Liverpool transfer news: Balotelli finally leaves for free

Liverpool transfer news: Klopp wants Andriy Yarmolenko and Kevin Volland

05 May

Kiev are playing chicken with Liverpool, Leicester and Arsenal, claims the Daily Express with the paper saying if the English clubs want winger Andriy Yarmolenko they will have to fork out £25m.

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The forward has caught the eye of the Premier League trio this season but none of them were expecting to have to pay such a sum for the Ukraine international. However, Dynamo Kiev rate the 26-year-old wide man highly and are hoping that their exorbitant asking price will break the will of the English.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is known to be particularly keen on Yarmolenko, and if the Reds go on to win the Europa League - thereby qualifying for next season's Champions League - it's expected he will get the green light from the Liverpool board to meet Kiev's evaluation.

And the Express, with a little help from German rag Rhein Neckar Zeitung, also says that Klopp is zeroing in on Hoffenheim striker Kevin Volland.

It's rumoured that the Liverpool manager first expressed an interest in the 23-year-old Volland when he was in charge of Borussia Dortmund. His admiration hasn't dimmed and the Express says that Klopp has "approached Roberto Firmino for advice as he weighs up a deal". Liverpool midfielder Firmino was a teammate of Volland's at Hoffenheim before moving to Anfield in 2015 and his assessment could be crucial in deciding Klopp's next move.

Liverpool transfer news: £8m Ben Chilwell raid on Leicester

4 May

Will Liverpool be the first club to prise a Leicester player away from the King Power stadium in the wake of their stunning Premier League triumph? The Sun says that the Reds are "in pole position" to sign Foxes defender Ben Chilwell with manager Jurgen Klopp desperate to beef up his back four ahead of next season.

He's already landed Schalke’s Joel Matip, and now Chilwell is "high on the German’s agenda", claims the paper, which adds that Liverpool are confident their impending £8m bid will lure Chilwell from Leicester ahead of interest from Arsenal.

Leicester might have something to say about that, however, with vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha declaring on Tuesday that "we are not the team that will sell players for money". He then ran off a list of players definitely staying put, but while namechecking Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, N’Golo Kante and Kasper Schmeichel, he didn't mention the 19-year-old Chilwell.

That will boost Liverpool in their pursuit of the England Under-20s left-back who has failed to make a single Premier League bow despite looking good in his handful of cup appearances.

Liverpool transfer news: Pastore and Gotze on the radar

03 May

Liverpool's scouts are on the hunt, and the Red's chief spotter Kevin Hunt has been in France recently because Liverpool "are looking to raid Paris Saint-Germain for two players". Which two players? None other than Javier Pastore and PSG's U19s star Mamadou Doucoure.

Taking media outlet France Football as its source, the Sun says that Pastore is one of Jurgen Klopp's top priorities in the summer transfer market and that's why he sent Hunt to France to watch the Argentine in last Friday's 4-0 win over Rennes. The midfielder gave a good account of himself and with Pastore "expected to leave the Parc des Princes this summer" having slipped behind Angel di Maria in the pecking order, the Sun says Liverpool will soon table a £30m offer for the South American.

As for centre-back Doucoure, a member of the France team that won the European Under-17s Championship last year, Klopp is quietly confident that he lure the teenager to Anfield.

Meanwhile the Sun also claims that Liverpool "have been given a huge boost in their pursuit of Mario Gotze". That's because Bayern Munich are poised to sell the 23-year-old midfielder in order to raise the necessary funds to sign Mats Hummels from Borussia Dortmund.

Gotze and Hummels were team-mates at Dortmund when Klopp was in charge and according to the Sun the Liverpool gaffer is preparing to "complete a stunning swoop" for Gotze in a few weeks.

Liverpool transfer news: £8m for Danny Ings, Joe Allen heads for exit

29 April

Liverpool's Europa League semi-final against Villarreal last night, a match they lost 1-0 after a stoppage time goal, was overshadowed beforehand by the news that the Reds must pay Burnley a record tribunal fee for Danny Ings of £6.5m plus £1.5m in add-ons.

