Liverpool Transfer News: Ilkay Gundogan, James Maddison, Giuseppe Rossi Rumours

Liverpool target Ilkay Gundogan is reportedly not set to be available for purchase in January with Borussia Dortmund not willing to let the midfielder go midway through the season.  

Liverpool have been widely linked with the German, who previously worked under Reds manager Jurgen Klopp at the Westfalenstadion, per the Daily Telegraph.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia), Juventus have been warned off signing Gundogan until the summer—when the Serie A giants are reportedly prepared to offer €30 million (£22 million)—an indication that Liverpool will also fail with any January move.

Liverpool have looked intermittently inspired under Klopp, but they are doing no better at the moment than they were when Brendan Rodgers was in charge earlier in the season, per Sky Sports News HQ:

They have picked up just a point from their last three league games, and the most recent 3-0 defeat to Watford gave a stark indication that Klopp needs to bring in added quality.

Gundogan, 25, would be a fantastic addition at Anfield, as he knows Klopp's methods and can dictate play from his central midfield role.

Liverpool should maintain interest in him even if they cannot snap him up in January, as he is only contracted at Dortmund until 2017 and may well be available in the summer.

Elsewhere, the Reds are reportedly set to battle with Arsenal for the signature of Coventry City's James Maddison, "thought to be the best young English talent in League One", per Jack Pitt-Brooke of the Independent.

Both Premier League clubs have reportedly watched the 19-year-old attacking midfielder "repeatedly" and could go in for him either in January or the summer.

As can be seen below, Maddison's raw talent is obvious, and he could likely improve hugely under Klopp:

Per Pitt-Brooke, there is the possibility of engineering a similar deal to what Tottenham Hotspur worked out in signing Dele Alli from MK Dons last January when they signed him for £5 million before loaning him back for the rest of the season.

Another fight Liverpool could have on their hands is in a potential £18 million move for Fiorentina forward Giuseppe Rossi, with whom they have been recently linked, per ItaSportPress (via the Daily Telegraph).

Sampdoria have now joined the race to snap him up in January, with the Serie A club's president, Massimo Ferrero, expressing his admiration for the Italian, per FirenzeViola.it (via GianlucaDiMarzio.com): "He's a very talented player, a true champion. If Fiorentina is willing to pay his full salary, I would gladly bring him to Genova. I would first have to talk to [Vincenzo] Montella, but if he gives his okay, why not?"

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Rossi has struggled to get into the Fiorentina first team this season, starting only four matches in Serie A, per WhoScored.com.

The 28-year-old is also historically injury prone, and it would be a big risk if Klopp were to go big in order to sign him up.