Liverpool Transfer News: Latest Asier Illarramendi and Christian Benteke Rumours

Real Madrid are willing to cash in on out-of-favour midfielder Asier Illarramendi this summer, which will be music to the ears of Liverpool supporters, with the Reds reportedly keen on bringing him to Anfield.

According to Marca (h/t Darren Wilson of the Daily Star) new Los Blancos boss Rafa Benitez will happily sanction the sale of the former Real Sociedad star. Wilson claims that although Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has moved to bolster his midfield options, he still feels as though he needs reinforcements in that area of the pitch.

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Illarramendi is the latest name to be linked with an Anfield move in a summer rife with transfer activity. Bleacher Report’s Andy Brassell ran the rule over some of the latest stories when it comes to Liverpool, including their reported pursuit of the Los Blancos man:

Getting Illarramendi would be a substantial coup for the Reds. Although things haven't gone smoothly for the midfielder in the Spanish capital, those who watched the former Sociedad man at the Anoeta throughout the 2012-13 season will attest to his class.

Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe thinks he’d be a great purchase:

With iconic skipper Steven Gerrard having left the club and new personnel coming in, the Liverpool midfield could look a whole lot different by the time the 2015-16 season kicks off. But Illarramendi is the kind of player who could knit things together expertly in the middle of the park.

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The Spaniard is an astute reader of the game, capable of nullifying opposition attackers with sharp anticipation and tenacious tackling. But he really excels in passing, as Illarramendi is capable of spraying the ball around in a manner not too different from former Real and Liverpool hero Xabi Alonso.

Needless to say, he'd settle this team down superbly in the middle of the park, and given a run of games, he'd quickly rediscover the form that made him such a hot prospect at Sociedad.

Christian Benteke Wants Liverpool Move

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According to the Daily Express (h/t Jack Wilson of the Daily Star), Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke will snub interest from Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in order to complete a move to Liverpool this summer.

Wilson writes that Liverpool will go ahead and meet the £32.5 million release clause in the Belgian’s contract, which would make him the most expensive of seven summer signings made by the club so far and the second-most expensive acquisition in the club’s history.

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It’s a potential transfer that has divided those of a red persuasion, but former star Mark Lawrenson insisted in his column in the Liverpool Echo that the Belgian could be the "final piece of the jigsaw":

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We all know that his strength is in the air and he could play on his own up front and would be able to operate in a 4-3-3 or in a diamond, with Danny Ings behind him.

It’s all about different options for Brendan. Not just from game to game but changing within matches now, which seems to be a big thing within the Premier League. Louis van Gaal does it at Manchester United while Jose Mourinho has that flexibility at Chelsea, too.

It’s a question of posing different problems at defences.

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There's little denying that Benteke would cause problems for teams at Liverpool. The Belgian's burly somatotype makes him almost indomitable in physical battles, as do his astute holdup qualities and stunning aerial abilities.

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But one of the reasons Benteke thrived at Villa during the back end of last season was the manner in which new manager Tim Sherwood made him the focal point of the team’s attack. The Midlands club looked to hit the striker early, with crosses, diagonal balls and passes into his feet utilised regularly.

Liverpool don't lump the ball into the box, though, as we can see here, courtesy of LFC Stats:

It goes without saying that it's important to have balance in the attacking setup, and Benteke would add something refreshing to Liverpool’s forward forays. But there are few managers in the game who are as staunchly principled as Rodgers, and that’s what makes this deal a strange one.

Will Liverpool adapt their strategy to enrich Benteke's influence on matches? Maybe slightly. But they won't be the kind of direct, challenge-inducing conditions that made the forward such a force for Villa, and as such, it's tough to see him showing his very best at Anfield.