Reds’ defender chase hits snag over price tags.
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Liverpool’s bid to bring in defensive pair Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Ilori has hit a wall, with the Daily Mirror reporting that the Reds may not be able to meet the clubs’ asking prices for the players.
Manager Brendan Rodgers is keen to enter the market late on for some defensive cover, due to worrying-looking injuries sustained by Sebastian Coates and Kolo Toure in recent weeks.
Liverpool are short of backup options to Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel, having lost veteran stopper Jamie Carragher to retirement at the end of last season, and Sakho and Ilori have been long-term targets for the club.
It was thought that Sakho in particular may be available due to his desire to leave due to his backup status at PSG, but the French giants are keen to keep him and have slapped a £13million price tag on his head.
Sporting Lisbon are demanding £17million for youngster Ilori, far more than the £6million Liverpool were initially looking to offer, and Rodgers may be tempted to wait until a year’s time when both players become free agents due to being in their final year of contract.
Liverpool had also been linked with Swansea defender Ashley Williams earlier in the summer, though their interest appears to have cooled.