Liverpool Transfer News: Latest on Christian Benteke and Eduardo Salvio Rumours

Liverpool look set to boost their attacking options with the potential additions of Aston Villa's Christian Benteke and Benfica's Eduardo Salvio.

Belgian powerhouse Benteke is thought to be Brendan Rodgers' "No. 1 striking target," as reported by Joe Rimmer of the Liverpool Echo.

The striker has suffered with injury in recent seasons but has shown exceptional form towards the end of the campaign, once again putting himself in the shop window for Europe's top clubs. 

Benteke has a classic strike rate of a goal every two games, scoring 49 goals in 99 games for the Villans, per Rimmer, and Liverpool are desperate to add firepower after a hugely disappointing season. 

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Rimmer says the Reds were interested in Benteke last season but were put off by the Belgium international's injury record. However, he has saved his team from relegation in style, boosting Tim Sherwood's early tenure at Villa Park. 

Sherwood believes his star player will be with him next term and said the topic of a potential transfer has never come up in conversation between the two, per Sky Sports:

"

Christian is only a young man but he's very mature in the way he behaves. I think he's handled the situation well.

I have no reason to believe he wants to seek employment elsewhere. He seems to be very happy here and this morning, at training, he was smiling.

He knows there are big games coming up in Sunday and the cup final and I think he wants to be at this football club. I'm convinced of that. 

I'd believe him if he told me he wanted to be at this club next season but he hasn't told me because I haven't actually asked him the question.

"

Benteke's performance levels have been excellent in recent months, but if Rodgers wants to hit the heights of 12 months ago, he needs to find a new incarnation of Luis Suarez. 

Suarez brought a world-class flavour to Liverpool's attack—and it is questionable whether Benteke is the player who could achieve this if he arrives.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville recently touched on this point when assessing Liverpool's future prospects, and accused the Anfield team of falling behind the biggest clubs in world football:

Rodgers has a real problem in the striker's department, with the long-term health of Daniel Sturridge being a concern after a season of misery for the England international.

Benteke would go some way to plugging this gap, but the club will struggle to get back in the Champions League without significant investment in the first XI.

Salvio Negotiations To Begin

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Eduardo Salvio could be about to become a Liverpool player with the news his agents are flying to England to conduct summer transfer dealings.

Will Giles of the Metro notes that the winger's representatives Jorge Mendes and Luis Filipe Vieira will arrive in the UK to discuss potential deals, with Salvio said to be a target for Rodgers for a number of months. 

Mendes and Vieira are also thought to be touting the services of the mercurial Nico Gaitan—and Giles says the Reds could see him as a replacement for Raheem Sterling, who is in dispute with the club over a new contract.

Argentina international Salvio has an excellent record with his club this year, scoring 10 times from his right-wing berth in 33 Portuguese League and European contests, per WhoScored.com.

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Gaitan would be a much more costly addition should Rodgers choose to pursue him, with the player said to have a £42.6 million release clause, per Giles. 

Liverpool do need to shuffle the pack in the summer, and Rodgers will need to reassess his signings from 2014.

As a collective, they failed to form a cohesive unit, but 12 months on there is a chance they may now jell.

But Salvio could take time to settle into life in England, with the 24-year-old unproven at Premier League level, and Rodgers will probably find he has similar teething issues to what his team have suffered since the loss of Suarez. 

Gaitan would be an interesting addition, but if the release clause is correct—he will not be a player Liverpool will be interested in. His stock is not as valued as it was several seasons ago, and the release-clause amount is not realistic.