Liverpool transfer news: Balotelli finally leaves for free

Liverpool set to miss out on Dahoud, Zielinski and Chilwell

05 July

The Reds' transfers plans are coming off the rails, reports The Sun, with the club in danger of missing out on three summer transfer targets.

The troublesome trio - Mahmoud Dahoud, Piotr Zielinski and Ben Chilwell – have all been identified by manager Jurgen Klopp as potential signings, but none of whom looks likely to come to Anfield.

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Liverpool were first linked to 19-year-old Leicester defender Chilwell at the end of last season but according to the red-top, the clubs can't agree on a price.

Liverpool are reportedly refusing to meet the Foxes' £10m valuation and have offered £7m instead. However, that's not enough for the Premier League champs.

It's a similar story with Udinese star Zielinski. The Italian club have knocked back Liverpool's £11.9m offer and it now seems AC Milan are going to come in with a winning bid.

As for German defender Dahoud, the Sun claims he is going to "remain in his homeland for another year at least", despite The Independent getting excited by the fact he "liked" a Klopp picture on Instagram over the weekend.

The Daily Star says that Reds midfielder Lucas Leiva is "open to a move to Besiktas this summer", with the Turkish press claiming initial talks have already begun between the club and the 29-year-old Brazilian.

Leiva is currently Liverpool's longest-serving player, having arrived in 2007, but it's believed he wants more regular game time next season.

Liverpool transfer news: Moussa Sissoko ahead of Kovacic

1 July

Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko is being stalked by Liverpool, according to Talksport, which says that the Reds are "keeping tabs" on the wantaway playmaker.

Last month the 26-year-old made it known he had a soft spot for Arsenal, but that didn't cut much ice with the Gunners, who have recently signed midfielder Granit Xhaka from Basel. But according to French sports daily L'Equipe, Liverpool are now the "firm favourites" to sign Sissoko although they will have to wait until the end of France's involvement in the European Championships.

As for a likely fee, Newcastle reportedly rejected a £9m offer from Hamburg for the player and Talksport says that "a bid of around £12m will be enough to persuade Newcastle to sell".

Interest in Sissoko be the reason why the Daily Express reports that Liverpool have dropped out of the race to sign Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic. The Croatian international was said to be in Jurgen Klopp's sights last month but the Liverpool boss has seemingly called off the chase, leaving West Ham and Everton to fight it out for the 22-year-old who comes with an asking price of £30m.

Talking of dropouts, the Daily Star reports that Mario Balotelli will arrive at Anfield shortly "after being told to report for pre-season training by Reds officials". The paper says there is no interest in the Italian striker from any club whatsoever so Liverpool are lumbered with the 25-year-old waster.

Liverpool transfer news: Crystal Palace joing Benteke hunt

30 June

Will he stay or will he go? That's the question Liverpool fans are asking themselves about striker Christian Benteke after a the Belgian international flopped badly in his first season at Anfield.

The striker was signed from Aston Villa for £32.5m last summer by Brendan Rodgers but has failed to impress new manager Jurgen Klopp, and now, according to Goal, Atletico Madrid have "begun talks with Liverpool" over a summer move.

Spanish source Fichajes.net reports that Atletico have offered £25m for the 25-year-old with the Reds ready to accept the £7.5m loss, sell and move on.

But there's a different take on the story in Metro with the paper carrying the comments of Benteke's agent, Kismet Eris, who when asked about his client's future dismissed suggestions he could be off to Madrid. There is "nothing at all with any team", he added, and when asked if he expected Benteke to remain at Anfield he said "yes".

But has anyone told Crystal Palace? Apparently not, because the Daily Express reports that Benteke is now in the Eagles' sights after they failed in their bid to bring Michy Batshuayi to Selhurst Park. He's opted for Chelsea and so Palace boss Alan Pardew is now chasing the Liverpool man to shore up his strikeforce.

Liverpool transfer news: Sadio Mane fee could rise to £36m

29 June

Sadio Mane will officially become a Liverpool player on Friday after the club confirmed his transfer from Southampton.

The Senegal striker, who joined the Saints in 2014 from Red Bull Salzburg, has penned what is described as a "long-term contract" and will become registered as a Reds player on 1 July. "I am very happy to sign for one of the biggest clubs in Europe," said Mane. "It's a club that has won a lot of trophies and has a big history."

Mane scored 25 goals in 75 appearances for Southampton and is the fourth summer signing for Jurgen Klopp, following Loris Karius, Joel Matip and Marko Grujic to Anfield.

"Since I came here I have spoken to the staff a lot about him and have always felt he could be a very good signing for us," Klopp told the Liverpool FC website. "He has a lot of quality, works hard and has a very good goalscoring record... it is great that we have managed to sign him so he can work with us from the first day of pre-season."

The Reds will pay £34m for the player, reports the BBC, which adds: "The fee could rise to £36m, which would make him the Anfield club's most expensive signing, beating the £35m paid for striker Andy Carroll in 2011."

Meanwhile the Daily Express reports that Martin Skrtel is on the brink of leaving Anfield for Turkish outfit Fenerbahce. The paper says that Slovakian defender "has fallen out of favour" under Klopp and has decided it's in everyone's best interest if he moves on now that Joel Matip has arrived at the club.

And it appears that Fenerbahce will be his destination with club president Aziz Yildirim telling AMK Spor that the deal was "almost done". The Express says that Liverpool will receive in the region of £5.5m for the veteran defender.

