Liverpool Transfer News: Top Rumours on Christmas Day

Liverpool will look to secure the services of Milan outcast Diego Lopez in their hunt for a new goalkeeper, while Manchester United's Memphis Depay has revealed he turned down the Reds for a move to Old Trafford.

Teenage sensation Gianluigi Donnarumma has taken the No. 1 spot at the San Siro this season, leading Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport to claim Liverpool will snap up Lopez next month (h/t Sport Witness).

An extract claimed Mario Balotelli could also be sold to Milan as part of the transfer:

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The idea is that Liverpool need an experienced goalkeeper, with it being claimed Jurgen Klopp doesn't rate Simon Mignolet. At the time it was claimed the transfer would be part of the Mario Balotelli deal and see Milan being able to buy the striker outright for a further discounted price, because Lopez would be going to Anfield.

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Balotelli is midway through a season-long loan at Milan, but injury and illness have limited the dropped Italy international to just four appearances for the Rossoneri since returning to the San Siro.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp may well be open to the idea of using Balotelli as a bargaining chip in his pursuit of Lopez, who would be viewed as competition for incumbent No. 1 Simon Mignolet.

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

Belgium international Mignolet arrived at Anfield from Sunderland in 2013, but this isn't the first time his place in Liverpool's starting lineup has fallen into doubt.

Italian outlet Calciomercato.com reported earlier in December that Lopez has had several "heated discussions" with manager Sinisa Mihajlovic in relation to his promotion of Donnarumma:

According to Squawka, Mignolet has made just 20 saves in 16 Premier League games this season, which ranks him at 20th of the 31 goalkeepers to have featured and second-worst among stoppers to have played 10 games or more.

Meanwhile, former Real Madrid man Lopez hasn't played for his side since October and could be open to the idea of a winter exit.

Sunday League FC provided training footage of 16-year-old Donnarumma, who is currently keeping Lopez out of the team:

Closer to home, former PSV Eindhoven starlet Depay has revealed just how close he came to completing a move to Anfield instead of Old Trafford this past summer.

Liverpool were understood to be one of the clubs in for his services, and the 21-year-old told Dutch newspaper AD he rejected the Merseysiders to sign for one of their closest rivals (h/t Sean Kearns for Metro):

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I spoke to Liverpool, they were really concrete—but because of an injury in their team they wanted to wait a bit. After that Paris Saint-Germain came—they were really concrete too. One year earlier, Tottenham Hotspur was interested.

With SEG, my agency, I sat down and considered everything but then Manchester United came. Very quick and very direct. At that moment you immediately know; this is it. This is the absolute top. As a club but also the league.

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The Netherlands winger was one of the most coveted players in the world following the 2014 World Cup and a blistering 2014-15 season in Eindhoven, where he scored 28 goals in 40 games for PSV.

But after seeing Depay in action, Liverpool may consider it a blessing in disguise they missed out on the forward, who has endured a stuttered start to life in England, scoring five goals in 23 United appearances.

Liverpool were in the market for a winger after selling Raheem Sterling to Manchester City, and Klopp may still look to fill the void his departure has left in the team.

Depay has time on his side as he looks to adapt and settle in England's top flight, but for now, Liverpool can be glad they didn't fork out a reported £25 million for his services.