Today there was positive news about Roy Hodgson, NESV and the January transfer window.
According to official sources Hodgson is eager to spend big in January and shop at the highest levels of the transfer market.
Hodgosn appears ready to match the kind of money that predecessor Rafa Benitez spent on the likes of Alberto Aquilani, Robbie Keane and Fernando Torres.
- If we want the right quality, we have got to be prepared to pay the right price, Hodgson told the LFC official website.
- The owners know that perfectly well. We have got to make certain that if we go out and spend £20 million, we are getting a £20 million player. We want to be attracting the players that Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter are chasing. It would be nice to think that we can shop at a high level, he said.
Liverpool FC owner John Henry also today pledged to bring in new talent rather than sell stars.
He today illustrated his determination to take Liverpool back to the top – as he rubbished the idea he would allow any top names to leave in January.
Henry has made it clear once again that his intention is to invest in Liverpool’s squad, as he poured scorn on ideas that he would allow it to be dismantled.
- Stories about our top players leaving are destructive and unwarranted but we realise that this kind of speculation is also common.We intend to build on the strength of the current squad, not undermine it. And I can reassure our supporters that we have no intention of allowing the team to be weakened going forward, Henry said to The Liverpool Echo.
Anyway Hodgson is probably prepared to use significant parts of his transfer funds on at least one striker in january. And according to Metro two strikers tops his list of targets. Montenegran international Vucinic has attracted plaudits for his form over the last 12 months, although the 27-year-old may be too expensive for the Reds if, as expected, his price tag is set significantly above the £20million mark.
However, Hodgson has also identified Roma striker Szalai - a 22-year-old Hungarian currently plying his trade in the Bundesliga - as a more realistic and affordable option. The prize of the versatile Vucinic is said to be at around £12million. The player however signed a new, long-term contract last year.
Szalai has earned the praise of the Liverpool scouting network in recent months. The Hungarian has played in Real Madrid's B side, as well as for German giants Stuttgart and now Mainz, but is still likely to be a relative bargain at around £2.5million.
On the other hand Goal.com reports Mirko Vucinic is only a target if Fernando Torres leaves Anfield.
Hodgson has identified the Montenegrin striker as a target as fears grow that the club might have to sell Torres in January, the site reports.
Hodgson considers Vucinic and Torres to be too similar to pair together and would therefore only sign the Roma frontman as a like-for-like replacement for his main striker.
Earlier reported Atletico Madrid target, Lyon striker
Lisandro Lopez - apparently has been offered to Liverpool.
Spanish newspaper Cadena Ser suggested Lopes was a target for the Madrid club, financed by a sale of Diego Forlan - also a reported Liverpool target.
Now, however The Daily Mirror, according to
Givemefootball suggests that the French club are prepared to let their Argentine forward leave for the right price, and have sounded out Liverpool over a potential deal.
When it comes to another
earlier rumour - it appears it will be out of range for Liverpool.
The player in question is Fernando Llorente, and according to Spanish Football writer Guillem Balague, he is way to expensive for the Liverpool transfer budgets.
Fernando Llorente costs 36m euros - money I don`t think Liverpool have at the moment. Llorente is thinking about moving on but I would favour Barcelona over Real Madrid, who will also want him, Balague writes.
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