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Liverpool transfer news and rumours: Reds fail with £33.5m bid for Joao Mario; Mario Balotelli set for Turkish escape

Today's biggest transfer stories to have been printed about the Anfield club

Wednesday 27 July 2016 09:44 BST

Joao Mario joins his Portugal team in celebrating their Euro 2016 success (Getty)

With less than three weeks until the inception of perhaps the most eagerly anticipated Premier League season ever, Liverpool are stepping up their efforts to improve their squad.

Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Mario has reportedly been on Jurgen Klopp’s radar for some time and the German, according to The Sun, has made an offer of £33.5m for the talented Portuguese international.

The sale of Welsh maestro Joe Allen to Stoke City this week has meant Klopp must accelerate his plans if he is going to have sufficient midfield cover ahead of the opening weekend clash against Arsenal. The bad news, however, is that Lisbon seemed to have rejected their astronomical opening offer.

Summer 2016 Transfer Window - Done deals and rumours

Elsewhere, the Reds are looking into the possibility of making a late dash to the bank to sign Real Madrid’s Jese Rodriguez but face competition from a host of Premier League clubs including Arsenal.

The 23-year-old has slipped down the pecking order at the European champions, starting just seven matches in La Liga last term, but is still considered one of the most assured midfielders on the continent.

Marca report that Klopp is monitoring his situation in the event of an opening forming before the window closes at the end of August. Former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti once branded the Spaniard as an “insane talent” but is unlikely to rival Liverpool for his signature this summer.

Liverpool summer transfer targets

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1/9Liverpool summer transfer targets

Liverpool summer transfer targets

Naby Keita

A difficult signing to pull off, but one that Liverpool are interested in making. Keita's dynamic performances in the centre of RB Leipzig's midfield have caught Klopp's eye, but also the attention of Bayern Munich, who are also monitoring the player.

Liverpool summer transfer targets

Timo Werner

Werner scored 21 goals in the Bundesliga last season as his goals fired RB Leipzig to second place and a first-ever Champions League qualification. The German club are keen to keep him but money talks and Liverpool are desperate for an out-and-out goalscorer.

Bongarts/Getty Images

Liverpool summer transfer targets

Dusan Tadic

The Southampton attacker is out of favour on the south coast and desperate for a way out of the club. Liverpool are interested in him to provide competition and back-up to the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana with the added strain of European football.

Liverpool summer transfer targets

Andrew Robertson

Given Hull's relegation to the Championship, Robertson is one of the players in the shop window. Left-backs are at the forefront of Klopp's transfer activity and Robertson will come fairly cheap.

Getty

Liverpool summer transfer targets

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Somewhat surprising reports have arisen over recent weeks that Chamberlain will be a Liverpool player next season. A disappointing season for Arsenal has left their squad in disarray, and it is thought that the 23 year-old midfielder is seeking a new challenge. The player’s versatility across midfield positions is an appealing to Klopp, who will need added squad depth. Arsenal will not be keen to sell to a rival, but if the rumours are to be believed, Chamberlain has his heart set on the Merseyside club and a £35 million transfer could well be on the cards.

Liverpool summer transfer targets

Douglas Costa

The 26 year old Brazilian winger has gained plaudits for his performances at the German champions, yet the player stated earlier in the season that he is ‘not that happy’, presumably at missing out to Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben regularly. He would cost upwards of £25 million and have plenty of suitors, meaning Liverpool are simply one of many clubs he could choose from, although he did recently ‘like’ a tweet from a Liverpool fan about the possibility of him joining the club. There is also a chance that Costa is happy in Munich but is seeking an improved deal, which would come as no real surprise.

Liverpool summer transfer targets

Ryan Sessegnon

Sessegnon is a long-term option at left-back for Liverpool with the 17-year-old lighting up the Championship with Fulham. With only Alberto Moreno, who is expected to leave, and James Milner available in that position, Klopp wants to bring in at least two. He faces competition from Manchester United and Tottenham though.

Liverpool summer transfer targets

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

The most speculative target on the list is Gabon forward Aubameyang, who became a household name under Jurgen Klopp at Dortmund. Constant questions over his future are expected to culminate in a move this summer, and while his former boss will no doubt be interested, European giants Real Madrid are circling and thought to be his preferred destination. While the versatile Roberto Firmino has had a good season deployed as Liverpool’s first choice striker and Divock Origi a promising talent, they still lack a world class centre forward like Aubameyang. Dortmund CEO Hanz-Joachim Watzke stated earlier this year that the striker, who has three years to run on his contract, would only leave ‘for an outrageous fee’.

Liverpool summer transfer targets

Jonas Hector

A player Klopp will know well, the 26 year-old is thought to be a serious option with the manager unconvinced by Alberto Moreno. James Milner has deputised brilliantly this season but an out-and-out left back is a priority for the summer. Hector has earned 27 caps for Germany since 2014 and is known for his excellent positional understanding and for putting in accurate crosses. It is thought he would cost in excess of £20 million, which could be well worth it for a good player approaching his prime years.

The Mario Balotelli problem could be about to be solved, meanwhile, as Turkish champions Besiktas consider a swoop to sign the combustible Italian on the cheap in the coming weeks.

That’s according to the folks over at Gazetta World who say a loan deal has been suggested as Klopp continues his efforts to streamline his squad while on a tour of the United States this month.

The 25-year-old has been informed that he has no role to play in the former Borussia Dortmund manager’s strategy at Anfield and is being lined up as a possible replacement for Mario Gomez, the striker who elected not to agree a new loan agreement owing to the political unrest in the region.

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