Liverpool Transfer News: Cristian Tello, Cristiano Ronaldo, Latest Reds Rumours

A familiar name has hit the Anfield rumour mill following reports Liverpool will revive their hunt for long-term target Cristian Tello in 2016, but Reds fans will kick themselves after learning how close the club once came to signing Cristiano Ronaldo.

Tello is more than halfway through a two-year loan spell at Primeira Liga giants Porto, and is open to leaving boyhood club Barca next summer, according to Portuguese newspaper A Bola (h/t Metro's Mark Brus).

Paulo Duarte/Associated Press

It's reported the Reds will be joined by Everton in moving for the 24-year-old, whose deal at the Estadio do Dragao comes to an end next June, at which point he'll look to seal the next move in his career.

Porto have an option to buy the winger at the end of his temporary deal, and his agent Josep Maria Orobitg stated a permanent move is the preferred option next year, per Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (h/t Goal's Stefan Coerts):

"

Tello and I have already told Barcelona that he does not want to return to Camp Nou. And Barcelona do not want to have any players who would rather be elsewhere. His future is not at Barcelona.

Tello would like to stay at Porto. He really wants to stay put and we are not just saying this to give him a good image. He loves Porto and has always been treated very well. It all depends on what Porto want. We have not heard anything yet. If Porto don't want him to stay, he will move on. There is plenty of interest from other countries. His priority is to stay at Porto, though.

"

The forward was a prominent figure for the Dragons last season and scored eight goals in 37 appearances, as well as registering 11 assists, per Transfermarkt. However, playing time has dried up this term.

Tello has started in just four of his nine appearances this season, netting one goal, but Jurgen Klopp's side are in need of reinforcements out wide following the summer departure of Raheem Sterling.

Former Reds defender Jamie Carragher appeared on Sky Sports, claiming his old team need more wingers "to become less predictable" (via Irish Independent).

Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Jordon Ibe have each filled in on the wings after Lazar Markovic was sent on loan to Fenerbahce in August, leaving the Reds somewhat short of options.

Tello is contracted at Barcelona until 2018, but the Spaniard's willingness to move would likely help Liverpool negotiate a cheaper deal for his talents.

Had things shaped up differently in 2003, the Merseysiders might have landed Real Madrid's Ronaldo before he made the decision to join bitter rivals Manchester United instead.

Thibault Camus/Associated Press

In a passage from his new book, Cristiano Ronaldo: The Biography, Guillem Balague revealed Liverpool had agreed an €8 million fee for the player (via Telegraph) in the summer of 2003, when Gerard Houllier was at the helm.

Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes met with numerous European clubs while the then-teenager was still at Sporting Lisbon, with the likes of Arsenal, Barcelona and Juventus also understood to be in the running.

What the Reds would give to have a player of that standard at their disposal now. BT Sport pundit and former team-mate of Ronaldo, Rio Ferdinand, has outlined how critical it is for Klopp that Christian Benteke and Daniel Sturridge remain fit:

Presumably, the Reds were unwilling to move higher in their bid for a player who was only 18 years of age at the time, but what an investment it could have been had they just budged a little further.

United eventually landed the Portuguese talent for almost twice Liverpool's offer at €15 million, but as hindsight shows, even that expenditure came to be a bargain price.