Liverpool Transfer News: Latest on Dani Ceballos and Jordan Rossiter Rumours

Liverpool are said to be "rocked" by the news that Real Madrid are now favourites to capture prodigious Spanish talent Dani Ceballos after believing the player would arrive at Anfield. 

Spanish news outlet Cadena COPE (h/t Adam Skinner of the Express) report the Galacticos are set to compete with Brendan Rodgers for the much-lauded 19-year-old midfielder, with Ceballos due to be loaned back to current team Real Betis. 

Seville newspaper Diario de Sevilla (h/t Skinner) reported the Reds had gone to great lengths to secure Ceballos—considered to be the next Cesc Fabregas—with a £1.1 million salary in place for the youngster to lure him to England. 

The player has an £8.5 million release clause in his current Betis deal, and Skinner reported Liverpool were happy to activate this to grab the rising starlet. 

Ceballos was an influential figure for his team during their 2014-15 campaign, as they won promotion back to La Liga from the Segunda Division. The midfielder featured in 33 games and scored five goals, per Simon Jones of the Daily Mail. 

Anni Reenpää/Associated Press

The loss of Ceballos will be a blow to Liverpool as they look to add world-class youth to their squad over the next year. Rodgers has already built an impressive midfield since the departure of Steven Gerrard, but the young Spaniard would have been an important player in the coming years. 

Rodgers remained tight-lipped about transfers during his press conference before the club's trip to Arsenal, saying, per Chris McKenna of the Daily Star: "I’m happy with the players that we’ve brought in up until now. There’s nothing really on players coming in, no. There’s nothing to add on players going out as well as players coming in. Nothing on that."

Local Boy Rossiter to Remain at Anfield

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Rodgers has also confirmed he expects midfielder Jordan Rossiter to remain in his squad for the current campaign after rumours the player could be loaned out. 

The Liverpool boss spoke in glowing terms about the Scouse talent, who has steadily risen up the ranks over the years: "Jordan Rossiter is a young boy who has moved up here now to be in the first-team changing room. He’s a really valuable player for our squad. At such a young age he’s got great maturity and I can see him as being one that will be staying here.”

The 18-year-old has been at Liverpool since he was six, with Reds legend Robbie Fowler previously highlighting the incredible potential of the teenager:

Liverpool might lose Ceballos to Spain's biggest club, but homegrown talent like Rossiter will sufficiently supplement the squad.

Rossiter has real authority in the centre of midfield, and he will continue to learn his trade deputising for James Milner and Jordan Henderson. 

However—at this time—the player needs to get minutes under his belt, and a loan move to a Championship club would do him a world of good.