Liverpool Transfer News: Fernando Llorente Blow, Latest Roberto Firmino Rumours

Liverpool's hopes of signing Juventus striker Fernando Llorente have been dealt a blow with the Spaniard insisting he is staying put in Serie A.

The Reds desperately need a new top-class striker after last season's mooted replacements for Luis Suarez—Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert—failed miserably to make up for the Uruguayan's departure.

Italian outlet Tuttosport (h/t Metro.co.uk's Will Giles) reports the Anfield outfit have made an official transfer inquiry about the 30-year-old, while Monaco have apparently put in a £10.6 million bid for the player.

However, despite Llorente's future at Juve looking uncertain after the arrival of Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala, he insists he is hoping to stay at the Italian champions, per Italian website Sportmediaset (h/t AS): "I have a contract and I hope to stay at Juventus. First I have to talk to the club. Monaco? I don’t know anything about that at the moment, I’m on my honeymoon."

The play of Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata forced Llorente to compete for playing time in 2014-15.

While Tevez may be set to return to his native Argentina over the summer, per ESPN FC, the arrival of Dybala and Mandzukic will mean a similarly tough season next term for the former Athletic Bilbao man.

At Liverpool, he would surely have a bigger role to play, and boss Brendan Rodgers may have money to spend in the summer if Raheem Sterling is moved on, as Bleacher Report's Graham Ruthven expects:

While, at 30 years old, Llorente could not be considered a buy for the future at Anfield, he has proven qualities that are desperately needed at the club if they are to return to the top of English football.

He is a fine finisher and dominant in the air, while his experience could be valuable at a club that has just lost the talismanic Steven Gerrard.

If Llorente has his way, it seems he will not be moving, but Juventus may look to let him go anyway considering the additions they have already made up front.

Llorente is not the only attacking target of Liverpool's, though, with Hoffenheim's Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino one of several options reportedly interesting the Reds' hierarchy, per Sky Sports News HQ:

A versatile attacking force, the 23-year-old can play on the flank or as a striker but is predominantly a No. 10. Firmino netted seven times in the Bundesliga last season and provided 10 assists, per WhoScored.com.

As a potential replacement for Sterling, he looks like an ideal option, and though he has been targeted by Manchester United, he has reportedly agreed to join the Reds, per Brazilian TV network Globo Esporte (h/t Jack Wilson in the Daily Star), with the fee expected to be "between £18 million and £21.7 million."

Signing the Brazil international would be a terrific piece of early business from Liverpool—and something of a coup to beat United in the race to sign him.

However, nothing has yet been officially confirmed, and Liverpool must make sure they sign their man up as soon as possible.