Liverpool Transfer News: Latest Dani Ceballos and Tiago Ilori Rumours

Spanish prodigy Dani Ceballos has ruled out a move away from Real Betis amid strong rumours linking him with a transfer to Liverpool and Real Madrid.

The 19-year-old, who has impressed for new La Liga side Real Betis and is widely considered to be one of the top talents in all of Spain, has just one year left on his current deal, and given his obvious potential, there was plenty of speculation he could be on the move before the end of the transfer window.

Diario de Sevilla (h/t Simon Jones of MailOnline) even claimed the Reds had already offered the youngster a wage packet that included a car and a place to stay, but as reported by AS (h/t Liverpool Echo's Joe Rimmer), the teenager told reporters he isn't going anywhere:

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Ceballos has been linked with Liverpool since it was revealed he only had a year left on his contract which expires next summer, but he has been quick to quash the rumours.

The player is quoted in Madrid-based AS, claiming, "I want to continue in Betis and enjoy this affection (of the fans) for many more years. They are only rumours, what I want is to stay at Betis".

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Ceballos joined Betis' youth squad in 2011 and rapidly rose through the ranks, making his debut for the club in 2014 without ever playing a match for the B-side. After an impressive season in the Segunda Division, he won the U21 European Championship with Spain, where he was one of the standout performers, along with Marco Asensio.

A crafty midfielder, he can play both as a playmaker or in a more advanced role, as he recently started for Betis at the Bernabeu alongside Ruben Castro in attack. He has all of the technical skills you'd expect from a Spanish star, but his vision and passing range are what truly set him apart.

Ceballos isn't particularly fast―although he's certainly not slow―but he has the uncanny ability to always pop up in the right place. He moves exceptionally well between the lines, and he can even split out wide and cut inside to shoot or cross.

Right now, Betis is probably the best place for him, as he gets to play regular minutes at the highest level and figures to be the one player manager Pepe Mel will build his squad around. The Reds will continue monitoring his progression, and if he keeps improving at the same rapid rate, don't be shocked if Liverpool approach the player with an improved offer in January.

Ceballos has lots to learn still, but his development has been exceptionally fast. The odds of him outgrowing Betis by January are realistic, and while Real Madrid will be a difficult opponent should it come to a transfer battle, the Reds could offer him at least a fair chance of competing for a starting position.

Sunderland Loan for Tiago Ilori?

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Sunderland have already brought in two former Liverpool players in Sebastian Coates and Fabio Borini, but according to the Daily Mirror's David Maddock, they're not done with their business at Anfield yet, as manager Dick Advocaat is keen on a loan deal for Tiago Ilori.

According to the Daily Mail's Dominic King, they're not the only interested club, and the Reds will have to decide whether they want him to stay for the upcoming season or not in a hurry:

The 22-year-old joined the Reds in 2013 but has so far received few opportunities at Anfield, spending time on loan with Granada and Bordeaux. He returned from Ligue 1 during the summer but is yet to play a minute of Premier League football this season.

Liverpool have started the season in solid form, but defensive frailties have held the club back, most notably during Saturday's embarrassing 3-0 loss against West Ham United. Both Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren had poor outings, with the latter in particular stealing the show with some horrendous blunders. Bleacher Report's Karl Matchett didn't mince his words:

With the two regular starters struggling, there have been some calls to give someone else a try at the centre-back position, with Mamadou Sakho and Ilori the most logical options. Sakho is the more experienced player and should be the first to get his chance, but if Skrtel and Lovren continue to struggle, Ilori could be next.

With that in mind, it's easy to see why manager Brendan Rodgers is yet to make a decision on whether or not to loan the youngster. The Reds won't know whether he can cut it at the highest level unless they give him a try, and that opportunity could come unless the current starters improve drastically.

Alternatively, he could continue his development at Sunderland or anywhere else, but that would leave Rodgers' squad lacking depth at a time when the starters at the position already look weak.

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