With the summer transfer window set to open for business at the start of July, we look at three players who the Merseyside giants are set to buy, and three they are set to offload …
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Three In …
Steven Caulker (Cardiff City)
The Reds are set to purchase a young English centre back for next season to complement the three central defenders that are currently fighting for a first-team berth at Anfield this campaign, Martin Skrtel, Daniel and Mamadou Sakho, especially following the travails endured by veteran Ivory Coast international Kolo Toure at the heart of the club’s back four this year.
And the player that Liverpool head coach Brendan Rodgers is understood to be eyeing up at present is the Bluebirds’ impressive and powerful England international, someone who Rodgers also knows well from their time working together at the Liberty Stadium in the 2011-12 campaign.
And with the South Wales outfit now almost certain to be relegated to the Championship come the end of this campaign, expect Rodgers to follow up his long-standing interest in the defender by making a bid for the 22-year-old this summer.
Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
The Merseysiders are also in desperate need of a new left back for next season following the struggles they have had in that position at times in this campaign, especially following the long-term injury picked by by first-choice left-back Jose Enrique before Christmas.
And while the Spaniard’s replacement at Anfield, England Under-21 international Jon Flanagan, has equipped himself extremely well in the intervening period, it is understood that Rodgers is still keen to bring in more cover for the left-hand side of his back four this summer.
The player that the Liverpool manager is said to be eyeing up is Chelsea’s unsettled and out-of-favour England international who is set to leave Stamford Bridge on a Bosman free this summer and who big-match experience would prove invaluable on Merseyside.
Cristian Tello (FC Barcelona)
Rodgers is still determined to add to his attacking options at Anfield next season, despite the fact that the Merseysiders are currently the highest scorers in the entire Premier League, and the front man that the Irishman is said to be eyeing up is Barca’s unused Spain international.
Tello, who was first scouted by the Reds by former manager Kenny Dalglish two years ago before Rodgers arrived on Merseyside to replace the Scot, has once again found it hard to win a regular starting berth up front with the La Liga champions’ so far in this campaign.
And as a result, it is believed that the 22-year-old has now made up his mind to quit Campo Nou this summer and move to a new club in a foreign league so as to try out a different challenge in his career, with Anfield expected to be his new port of call.
Three Out ….
Aly Cissokho
Rodgers brought the powerful France international to Anfield on a season-long loan from La Liga outfit Valencia last summer as the Irishman looked to provide more competition for his regular left-sided full-back Jose Enrique.
However, it is safe to say that the defender’s time at Anfield has not been a great success, with Cissokho struggling to win a regular starting berth at Anfield, so much so that the player will now definitely be returning to the Mestalla when his loan period comes to an end come the climax to this campaign, as opposed to Liverpool taking up an option to sign the Frenchman on a permanent deal next season.
Iago Aspas
Despite having only just arrived at Anfield at the beginning of this season from La Liga outfit Celta de Vigo in a fee that cost the Reds £7.7m, the Spanish front man has struggled desperately to win a place up front at Anfield, despite having shone for the club during preseason last summer.
However, it is now believed that Liverpool will attempt to offload the 26-year-old as soon as the summer transfer window reopens for business at the start of July, with his former club in Galicia the favourites to re-sign the attacker for next season, although at a cut-price fee.
Fabio Borini
The Italy international was Rodgers’s first-ever signing after replacing former manager Kenny Dalglish in the Anfield hot seat in the summer of 2012, however, the 23-year-old endured an injury-ravaged debut campaign on Merseyside in which his first Premier League goal did not arrive until April.
Consequently, Rodgers opted to send the forward out on a season-long loan to Sunderland last summer in order for his player to gain some much-needed game time, and while Borini has indeed managed that during his stint at the Stadium of Light, the Italian has though once again struggled in front of goal.
And as a result, Liverpool are set to sell Borini this summer, although the Reds will struggle to get anywhere near the £11.5m that they paid Roma for the marksman two years ago.
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