Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester City forwards all mentioned…
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Regardless of the controversy that surrounds the Uruguayan forward, Liverpool will need to bring in a player of true, elite pedigree if they want to replace Luis Suarez, who looks set to join Barcelona for £80m in the coming days, reports the Daily Mail.
Arguably, only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are superior to the 27-year-old right now, but Liverpool will have enough money to bring in a seriously good replacement nonetheless.
Here’s ten stars they should consider moving for – who might go some way to mending the damage done by Suarez’s imminent sale.
10) Alexis Sanchez – Barcelona
Liverpool’s no.1 target is the Chilean, who they hope to bring to Anfield as part of the deal that sees Suarez leaving. Arsenal though will not let the superb 25-year-old go without a fight, and have already lodged a £32m bid for his services in an attempt to hijack the deal. Sanchez can play on either wing, or as a centre-forward himself.
9) Mario Mandzukic – Bayern Munich
The Croat is available, although the Reds would need to move quickly with him close to sealing a deal to Atletico Madrid. He’s powerful, and would enable Sturridge to play a deeper, or wider role that would aid his dribbling.
8) Edinson Cavani – PSG
Truly world-class, Cavani has to content himself with a role on the right wing last season due to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Liverpool would surely have the money to tempt him with a central striking berth.
7) Gonzalo Higuain – Napoli
Higuain’s only been at Napoli one season after a £30m move from Real Madrid, but the Argentine is still of an elite pedigree, and with £80m to play with, Liverpool would at least be able to afford the talented poacher.
6) Karim Benzema – Liverpool
If Real Madrid lure Falcao to Spain, Benzema could be surplus to requirements at the Bernanabeu – and Liverpool would be getting a powerful forward who can finish excellently off either foot if they went in for him.
5) Mario Balotelli – AC Milan
If the Reds want to replace one maverick forward with another, they could do plenty worse than the ever-controversial Italian. He’s been linked in the past few days, although Liverpool fans will be unsure on whether he’ll do more harm than good at Anfield.
4) Antoine Griezmann – Real Sociedad
Griezmann scored 16 goals in La Liga last term from the left wing, meaning he could support Sturridge from this position. Liverpool were linked with his services early in the month – although French giants PSG are also interested.
3) Stevan Jovetic – Manchester City
Jovetic is clearly very talented, although his debut season in England was curtailed due to injuries, and with Manchester City having Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko up top – his opportunities could be limited. Liverpool could tempt him with the opportunity of more playing time, although it’s unsure whether City would sell to a rival.
2) Domenico Berardi – Juventus & Sassuolo (joint ownership)
If Liverpool want to make a long-term investment, they could do worse than this Italian 19-year-old who bagged 16 Serie A goals last term. He’s an excellent finisher, although the Reds would have to agree terms with both sides to secure his signature.
1) Giuseppe Rossi – Fiorentina
An extremely talented forward, Rossi’s injuries have so far held his career back. In only 19 Serie A starts last season, he bagged 16 goals. If Brendan Rodgers could keep him fit, he’d have a serious player on his hands – although this has proven easier said than done in the past.
