Liverpool transfer news and rumours: Shock bid for Arsenal's Chuba Akpom; boost in the race for Julian Brandt; no Adam Bogdan move

The biggest transfer news and speculation surrounding Anfield

Jack de Menezes

Tuesday 27 January 2015 10:45 GMT

Chuba Akpom is out of contract with Arsenal at the end of the season (Getty Images)

CHUBA CONTRACT…

Liverpool are lining up a shock move for young Arsenal striker Chuba Akpom as he continues to edge closer to the end of his contract with little sign of progress in talks with the Gunners. 19-year-old Akpom will be out of contract at the end of the season and is already free to discuss a pre-contract with foreign clubs, although he will have to wait until the end of May before he can speak to domestic clubs about structuring a deal away from the Emirates.

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Arsenal are hoping to keep Akpom and have offered him a new deal, but Liverpool have joined Manchester City in the race to sign his at the end of the season according to the Metro, while Borussia Dortmund and FC Twente has already offered pre-contracts.

Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

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1/14Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Petr Cech

With Simon Mignolet unconvincing and Brad Jones a deputy lacking clout, Liverpool need a new goalkeeper. Chelsea stopper Cech is looking for a new home having been pushed into second place by Thibaut Courtois and could be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge if he really pushes for it. One of the best goalkeepers in the world, despite currently warming the bench, Chelsea will be reluctant to let him join a Premier League rival.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Guillermo Ochoa

According to some reports a £3m deal has already been thrashed out for Malaga stopper Ochoa. Interest in the 29-year-old was huge in the summer after a string of impressive performances at the World Cup with Mexico. The then free agent opted for a move to Spain but has struggled since.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

John Ruddy

Another keeper linked with a move to Anfield is Ruddy. The 28-year-old just missed out on a place in Roy Hodgson's England squad for the World Cup but remains a well rated stopper. With Norwich currently plying their trade in the Championship after relegation last term, a quick return to the top-flight would be appealing.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Sergio Romero

Sampdoria goalkeeper Sergio Romero will be out of contract in the summer which has led to reports over where he will be playing in the near future. The Argentina international, who was part of the side that finished runners-up in the 2014 World Cup, has also been linked with Manchester City.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Ron Vlaar

Defending was not an area in which Liverpool excelled last season, despite their title tilt, so consequently Brendan Rodgers made moves to address the problem during the summer. However, it hasn't worked particularly well and Liverpool are understood to be keen to add reinforcements. Aston Villa centre-back Vlaar is a man in demand due to his consistent performances and the fact his contract will expire at the end of the season.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Fabio Coentrao

Left-back Coentrao has been linked with a move away from Real Madrid and to the Premier League for some time now with Manchester United usually the club named as his likely destination. However, Liverpool are also said to be in the mix.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Fabian Delph

Another Aston Villa player of interest to Liverpool is Delph. The central midfielder has begun to show why the Villains made such an effort to prise him away from Leeds United back in 2009. Reports suggest Rodgers could make a bid upwards of £10m for the 25-year-old.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema has been linked with a move to the Premier League for years, but instead he just keeps on scoring goals at a healthy rate for Real Madrid. That the Frenchman has lasted so long at the Bernabeu considering the Spanish club's preference for churning over the star names is testament to his ability. However, a reported £50m bid being readied by Liverpool might be enough for Los Blancos to say au revoir.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Saido Berahino

The youngster has impressed with West Brom, so much so Liverpool have been linked with a £23m move for the striker. However, the Baggies say the story is an 'entire fabrication'. Tottenham also linked.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Jackson Martinez

Martinez was an integral part of the Colombia team that so impressed at the World Cup so it was inevitable his name would crop up in the transfer rumour mill. However, he remained at Porto over the summer but claims that he has a £27.5m release clause has seen interest return. Liverpool are reportedly ready to take the plunge, however they face competition from Roma and Arsenal for the 28-year-old.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Ezequiel Lavezzi

Lavezzi has 18 months to run on his contract and according to some sources PSG won't offer him another contract. That means they'll be keen to offload him sooner rather than later in order to avoid losing him for free. A fee of around £17m has been mentioned, with the 29-year-old forward perhaps set to become the latest Argentinian import into the Premier League.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Wilfried Bony

Brendan Rodgers were full of praise for Bony earlier this season, describing him as 'strong, powerful, and he gets goals'. Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher is just as effusive. 'I hope Liverpool sign him [Bony]. He is worth £20m or £25m. I wish Liverpool got him this summer and I hope they're looking at him in the future,' said the former defender.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Gonzalo Higuain

The Napoli striker was close to a move to Arsenal two seasons ago before the Italian club blew their bid out of the water. However, they are now under financial pressure to balance the books, and the addition of Manolo Gabbiadini from Sampdoria has triggered talk that he could be on his way to Anfield for £30m.

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Liverpool: The players linked with a move to Anfield during the latest transfer window

Ogenyi Onazi

According to reports, Lazio have already turned down one bid from Liverpool for their young Nigerian striker. However, an offer of around £8m could tempt them to part with the 22-year-old who has started to find his feet in Serie A and has already made over 25 appearances for his national team. There are suggestions Fabio Borini could be used as a make-weight in any deal.

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YOUNG PROSPECT…

The Reds are being linked with a move for young German attacking midfielder Julian Brandt, and have received a boost with the news that Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich have pulled out of the running to sign the 18-year-old. The Daily Star claims Liverpool join Chelsea and Manchester United in the race to sign the Bayer Leverkusen star, who has already established himself in the German top flight and has attracted a large level of interest across Europe.

Julian Brandt is a transfer target for Liverpool (Getty Images)

Bayern’s withdrawal from the race to land Brandt is a significant boost for other clubs given their pulling power with domestic players and the ability to allure them to the Allianz Arena. Bayern CEO Karl-Heiunz Rummenigge said: "It's true, we were interested, but some players prefer an intermediate step before joining a great club."

MISSED OUT…

Liverpool are reported to be one of a number of clubs that have missed out on the signing of Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic after he agreed a deal to join Inter Milan. According to the Daily Star, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal were all interested in the former Dinamo Zagreb player, but Inter released a statement on their official website yesterday to announce the deal was complete having agreed a two-year loan deal with “an obligation to repurchase affected”.

RULED OUT…

Despite immediate links with a move for Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Adam Bogdan following his heroics against the Reds in the FA Cup at the weekend, Brendan Rodgers ruled out any notion of making a move for the Hungarian goalkeeper. Speaking ahead of tonight’s Capital One Cup semi-final second leg, Rodgers responded to questions regarding a move for the Championship goalkeeper. “Nothing [in it] at all,” he. “I don’t think [we’ll do anything] so it’ll be very quiet and unless something dramatic happens we will be as we are.”

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