since the retirement of Jamie Carragher.

There are some obvious underlying factors to consider, though.

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Vidic was a hero at United and a player who was central to their successes under Sir Alex Ferguson. He harboured a fine affinity with the Red Devils faithful, too, and he surely wouldn’t want to tarnish that particular relationship by joining a bitter rival.

He could even remain at Internazionale; Mancini explained some of the reasons behind the player's omission recently, per David Amoyal of GianlucaDiMarzio.com:

Subsequently, this one looks like a non-starter, even if a player in Vidic's mould—an uncompromising, experienced and vocal defender—is what Liverpool should be targeting to abate their longstanding woes at the back.