Liverpool transfer news: Reds to make improved £16m bid for Real Madrid's Asier Illarramendi

A recent £9m bid was turned down

Asier Illarramendi in action for Real Madrid (Getty Images)

Liverpool are expected to make an improved offer of £16m for Real Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi. The Reds' initial offer of £9m was rejected by the Spanish club.

Spanish daily newspaper Marca have reported that the decision lays in the hands of recently-appointed Real manager Rafa Benitez to approve the transfer. Benitez of course, guided Liverpool to the Champions League in 2005.

Illarramendi moved to Real from Real Sociedad for €32m back in July 2013, but has struggled in his two seasons at the Bernabeu.

The 25-year-old's price of €32m remains the most amount of money that Real have spent on a Spanish player.

Illarramendi could be Liverpool's fifth signing of the summer, after James Milner, Danny Ings, Adam Bogdan and Joe Gomez.

Speaking to LiverpoolFC.com after signing, Gomez said: "It's a dream come true. It's a bit surreal and it hasn't really hit me yet. But I'm buzzing and just excited to get started.

"The club has got great history and it's a great club, and one that I've always been following from when I was young.

"The style of football and the top players here was somewhere that I wanted to go and get better and learn, and play good football. It was an easy decision."