Five other strikers who could improve Reds upfront.
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With Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers moving to rule himself out of a move for AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, CaughtOffside looks at five other players on the market at the moment who could make good alternatives to the former Manchester City man.
Although the 23-year-old is not without his flaws, he would certainly make a potentially world class addition to the Reds’ squad after the difficult blow of losing Luis Suarez to Barcelona, and some fans will be disappointed not to see the move happen this summer.
Still, there are other options for the club to look at it, and with some fresh ideas thrown in alongside existing transfer rumours, see below for an alternative list of striker targets for the Merseyside giants this summer.
5) Mattia Destro (Roma)
Roma striker Mattia Destro has found himself linked with Premier League clubs in recent times, and Liverpool should perhaps consider rivalling the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur for his signature this summer after his impressive goalscoring exploits in Serie A. Still only 23 years of age, Destro looks an outstanding prospect and could be a great long-term purchase for Brendan Rodgers as he looks to fill that Luis Suarez-shaped hole in his side’s attack.
4) Jay Rodriguez (Southampton)
An outstanding performer for Southampton since establishing himself in the Premier League, Jay Rodriguez has been linked a number of times with Liverpool this summer in what could be a sensational fourth raid on the Saints by Brendan Rodgers. The England international could join his old team-mates Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren in swapping the St Mary’s Stadium for Anfield, and his ability upfront suggests he would be another smart purchase.
3) Jackson Martinez (Porto)
Although the Porto striker has just signed a new contract with the club after a summer of strong rumours linking him with the likes of Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Valencia, Jackson Martinez could be a quality signing for Liverpool if they meet his release clause, which has actually been lowered to £27m in his new contract terms. The prolific Colombian is a great goalscorer and skillful performer upfront, and will surely make the move to a bigger club in the near future after clearly becoming too good for the Portuguese top flight.
2) Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Liverpool are among a number of clubs to have been linked with out-of-favour Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel Lavezzi this summer. The talented Argentine has struggled to find his best form in Ligue 1, having previously starred in Serie A with Napoli, and could be a great addition for a number of top clubs if he can get back to his best. Capable of playing upfront or out wide, Lavezzi would add more goals and assists to this Liverpool side, though they will have to beat the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur to his signature.
1) Wilfried Bony (Swansea City)
One of the Premier League’s top strikers last season after arriving from Vitesse, it is no surprise to see powerful Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Bony being linked with a move to Liverpool. The likes of Arsenal and Tottenham are also reportedly interested in the 25-year-old, who is a real goal threat and handful for defenders with his physical frame and technical ability. There may be few better options for Liverpool as they look for new signings upfront, and Bony in particular could offer a similar kind of threat that Mario Balotelli would, but with much less of the baggage and controversy.