Is Rafa looking to strengthen his defence?

Russian Football Championship: Dynamo Moscow 1 - 0 Moskva Moscow

The Daily Mail says Liverpool are understood to be one of a number of Barclays Premier League clubs interested in Dynamo Moscow centre-back Fernandez.

The Argentine, who played as his side lost 2-0 to Celtic in the Champions League third qualifying round on Wednesday night, would not need a work permit as he has an Italian passport.

Hull City boss Phil Brown has revealed an offer has arrived for defender Michael Turner.

He told the Hull Daily Mail: “We’ve had a verbal offer from a club in the Premier League but there’s been no firm offer through communications at boardroom level. That was nowhere near our expectations.

With cash on the hip after the sale of £30m-midfielder Xabi Alonso, Liverpool are known to be in the hunt for a central defender.

But if they are to nab Turner, the Reds will have to up their derisory opening bid, thought to be in the region of £6m. (Daily Mail)

OK, So this source is jumping to the conclusion that the Premier League bidder was in fact Liverpool, which adds up in some ways but doesn’t in others. Rafa is said to like the Hull man but I would be surprised if he went ahead and put in an actual bid for the 25 year old Londoner.

Michael Turner is decent, average at best and I was shocked to read in the Daily Mail report that Tigers boss Phil Brown claiming that the centre back’s future was in the international set-up, but unless he is about to switch allegiance to Wales or Northern Ireland I would think such a claim to be ridiculous and merely an attempt to talk up a player he thinks he may have no choice but to cash in on.

I would be personally far more interested in Dinamo Moscow’s Argentine international centre back, maybe he could become friends with Javier and his missus and prove to Mascherano’s wife that life is good in England. Anyway, he’s a solid performer and could be a good back up signing.

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