The penalty was imposed by the Professional Football Compensation Committee, who had met earlier in the week to discuss the valuation of the England forward after the two clubs couldn't reach an agreement last summer when Ings made the move to Anfield.

Ings left Turf Moor when his contract expired at the end of last season but "as he is under 24, Burnley were entitled to compensation for his development", explains The Guardian. They'd wanted in the region of £12m for the striker but Liverpool had initially offered only £6m.

Having heard from both clubs, the committee announced its decision on Thursday afternoon and Burnley chief executive, David Baldwin called it "a fair reflection of the part Burnley Football Club played in Danny's development.”

Ings, who made his England debut in October, has been sidelined since then with a cruciate ligament injury. Liverpool issued a statement shortly after the decision in which they said: “We believe the process was conducted fairly and we respect the outcome. We are pleased for Danny Ings, in particular, that this chapter is now complete and he can look forward to a long and successful career at Liverpool.”

Meanwhile the Daily Mail says that Swansea will attempt to re-sign Joe Allen from Liverpool this summer but a fee could also be a problem in any potential deal. The Swans are "are currently concerned about Allen's valuation", says the Mail with Liverpool understood to want in excess of £10m for the midfielder, who left the Liberty Stadium in 2012 for Anfield in a £15m deal.

Christened the "Welsh Xavi", the 26-year-old Allen has struggled to impose himself at Liverpool and provided a fee can be agreed he looks like heading back to Wales in the summer.

Liverpool transfer news: Thomas Vermaelen to replace Sakho

28 April

The Reds have reacted with haste to the disclosure that Mamadou Sakho has failed a drugs test and is expecting a hefty ban as punishment. With the defender likely to be out of the game for a while after traces of a fat-burning substance were found during a test, Liverpool have made an approach to Barcelona for Thomas Vermaelen.

The former Arsenal centre back walked out on the Gunners in 2014 but has bombed at Barcelona and the Reds are hopeful that the Catalan club will sell them the Belgian blocker in the summer.

Arsenal sold Vermaelen for £15m but according to Caughtoffside, quoting Spanish paper, Sport, Barcelona are prepared to accept half that figure given that Vermaelen is now 30 and increasingly injury-prone.

At the other end of the age scale, the Daily Star reports that Liverpool "have been dealt a blow" in their pursuit of 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund dynamo Christian Pulisic. Jurgen Klopp brought the American midfielder to Germany during his time in charge of the club, and he had been hoping to entice the teenager to Anfield. But the Star says that Manchester City and Real Madrid are "now monitoring the starlet" and a bidding war may erupt in the summer.

Liverpool transfer news: Dortmund make play for Mario Gotze

27 April

The battle between Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool for the hand of Mario Gotze is hotting up, as Talksport reveals that the Bayern Munich misfit has been the subject of more subtle overtures from his former club.

However, his former manager Jurgen Klopp is also keen and it is no secret he has been spying on Gotze after learning of his inability to fit in at the German champions, but the Liverpool manager's old club are determined to throw a spanner in his works of his ambitious plan.

In conversation with Sky Deutschland, Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke was asked about the rumours linking Gotze with a return to his formative club. "It would be extremely unprofessional and in bad taste to talk about a Bayern Munich player when he is not on the market," replied Watzke, who then proceeded to do just that.

"If Mario becomes available in the market, it is clear that we will discuss it," he said. "For any player who was made at Dortmund, the door is always open [for a return]."

Meanwhile the Liverpool Echo boasts that the Reds "have beaten a host of Premier League clubs" to the signature of Diego Lattie. Described by the Merseyside rag as a "highly-rated England youth international", the 16-year-old right-back wasn't offered a deal with Manchester City, where he had come up through the youth system, and it was known he'd been checked out by Manchester United, Everton, Norwich, Stoke and Sunderland and Aston Villa.

Now Lattie has signed a three-year deal with the Reds who believe he has the skill set to blossom into a quality blocker.

