Liverpool Transfer News: Latest Asier Illarramendi and Mario Balotelli Rumours

Asier Illarramendi’s departure from Real Madrid is “inevitable,” with Liverpool reportedly in pole position to sign the out-of-favour midfielder.

That’s according to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Louis Sealey of Metro) who claim the Reds look to be “on the verge of completing the transfer.” It’s noted that the 25-year-old would cost £16 million and is viewed as an ideal candidate to replace Lucas Leiva, who seems set to leave Anfield.

Bleacher Report’s Andy Brassell took a look at which deals he thinks will happen for the Reds in the remainder of the window:

There’s certainly a void to fill in this Liverpool side. If Lucas does leave, the Reds would be without a single orthodox holding midfield player in the squad, so it’s easy to see why they’d be keen on landing Illarramendi before the window closes.

Matt Ladson, Bleacher Report’s Liverpool correspondent, thinks that it’s imperative manager Brendan Rodgers addresses this segment of his squad moving forward:

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This use of Henderson completely restricts his game. Rodgers’ refusal to get a decent DM will be his downfall.

— Matt Ladson (@mattladson) August 9, 2015"

Illarramendi could potentially be a masterful purchase. Before moving to Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, he was rated as one of the most exciting young midfielders in European football, bearing an uncanny stylistic resemblance to former Liverpool and Real man Xabi Alonso. But he’s found playing time tough to come by at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Paul White/Associated Press

Indeed, as Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe noted last season, the player has been marginalised to an almost embarrassing degree:

Illarramendi needs a transfer to enliven his career. At his best he swaggered through matches at the Anoeta, and although he’s faded into obscurity over the last two seasons with Real Madrid, surely there is still a spark there which Rodgers could coax out?

Liverpool have spent big money this summer, but there are still obvious imbalances in the squad which could do with fixing if they are to challenge for a top four spot. Illarramendi’s acquisition would be an excellent start.

Mario Balotelli Told to Find a New Club

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

Rodgers has told maligned striker Mario Balotelli to find a new club this summer, with the Italian advised he has no future with the Merseyside giants.

The former Milan forward has struggled since joining the Reds last season, and Rodgers has made his position on the player crystal clear, per David Maddock of the Daily Mirror:

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He clearly knows his situation and where he’s at. There’s nothing to add. All of the players understand where they’re at.

My job is to create the best possible environment for the team to succeed. That’s what I’ve always done. So I’m not going to speak about Mario when I can speak about another 25 players.

"

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Balotelli infamously only scored one Premier League goal for the Reds in his debut campaign and has been uninvolved in the club’s preparations for the current term. Indeed, according to Maddock, the ex-Manchester City player has been told to train with the youth team until he finds a way out of Anfield.

A move to a less illustrious club is exactly what Balotelli needs. As we can see here, courtesy of Simon Hughes of the Independent (h/t BreatheSport), the player seems far too mischievous for a club like Liverpool:

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Mario Balotelli ladies and gentlemen... #LFC pic.twitter.com/txFYanAaMZ

— BreatheSport (@BreatheSport) August 13, 2015"

Although Balotelli is apparently in line for a six-figure loyalty bonus should he stay at Anfield beyond this transfer window, per Maddock, for the sake of his own toiling career, a move is imperative. As noted in the aforementioned piece, both Sampdoria and Lazio are reportedly interested in a move for the striker.

Samp star striker Antonio Cassano, another bad boy of Italian football, has encouraged Balotelli to join the Blucerchiati. "Come to Samp and you won’t regret it, we’ll do great things together," he is reported to have text messaged the Liverpool star, per Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t football-italia.net).

A team outside of the elite bracket in Serie A could help Balotelli rediscover some form. He’d be a key player in the team, would be settled back in his home country and wouldn’t have every move he makes analysed in forensic detail. But at this juncture, the striker looks a long way short of reaching the levels so many anticipated he would when he first burst onto the scene.