Liverpool Transfer News: Latest on Raheem Sterling and Fernando Llorente Rumours

Liverpool have informed Raheem Sterling he has to get his mind off a potential transfer to Manchester City and instead join the squad for their pre-season tour of Australia and Asia, according to the latest rumours.

The Daily Mirror's David Maddock reports that due to the absence of fresh bids for the England international, the Reds expect him to live up to his contract and join the squad in time:

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Liverpool's players will begin to report back for training at the start of July, with England internationals like Sterling expected at Melwood in the week beginning July 6, before they travel to Thailand for the first pre-season game on July 14.

The Reds have made clear to Sterling he is still under contract to the club, with manager Brendan Rodgers spelling out he expects the player to be fully committed and prepared for the tour.

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Sterling likely hoped he could have avoided this, as his move away from the club still appears inevitable. After the rough finish to the 2014-15 Premier League campaign, the 20-year-old and his agent rank among the least popular people in Liverpool, and according to a report by the Daily Mirror's Hamish Mackay, Sterling's agent has made it very clear the player doesn't see his future at Anfield.

Bleacher Report's Graham Ruthven remains convinced Sterling will leave the club soon enough:

As reported by Maddock, fans treated the young forward with some hostility at the end of last season, and Sterling can likely expect a similar reception during pre-season. But as he's still under contract with the Reds, he has no choice.

Liverpool are still holding out for a £50 million bid from City, and as of right now, the Citizens have yet to agree with that valuation. Plenty of pundits, including former England international Rio Ferdinand, believe such a fee is absurd for the relatively unproven Sterling, but in this day and age, top-level English talent comes at a steep price:

Sterling's production up until this point doesn't warrant such a massive fee, but his sky-high potential and status as a home-grown player do. As a result, City and Liverpool are likely to reach a deal at some point this summer―the Citizens simply can't afford to pass on signing him, and the Reds need to get rid of him.

It's becoming increasingly more likely no agreement will be reached before the start of the pre-season tour, leading to some more uncomfortable moments. Not only will Sterling have to face fans who may no longer want him at the club―his team-mates are also aware he'd rather be plying his trade for City right now.

Fernando Llorente Reportedly Keen on Liverpool Move

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Juventus striker Fernando Llorente is reportedly open to a move to Anfield during the summer, according to Metro's George Bellshaw, throwing more fuel on a transfer rumour that just won't go away.

Just days ago, the Spain international told Mediaset Premium (h/t ESPN FC's Selene Scarsi) he was unaware of potential interest from Liverpool or Monaco and had no interest in leaving the Bianconeri:

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My intention right now is to stay. I need to talk with the club, and see what they say too. For sure there are many changes, but let's hope we can continue to do as well as we have been doing in recent years. If Tevez does leave, I will be sorry as he is a great man and a great striker.

[…] I don't know anything about that -- I've just got married, I am leaving for my honeymoon and am not thinking about anything else.

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The Italian champions invested heavily in the striker position after their loss against Barcelona in the Champions League final, adding Palermo's Paulo Dybala and Atletico Madrid's Mario Mandzukic. Gianluca Di Marzio's David Amoyal loved the speed at which those deals were made:

While the Old Lady has since lost Carlos Tevez to Boca Juniors, via beIN Sports USA, the position remains one of strength for Juventus. Between Mandzukic, Dybala, Alvaro Morata and Simone Zaza, the club has no real need for Llorente, who moved to Turin on a free transfer and could easily be moved during the summer.

Llorente may prefer to stay in Turin, but with young sensation Domenico Berardi joining the club next summer, per Amoyal, there simply is no future for the Spaniard. A sale seems inevitable, either during the summer or in January.

The former Athletic Bilbao striker is a massive aerial threat who moves remarkably well for a man his size. He has great instincts inside the box and a solid technical foundation, and he should be well-suited for Premier League football.

Most English clubs would love to sign him this summer, but Liverpool may not be one of them. Manager Brendan Rodgers prefers smaller, more agile forwards who beat the defence with their movement, not raw power. And while Llorente can move, he lacks the raw speed to be a success in Rodgers' system.

Juventus may be willing to move the forward for a relatively small fee, in which case it might make sense for Liverpool to just bring him into the fold and see what he can do. But any sort of significant investment in the 30-year-old seems unwise at this point.

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