Liverpool Transfer News: Alex Song Bid Readied, Latest Gonzalo Higuain Rumours

Liverpool are keen to bolster their midfield options by bidding for Cameroonian midfielder Alex Song, according to the Express (h/t Lewis Rudd of Metro).

The piece claims that Song—currently on loan at West Ham United from Barcelona—has been subject to interest from Manchester United as well as the Reds, but Liverpool are willing to make their interest concrete in the form of an £11.5 million bid.

Here’s a look at what the 27-year-old could potentially add to the Reds’ midfield:

According to the aforementioned article, the former Arsenal man is poised to leave the Camp Nou on a permanent basis this summer and Brendan Rodgers’ side will face competition from the Hammers and United for his signature. With the departing Steven Gerrard set to leave a midfield void at Anfield, there could be a real chance for Song to shine on Merseyside.

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But according to Darren Lewis of the Mirror, West Ham are confident of landing the player on a permanent basis once his loan is up, and manager Sam Allardyce has revealed it’s something that the Londoners are looking into, per ITV.com:

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I think that next year is next year's budget and there's a considerable amount of fund available next season. ...

So, affordable? It depends on what Barcelona are looking for and what Alex is looking for, that negotiation will happen at some stage in or around that period.

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Song has been a fine signing for West Ham, proving to be a vital player in a prosperous campaign. He has excellent defensive instincts and is very useful in possession too; a factor that has noticeably improved since his return from the Camp Nou.

Liverpool will be hoping they can attract the player to Merseyside and will surely fancy their chances of ousting West Ham in any bidding war. Song is an attainable and affordable option for the Reds, and while he may not be Gerrard, he’d certainly be a brilliant purchase for Rodgers.

Indeed, with Liverpool’s spot among European football’s elite looking unlikely for the upcoming campaign, the club may have to scale down their ambitions when it comes to transfer targets.

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It means the Reds might not be in the market for players of the calibre of Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain, especially after his brother and agent insisted he’s unlikely to be going anywhere, per ESPN FC:

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I'm confident that the team can finish third [in Serie A to qualify for the Champions League], then we'll see about Gonzalo's future. I haven't spoken with any team.

Gonzalo is calm, he has a contract with Napoli and he's not planning to leave because he's happy.

"

Bleacher Report's Matteo Bonetti thinks Higuain would be superb for Liverpool:

While it’s easy to see why Premier League clubs would be keen on the player, at this juncture there looks to be little to the perennial reports linking the Merseyside club with a big-money bid for the 27-year-old forward.

As noted by Nooruddean Choudry of the Mirror, Higuain has been touted as a target for the Reds for a long time without anything tangible ever materialising:

If Napoli do fail to qualify for the Champions League this season, then the player may reassess his options. Higuain has the class to make a big impression at the very top level, and if he was to become available, you can guarantee that a host of top clubs—including Liverpool—would make their interest known in earnest.