Liverpool Transfer News: Reds Ready to Sign Alexandre Pato

Liverpool's bid to add some genuine firepower up front has taken them to forgotten star Alexandre Pato. The Reds have reportedly "agreed a deal in principle" to bring the Brazilian striker to Anfield for a £14.2 million fee.

Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla (h/t Metro's Will Giles) has suggested the terms of a transfer are already in place. That means Merseyside club Liverpool and South American side Corinthians are on the same page regarding the 26-year-old's future. In fact, Pedulla "expects him to move to Anfield in January."

Indeed, Corinthians president Roberto de Andrade has confirmed the proposed winter move, according to ESPN's Pete O'Rourke:

If this deal goes through, it would afford Pato, currently on loan at Sao Paulo, an excellent opportunity to prove he can cut it in one of Europe's major leagues. It seemed like he was destined to do just that during a previous stint with Serie A side AC Milan.

Emilio Andreoli/Associated Press

Lightning pace and an unerring eye for the goal made Pato feared by defences and a seeming star-in-the-making. But consistent injuries and general inconsistency combined to make Pato's early rise nothing more than a false dawn.

He even became disillusioned with how he'd been treated in Italy's top flight. Back in September 2013, the player assigned blame for his repeated injury woes to the Rossoneri during an interview with SporTV (h/t ESPN FC's Ben Gladwell):

"

I paid for my injuries and I still am paying for something that was not down to me but rather to the workload [at Milan]. Everybody can see the difference between when I was in Italy and since I’ve returned to Brazil.

I played one game, hurt myself, recovered and injured myself again. It’s the doctors and the excessive workload aimed at getting me back in action sooner.

"

Pato certainly hasn't lost any of his confidence since returning to his homeland. In mid-September, he stated his belief he's still Brazil's best international striker during an interview with Brazil-based TV station Bandeirantes (h/t Goal.com's Harry Sherlock): "I can be there, I can help team-mates, either as false nine, on the left, on the right, but it’s Dunga's decision.”

The swagger may be there, but Pato has hardly proved prolific this season. He has hit 10 goals and provided a quartet of assists for Sao Paulo, according to WhoScored.com. The same site puts his scoring tally at eight and nine the previous two seasons for Sao Paulo and Corinthians, respectively.

Goals may be in short supply, but what Pato does offer is defence-stretching pace, along with an eye for a pass. Those are two invaluable qualities in the high-octane brand of relentless counter-attack Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp demands his teams play.

Proactive breaking is the name of the game for the new Anfield chief. That means pressing high to win the ball and instantly turning any transitions into scoring chances.

Klopp's best Borussia Dortmund teams did this via contingents of quick-minded and fleet-of-foot attackers. But whereas he once had Mario Gotze, Shinji Kagawa and Robert Lewandowski, he doesn't have similar riches at Liverpool.

Injury-prone Daniel Sturridge still struggles to get on the pitch, while Danny Ings remains on the shelf. Youngster Divock Origi has struggled to shoulder the burden in their absence.

Adding Pato would give the Reds greater options in attack. But he's certainly a risky reclamation project for Klopp to chance this early in his Anfield tenure.