Liverpool Transfer News: Ezequiel Lavezzi Blow, Latest on Miralem Pjanic Rumours

Brendan Rodgers will be extremely pleased with how his Liverpool side are currently performing, but he isn't the type of manager to rest on his laurels, and may be interested to hear the latest lines on speculation suggesting Ezequiel Lavezzi and Miralem Pjanic could head to the club.

Lavezzi was linked with Liverpool throughout the January transfer window, perhaps out of convenience. Not only is the Argentinian a smart fit for Rodgers' 3-4-2-1 formation, his falling out with Paris Saint-Germain boss Laurent Blanc—reported by Ben Jefferson of the Express—makes him a prime candidate to depart the Parc des Princes.

Liverpool are currently "favourites" to land the player, reported by Joe Short of the Express. However, Lavezzi's agent Alejandro Mazzoni recently told Radio Kiss Kiss (h/t Short) that his client could be tempted by a move back to Italy: "Lavezzi likes Italy, and he has always said that if he were to return he'd want to do it with Napoli."

Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images

Lavezzi enjoyed five years at Napoli before moving to PSG, winning the Coppa Italia in 2012 alongside current team-mate Edinson Cavani.

This was the club in which the versatile forward made his name in Europe, meaning sentimental value could hold great weight in any decision to move on. Lavezzi may fancy linking up with Argentinian counterpart Gonzalo Higuain at the Stadio Sao Paolo, an arena in which he produced most of his best form since travelling to the continent.

B/R UK's Sam Tighe recently looked at the pros and cons of Lavezzi signing for Liverpool:

One player potentially leaving Serie A is Roma's Miralem Pjanic, a man who continues to be touted for an incredible £37 million switch to Rodgers' side, reported by Jefferson.

Despite rumours of a weekly £160,000 pay packet being on the table, Jefferson believes Pjanic "is set to snub the offer" due to the uncertainty over whether Liverpool will consistently qualify for the Champions League. Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (translated by Football Italia) also indicates the Bosnian has "rejected" an approach from the Anfield club.

This is perhaps a blow for Rodgers, who will be hoping to bolster his midfield in the wake of Steven Gerrard's departure at the end of the season. While Pjanic is a top-quality player, he doesn't possess the same power or ability to drive his side forward like Gerrard in his prime. Tancredi Palmeri of beIN Sports hinted as much on Twitter:

Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

Liverpool at their best are an incredibly difficult side to deal with. Rodgers employs fast-paced, ambitious football that sweeps across the pitch when his players are confident. Lavezzi and Pjanic could certainly add to this, but right now, both potential deals seem a long way off.

However, Rodgers will have an extra bargaining chip to utilise if the Reds qualify for the Champions League ahead of Manchester United or Arsenal.