Liverpool Transfer News: Latest on Hector Herrera and Andrija Zivkovic Rumours

Liverpool are reportedly poised to miss out on a pair of summer recruits following speculation that Hector Herrera and Andrija Zivkovic will reject the Reds in favour of moves to Napoli and Benfica, respectively.

According to Italian outlet Fantagazzetta (h/t the Mirror's James Whaling), Herrera will opt for a move to the Stadio San Paolo over Anfield due to the fact Napoli are set to play in the UEFA Champions League next season.

PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/Getty Images

The Porto midfielder scored nine goals in 29 Primeira Liga appearances last season and played the full 90 minutes in all four of Mexico's matches at the Copa America Centenario this summer.

Metro's Portuguese football expert Jan Hagen recently provided some context on the deal and how Napoli have allegedly managed to beat their Premier League rivals in the race for Herrera's signature:

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is already going about making changes to his squad entering his first summer transfer window in English football, but the lack of Champions League competition may stunt his prospects.

Whaling described that factor as a "deal-breaker" in the case of Herrera, but Sport Witness previously posed the notion Porto could merely be playing Napoli to churn out a more lucrative sale:

The Dragons could be in danger of losing several key stars this summer after finishing third in the Primeira Liga last season, and Mexico's Herrera has long been considered one of their more consistent assets.

The nine goals he scored last season account for roughly half the 19 total goals he's netted during three years at the Estadio do Dragao, but it looks increasingly likely Napoli will win the race for his services.

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Meanwhile, Portuguese newspaper A Bola (h/t Metro's Simon Osborn) reported Partizan Belgrade winger Zivkovic has spurned Liverpool's advances and will instead complete a move to the Estadio da Luz this summer. 

The 19-year-old scored scored 12 goals and made eight assists in 27 games for the Serbian giants last season, and FourFourTwo's Charles Ducksbury noted as far back as May that Benfica had landed his loyalties:

The Reds have less need for the wide talent after BBC Sport reported they completed the £34 million signing of Southampton's Sadio Mane on Tuesday evening, but Zivkovic has been deemed one to watch in future.

Benfica previously signed Lazar Markovic before he moved on to Liverpool in 2014, and the Eagles are close to recruiting another Serbian starlet, who could join countrymen Luka Jovic and Ivan Saponjic, both 18, in Lisbon.