Liverpool Transfer News: Fresh Rumours on Significant January Targets

Ezequiel Lavezzi is the kind of bustling forward who would bring the twin attributes of incision and industry to Liverpool’s offensive forays. But reports suggest that the Reds could face a fight to land their man in the January transfer window, with Spanish giants Valencia supposedly looming.

That’s according to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Joe Short of the Express) which claims that Los Che are flush this midseason after selling Carles Gil to Aston Villa and see the Paris Saint-Germain man as an ideal candidate to spruce up their forward line. 

Here’s a look at what Lavezzi would add to the Reds’ cause:

Lavezzi and team-mate Edinson Cavani have been in hot water recently after both players reported late for training following the festive hiatus. They were left out of the squad for the past three games by manager Laurent Blanc, who recently admitted it’s going to be difficult to forgive and forget their conduct, but he implied they'd be sticking around for the rest of the season.

“Nothing is forgotten. They are two important players, we did what we had to do,” said the Frenchman per Goal.com. “They must accept their stupidity. Now I rely on them to make a great second half of the season.”

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WhoScored.com outlined the player’s best and worst attributes recently:

While Lavezzi has quality to make an impression at Anfield and maybe even the infectious work-rate to stir memories of Luis Suarez’s effervescent forward displays, the Reds shouldn’t pursue him with any great endeavour in the January window. Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe agrees that the Anfield club should leave this one alone:

Indeed, you suspect that at 30 years old, Rodgers will be targeting forward players who can add youthful exuberance to complement the current crop of burgeoning talent. One player who certainly fits into those particular criteria is Internazionale striker Mauro Icardi, who is apparently in high demand with Europe’s top clubs.

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According to Joe Short of the Express, the Reds will have to vie with Chelsea and Atletico Madrid to sign the promising 21-year-old, but they could be forced into a move earlier than expected. The aforementioned piece cited Gazzetta dello Sport, which claims the Spanish champions are poised to move for the player in January and that could prompt the Premier League duo into action.

Here’s why Icardi—rated at £30 million—is apparently on the radar of the continent’s finest:

While he may cost a lot more than a striker like Lavezzi, in the long term Icardi is someone that will reap many more benefits. The Reds would also be hopeful of landing their man for a figure much less than the figure quoted, especially after sporting director Marco Fassone admitted, per Short’s piece, that sales are “inevitable” without Champions League football.

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But with Roberto Mancini starting to stamp his mark on things at the San Siro, you wouldn’t completely rule out that prospect yet. As noted recently by BT Sport’s James Horncastle, Icardi is a player that’s contributed to some excellent recent displays for the Nerrazzurri:

Stylistically, he would give Liverpool a completely different attacking dimension at the sharp end of the pitch and one that would bring out the best in dynamic forward players like Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling. But as good as Icardi is, don’t expect the Reds to become embroiled in a January bidding war should that scenario surface.

With clubs like Chelsea and Atletico also apparently in the race, it’s going to be tough for Rodgers to lure him to Anfield. But if Liverpool can haul themselves into the top four come the end of this campaign, suddenly the Merseyside club will begin to look like a much more attractive proposition once again.