Liverpool Transfer News: Top Targets Eyed by Brendan Rodgers, Latest Rumours

Liverpool will have to pay a huge fee of €45 million to capture the mercurial talents of Roma's Miralem Pjanic, as Brendan Rodgers looks to find his long-term replacement for Steven Gerrard.

Gazetta Dello Sport (h/t Jade Pike of the Liverpool Echo) say the Serie A giants have increased their valuation in an attempt to pour cold water on the flames of the transfer speculation surrounding the midfielder.

The 25-year-old Bosnian has become a star at his club since joining in 2011 and has been on Liverpool's radar since the previous transfer window.

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Richard Morgan of Sky Sports reported in February that Rodgers had approached Roma director of football Walter Sabatini—with the Anfield boss spotted in the Italian capital—about a potential deal for the player. 

Pjanic has been coveted by the top teams in European football since his teenage years, with the midfield fulcrum almost joining Barcelona at 18 years old. However, Pjanic did what many players do not—and turned down the opportunity to join the Nou Camp giants.

The player's father explained their decision to the Guardian, per Morgan, saying: "I went to Barcelona, the negotiations were very fair and they made us a specific offer. But it was a turbulent time for the club after (coach Frank) Rijkaard had left and I thought it wasn't smart for an 18-year-old to go to Barcelona at such a time."

Pjanic's development at Roma has been phenomenal, and he is now a key member of the starting XI. Last year, the player featured 44 times in Serie A and Europe, providing five goals and 10 assists, per WhoScored.com.

It is debatable whether Pjanic can duplicate the qualities provided by the effervescent Gerrard, but he would give Rodgers' central core a new direction.

His passing ability and accuracy from set pieces would reinvigorate the Reds' midfield dynamic, but his price does appear steep on the surface.

Liverpool Look Toward Youth 

After the high-profile signings of Roberto Firmino, James Milner and Nathaniel Clyne, Liverpool are looking to strengthen their depth of options by acquiring high-level youth targets.

Rodgers has secured the services of Barcelona's Bobby Adekanye and Real Salt Lake starlet Brooks Lennon, and is now hoping to capture 18-year-old Brazilian midfielder Allan Rodrigues de Souza from Internacional, as reported by Andy Hunter of the Guardian.

Hunter explains why the player has caught the eye of the Liverpool scouting system:

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The 18-year-old impressed Liverpool coaches during the Frenz International Cup held in Indonesia and Kuala Lumpur earlier this year, when both the Merseyside and Brazilian clubs’ under-18s teams featured, and talks to bring the player from Porto Alegre to Anfield are under way.

Allan, as he is more succinctly known, would cost around £500,000 and represents part of a concerted effort by Liverpool to bolster their options at youth level this summer.

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Rodgers has clearly set himself the task of completely rebuilding after the exits of Luis Suarez and Gerrard, giving his squad a fresh direction. The coach made many acquisitions during the previous summer window—but the recent purchases feel different to that period. 

Expected next club captain—Jordan Henderson—proclaimed his delight at Liverpool's recent transfer business, saying, per David Wright of the Express:

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It's a huge boost—all of the signings have been really positive. I think we've shown good intent early on in the transfer window to go and get the players that we want. They're big players as well, and I'm sure they'll have a huge impact on Liverpool and hopefully this season.

"

The three youngsters mentioned give Liverpool the opportunity to integrate top youth talent into their squad over the next 12 months, while also giving the starting XI an immediate fix with the likes of Clyne and Milner.

And in Firmino, Liverpool have a breakout star waiting to happen, and Rodgers might finally have found his solution to Suarez after searching for a year.