Liverpool transfer news: Christian Benteke set for West Brom switch

22 April

Liverpool may have found a home for Christian Benteke - and it's the Hawthorns. According to the Daily Express, the unwanted striker is desperate for a fresh start next season after failing to impress Jurgen Klopp and West Brom are willing to accommodate his wishes.

The German replaced Brendan Rodgers in the Reds hot-seat last October, and whatever Rodgers saw in the former Aston Villa frontman, Klopp hasn't. Now the 25-year-old Belgian is looking for a new club and the Express picks up on the claim in Belgian rag La Derniere Heure that the Baggies, who failed to trouble Arsenal in their 2-0 defeat last night, like the look of Benteke and all that remains is to agree a fee.

Perhaps the money made by the Reds on Benteke can be used to meet the £25m that Lazio are asking for Lucas Biglia. The Daily Express says that the 30-year-old playmaker is being chased by Liverpool, Arsenal and Mancheser United but the Italian club are determined not to sell cheaply.

Italian newspaper Il Messagero claims the midfielder "is looking for a new challenge" and Lazio won't stand in his way provided their price is met. According to the Express Klopp is concerned by the lack of depth in his midfield and sees Biglia as the man to complement Jordan Henderson and Emre Can.

Liverpool transfer news: Shock move for Hatem ben Arfa

21 April

Is it going to be a case of third time lucky for Hatem ben Arfa? The Sun thinks so and reports that the French international "is set for a sensational return to the Premier League" after Jurgen Klopp dropped him a line.

The 27-year-old Ben Arfa endured "torrid times" at Newcastle United and Hull, recalls the Sun, but it hasn't dampened the winger's enthusiasm for the English top-flight.

He has been in sparkling form for Nice this season, Ben Arfa has found the net 16 times in 29 matches and now Klopp is on the tail of the rejuvenated Frenchman.

The two Milan clubs, AC and Inter, have also taken notice of Ben Arfa's form, as have Borussia Dortmund, but the Sun declares that the Reds "remain in pole position" to bring him back to England.

Meanwhile the Sun also claims that Liverpool, who on Wednesday thrashed Everton 4-0, "will launch a £35m bid to sign Callum Wilson and Aaron Cresswell" in the summer.

Bournemouth striker Wilson comes with a £20m price tag while the Reds will have to stump up £15m for West Ham defender.

A pair of youngsters who could soon be making their first foray into English football are the Nigerian duo of striker Jacob Njoku and midfielder Chidera Ejike, both of whom are 18. The Daily Express claims that the youngsters "will fly to the UK for trials with Liverpool this weekend" and if all goes well they could sign terms with the Anfield outfit.

Liverpool transfer news: Dortmund rematch over Mario Gotze

20 April

Liverpool saw off Borussia Dortmund in thrilling fashion in the Europa League and now the two clubs are set for another battle royale in the transfer market this summer.

The prize will be the hand of Bayern Munich midfielder Mario Gotze, who must choose between his former club, Borussia Dortmund, and his former manager, Jurgen Klopp, says the Liverpool Echo.

"Klopp's former side are intent on a reunion with the World Cup winner in the summer," says the paper, "[and] have held secret talks with Gotze about a possible return."

However, Liverpool are also known to be keen on the 23-year-old, who has fallen out of favour at Bayern and, with one year to run on his contract, could be sold for around £20m. The Reds are obviously still feeling a bit cocky after their recent heroics: "We all know what happened the last time Dortmund and Liverpool went head-to-head," crows the Echo.

One player Liverpool look set to miss out on is Napoli winger Dries Mertens, who is reportedly on the brink of extending his contract with the Serie A club after they secured a spot in next season's Champions League and he scored a hat-trick against Bologna, reports Talksport.

But the Reds may have different fish to fry after being named by the Daily Star as one of several clubs chasing 19-year-old Colombia international Marlos Moreno.

However, Atletico Nacional have warned his European suitors, including Porto and Benfica of Portugal, that it would take an "extraordinary" offer to lure him across the Atlantic.