Liverpool transfer news: £30m Sadio Mane set for medical

28 June

Liverpool and Southampton have agreed terms for the transfer to Anfield of Sadio Mane. Talksport says that the Reds will pay the south coast club in the region of £30m and all that remains is for the 24-year-old to pass his medical.

Assuming there are no hitches in the physio room, Sane will become the fifth player in the last three seasons to leave the Saints for Liverpool (following Adam Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren and Rickie Lambert). And the Senegal international will be Jurgen Klopp's fourth signing of the summer after the German gaffer snapped up Marko Grujic, Joel Matip and Loris Karius.

Apparently Klopp first became interested in Mane when he arrived at Red Bull Salzburg in 2014 and his goal-scoring skills have continued to impress. Talksport says Mane is expected to wrap up the move today or tomorrow in a deal that will see him become Liverpool's third most expensive signing after Andy Carroll, who cost £35m, and Christian Benteke, who joined from Aston Villa for £32.5m.

The Reds will hope that Mane makes more of an impact than those two flops.

Perhaps the imminent capture of Mane is the reason Caughtoffside reports that teenage midfielder Sergi Canos is about to leave Liverpool after "failing to reach an agreement over a new deal". The Spanish youngster has struggled to make much of an impression on Merseyside and consequently contract negotiations have broken down. Reports in the Liverpool Echo say that Canos will make a £2.5m switch to Bristol City having spent last season on loan at Brentford.

Liverpool transfer news: Udinese demand £15m for Zielinski

24 June

Splash the cash or say 'arrivederci' to Piotr Zielinski, that's the message from Udinese to Liverpool. According to The Sun the Reds' opening bid for the young Polish midfielder was a modest £9.5m but the Serie A club want around £15m.

Liverpool gaffer Jurgen Klopp is a big fan of the 22-year-old Pole, who will looking to help his country see off Switzerland in tomorrow's Euro 2016 last 16 clash, and the pair have reportedly been in touch over a move. His form over the past six months has caught the eye of Klopp but the Sun says the Italian media is saying that Udinese won't accept a penny under £15m for the Polish playmaker. Napoli are also known to be interested but Zielinski "has turned them down as he wants to move to Anfield".

Are Liverpool ready to "reignite their interest" in Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic? That's the question posed by the Daily Express, the paper reporting that the Serbian looks likely to leave the Bundesliga club this summer after failing to find regular game time last season. Klopp knows the 27-year-old from his time in charge of Dortmund and the German is known to be searching for defensive reinforcements.

Asked by German rag Der Westen to elaborate on Subotic's situation, agent Frieder Gamm said: "Currently it does not look like he will get more game time in the upcoming season. But he absolutely wants to play, and does not want to earn his money on the bench... we are currently scouting the market."

Liverpool transfer news: Joe Allen in Euro 2016 shop window

23 June

Despite his heroics for Wales at the European Championships, Joe Allen "has been left in limbo at Liverpool", claims the Daily Mirror and could be heading for the Anfield exit.

The 26-year-old midfielder who has wowed the locals in France in the past fortnight has a year to run on his current contract with Liverpool but it's reported that Jurgen Klopp could be ready to offload him for around £10m.

Apparently the Reds boss believes Emre Can offers more reliability than Allen and if a decent offer lands on his desk then the German gaffer is willing to let the Welsh dynamo go. The Mirror says that Allen’s former club Swansea are "leading the chase" for his signature and are ready to meet Liverpool's asking price. However, there remains the possibility that given his impressive displays in the Euros one of the European powerhouses could offer the Reds a higher price for Allen.

Meanwhile the Liverpool Echo reports that Klopp is still in the market for a new left back after Leicester turned down a £7m approach for teenager Ben Chilwell. The paper says that Douglas Santos who plays in Brazil for Athletic Mineiro is next on his list. The 22-year-old, who has one cap for his country, is said to have a £7.7m release clause in his contract and the Reds are keen to match it.

Liverpool transfer news: Mario Balotelli wants to stay at Anfield

21 June

The agent of Mario Balotelli has put a dampener the spirits of Liverpool fans with his assertion that the fading frontman won't be leaving Anfield this summer.

Reports in Turkey stated earlier in the month that Besiktas were lining up a move for the 25-year-old Italian, who managed just one goal in 16 appearances for the Reds before being farmed out last season to AC Milan, where he fared just as badly.

But in a chat with Goal.com, agent Mino Raiola labelled the rumours nothing more than Turkish tittle-tattle. "I have not discussed Mario with Besiktas and I have never spoken to any Turkish media," explained the agent. "I said last year they are the worst for writing lies and that is again the case."

Raiola's claims were echoed by the sporting director of Besiktas, Erdal Torunogullari, who declared: "We're not even interested. Our priority is to hold on to Mario Gomez.

Not only has Balotelli no intention of moving to Turkey, he has no wish to leave Liverpool, said Raiola, telling Goal.com: "His option now is Liverpool, and that is a great option."

According to the Daily Mirror Liverpool gaffer Jurgen Klopp is "ready to make a move" for Newcastle's Andros Townsend. The 24-year-old winger has a £10.5m buy-out clause in his contract and with the Magpies now in the Championship it was always only a matter of time before one of the big boys activated that clause. Liverpool appear to be the first to do so, although the Mirror says Manchester City are "watching developments" and could rival any bid from the Reds.