Liverpool have identified the two players they will look to move for should Raheem Sterling complete his transfer to Manchester City this summer.
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The England international has been heavily linked with a departure from Anfield this summer, with his agent Aidy Ward having insisted that the 20-year-old will not be signing a new deal at Liverpool, despite having been offered £100,000-per-week [Standard].
While City have had two bids of £25 million and £35.5 million rejected by the Reds, they may well look to return to Merseyside with an improved bid closer to the club’s asking price of £50 million [BBC].
Should the Citizens complete a deal for the forward—and they may yet face competition from the likes of Chelsea [Sky Sports], Manchester United [Daily Star] and Arsenal [Metro]—Liverpool have already identified the players they will look to bring in to replace him.
According to the Telegraph [via the Express], Rodgers’s top target is AS Monaco winger Lucas OCampos, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Olympique de Marseille.
The Argentine starlet had been linked with a permanent move to OM [RMC via Le 10 Sport], but with Marcelo Bielsa’s side having failed to secure Champions League football, he may be eyeing a move to the Premier League.
Manchester United and Chelsea have both previously been linked to the talented 20-year-old wideman [Express], who managed three goals and one assist in 31 Ligue 1 appearances last term.
Similarly, however, Liverpool are also considering Ukraine international Yevhen Konoplyanka, who is available on a free transfer following the end of his contract at Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.