Liverpool Transfer News: Latest on Joao Mario and Christian Benteke Rumours

Liverpool are reportedly set to miss out on the signing of Sporting Club midfielder Joao Mario, with Inter Milan said to be willing to pay more to land the player.

That’s according to O Jogo (h/t Lucas Sposito of Sport Witness), which noted the Portugal international is set to join the Serie A side despite interest from Liverpool and Chelsea. Inter will reportedly part with €10 million (£8.64 million) for him in this window before paying another €35 million (£30.25 million) next summer, an amount the Premier League sides were unwilling to bid.

Speaking with A Bola (h/t Sposito) the player’s father revealed in July Inter had offered that package, while the Reds were said to only be willing to part with a total of €40 million (£34.57 million).

As Jan Hagen of Sport Witness noted during Sporting’s clash with Maritimo on Saturday, all the signs are that Mario will leave the club soon:

Mario will potentially be a brilliant acquisition for Inter should this deal go through and confidence is clearly high in the player having helped Portugal to 2016 European Championship glory this summer. Here is a look at why the Italians are willing to pay so much to get him on board:

If there is interest from the Reds in the player, that’d be understandable. Manager Jurgen Klopp packs his squad with versatile, talented and technically sound footballers, traits Mario has shown on a consistent basis in Portuguese football.

What the 23-year-old also possesses is an industry off the ball that sets him apart from a lot of other advanced playmakers. Mario is happy to track runners, engage in physical battles and even commit the occasional cynical foul when his team is under pressure.

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While it would have been fascinating to see how the Sporting man would have fared at Anfield, Liverpool don’t need to spend big on attacking midfielders. Already this summer they’ve landed Georginio Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane to vie with the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana.

Christian Benteke to Crystal Palace 'Hopes are Fading'

According to Mike McGrath of the Sun on Sunday, Crystal Palace are set to turn their attention to West Bromwich Albion forward Saido Berahino, with a deal for Liverpool striker Christian Benteke looking increasingly unlikely.

“Eagles boss Alan Pardew had wanted [Benteke], but his hopes are fading because Liverpool want too much money,” it’s suggested, with Berahino, who is attracting interest from Stoke City, too, said to be Palace’s main target.

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Despite Benteke’s struggles in his debut term at Anfield, Liverpool are reportedly keen to recoup much of the £32.5 million they paid to bring him to the club last summer, according to the Press Association (via the Guardian). It’s a stance that seems to have frustrated Palace in their own pursuit.

As these numbers from WhoScored.com show, coming off the bench the Belgium international has shown his quality:

Indeed, during his time at Villa he was a consistent goalscorer. When the focal point of a team’s attack, Benteke was a huge threat, holding the ball up, pinning down defenders and dominating in the air. In what’s been a summer of inflated spending, Liverpool will be aware that before the window shuts someone will take the plunge in search of a proven goalscorer.

This drawn-out exit will be a source of huge frustration for Benteke himself, as he’ll be keen to find a club where he’ll play frequently and will want to immerse himself in a new environment as quickly as possible. However, this seems like a saga that’ll run for a while yet.