Liverpool Transfer News: Alvaro Morata Bid Planned, Javier Mascherano Rumours

Liverpool are reportedly preparing a £31.4 million summer move for Juventus striker Alvaro Morata as manager Jurgen Klopp looks to rebuild the Reds squad.

According to Italian outlet Tuttosport (via the Daily Star's Jonathan Green), Klopp believes Morata could add more goals to the Liverpool squad than the likely-departing Christian Benteke, but the Reds only have a hope of landing the 23-year-old if they secure Champions League qualification.

A top-four Premier League finish this season seems unlikely—Liverpool are currently ninth in the table—while qualification via the Europa League has been made much harder after the Anfield outfit drew Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals.

However, Morata is definitely a target worth pursuing as he has proven in the last couple of seasons at Juve that he is a clinical goalscorer. 

His recent performance against Bayern Munich in the Champions League also further proved that he has what it takes to succeed at the highest level on the big occasion, not least with his stunning assist for Juan Cuadrado's goal, per BT Sport Football:

The Spaniard is a strong dribbler of the ball, a clever passer and has the ability to score all different kinds of goals.

He would be a far better fit in Klopp's setup than Benteke and is the kind of striker Liverpool need if they are going to return to the upper echelons of European football.

But the odds are stacked against the Reds in their pursuit of Morata, and not only because of the Champions League issue.

There is also the problem of alternative suitors, with Morata's former club, Real Madrid, potentially set to activate their £26 million buy-back clause in the summer, and Manchester United and Arsenal also interested, per Green's report.

In order to see off the threat from elsewhere and persuade Morata to join them, Liverpool will have to shell out significant money in both transfer fees and wages. But he may well be worth it, especially as he is only improving with every season.

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Elsewhere, former Reds midfielder Javier Mascherano could reportedly be set for a Premier League return.

The Argentine star feels he has not been well backed by current club Barcelona during his tax fraud case in Spain and he has "instructed his agent to seek a move to the Premier League" as a result, per El Confidencial (via the Liverpool Echo's Joe Rimmer).

Liverpool would do well to attempt to bring the 31-year-old back to Anfield as he remains a top-quality player—both in central midfield and central defence—and is the kind of leader that the Reds are currently missing in their squad.