Liverpool Transfer News: Major Stars Identified in Latest Anfield Rumours

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers won't pay the price Aston Villa are asking for Christian Benteke. Instead, the Anfield gaffer is reportedly turning to Juventus flop Fernando Llorente, along with prolific Sevilla man Carlos Bacca.

They are Rodgers' primary targets, according to Joe Bernstein of the Mail on Sunday. Apparently, Rodgers has baulked at the fee Aston Villa will demand for Belgian powerhouse Benteke:

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Liverpool have turned their attentions to Juventus striker Fernando Llorente after being scared off by the £32.5million asking price for Aston Villa's Christian Benteke.

Llorente and Carlos Bacca of Europa League winners Sevilla are now being carefully explored as better options than Benteke whose buy-out clause at Villa is considered as too expensive by the Anfield hierarchy.

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It's tough to fault the logic here, even though Benteke is certainly a talent. He's quick, mobile and a terror in the air.

Mark Thompson/Getty Images

But as good as he can be, the Villa man is also guilty of taking games off. Inconsistency is not something a club can indulge when paying more than £30 million. That price tag should yield a guaranteed match-winning performer.

Liverpool Echo blogger Andy Kelly noted how Benteke is already a divisive figure among the Anfield faithful: "Christian Benteke has been strongly linked, a move which has managed to split the fanbase even before he’s grabbed a red shirt and smiled at the Melwood cameras. And don’t even mention that £32.5 million."

The smarter move is to target a double deal for Bacca and Llorente. The latter is an intriguing option.

Llorente is a force aerially and also displays surprisingly good technique for a big man. It's not unusual for a team light in midfield to rely on a strong target man up front.

It allows a group that won't win many physical battles to bypass the middle and let a powerful No. 9 hold the ball up while support from advanced playmakers arrives.

Llorente thrived in that same dynamic as a member of Athletic Bilbao during the 2011/12 season. Working with diminutive schemers such as Ander Herrera and Iker Muniain, Llorente bagged the goals that took the Basque club to the finals of both the UEFA Europa League and Copa del Rey.

Since moving to Juve, though, the 30-year-old's career has hit the skids.

Despite enjoying team success in Turin, Llorente's personal performances have been poor. He scored a mere eight goals in all competitions this season, according to ESPN FC.

Bernstein states Llorente is "surplus to requirements" ahead of Juve's imminent deal to sign Atletico Madrid target man Mario Mandzukic. He also believes the Serie A giants will "accept as little as £12 million" for Llorente.

He certainly has the hold-up ability and quality link play to work well with attacking midfielders such as Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho.

But Llorente lacks the pace and guile to play between the lines the way Rodgers prefers.

While Llorente has struggled in front of goal, Bacca has become a prolific force for Europa League winners Sevilla. He struck 28 goals in all competitions for the La Liga outfit last term, per WhoScored.com.

The way the 28-year-old scurries about and harasses defenders is very reminiscent of former Liverpool attacking talisman Luis Suarez. Bacca also possesses an innate poacher's instinct in the box.

Squawka writer Harry De Cosemo compares the player, who is also a target of Liverpool's bitter foe Manchester United, to fellow Colombian international team-mate Radamel Falcao: "In some ways, Bacca is very similar to Falcao. His main strength is his deadly movement, making him a nightmare for defenders to mark."

Liverpool need a striker with Bacca's intelligence and class. However, Bernstein noted how the forward's £21 million release clause could prove prohibitive.

With that said, Kelly believes more quality up front is vital ahead of next season: "At least one world-class striker is desperately needed. They make everything seem better, they make everyone else seem better, they make those first seven aways seem better."

By that thinking, securing transfers for both Bacca and Llorente would likely make many Liverpool fans rest easier ahead of the new season.

For roughly the same fee he'd have to cough up for Benteke, Rodgers could land two versatile, proven strikers who would increase his options and add variety to the Reds' attack.