Five strikers more within the Reds’ reach than Falcao.
With reports that Liverpool are chasing the highly ambitious signing of AS Monaco striker Radamel Falcao to replace Luis Suarez upfront, CaughtOffside looks at five players who may be more realistic options for the club.
There’s no doubt that Brendan Rodgers’ side could do with reinforcements upfront ahead of the new season, with Rickie Lambert the only striker coming in so far to partner Daniel Sturridge in attack.
While Falcao would be a dream signing after his recent goalscoring exploits in Ligue 1 with Monaco and in La Liga with Atletico Madrid, he may just be out of Liverpool’s reach, with a return to Spain with Real Madrid believed to be his preferred destination.
With that in mind, here are five other strikers who could still make great signings for the Reds.
5) Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon)
Scorer of 23 goals last season, Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette was one of the most in-form young strikers in Europe, and looks a potentially great target for Liverpool. The French international has been linked with the likes of Arsenal and Everton in recent months, and may be one of the less expensive options on the market at the moment if Liverpool do decide to pursue him.
4) Wilfried Bony (Swansea City)
A great addition to the Premier League last term, Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Bony made quite an impression at Swansea City. The 25-year-old scored 25 goals in all competitions, following on from some prolific form at his previous club Vitesse. Although quite a different style of striker from Luis Suarez, there’s no question that Bony could offer a reliable source of goals upfront for the Reds, as well as various other qualities such as strength in the air and hold-up play. Supposedly available for around £20m due to a clause in his contract, Bony looks a potential bargain for Liverpool if they step up their interest in him, though Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be interested.
3) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund)
A player capable of playing either out wide or upfront, Borussia Dortmund star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is always a reliable source of goals from any position. The Gabon international was linked with Liverpool and other Premier League clubs before joining Dortmund from Saint-Etienne last summer. Chelsea and Newcastle United have reportedly been tracking him this summer, though he has remained in Germany for now, scoring three goals in his first two games this season. A top class forward, Aubemeyang scored 13 times for Dortmund last season and would no doubt improve Liverpool’s options upfront if he made the move to Anfield. Reports suggest he could be available for a reasonable price of around £12m, and this definitely looks like a target Brendan Rodgers should pursue.
2) Jackson Martinez (Porto)
A deadly finisher, Jackson Martinez has attracted interest from top clubs all around Europe after his superb performances in his two seasons with Porto. The Colombian international has a fine record of 60 goals in 91 appearances for the Portuguese side, and was rumoured to have been a target for Liverpool last summer. Arsenal and Chelsea have been his main admirers this time around, but there may still be time for Liverpool to join the race for his signature and sign a top-quality strike partner for Daniel Sturridge, who would likely be available for just £27m due to a release clause in his contract.
1) Mario Balotelli (AC Milan)
Linked strongly with Arsenal for much of this summer, Mario Balotelli has also reportedly come up on Liverpool’s radar as they considered new signings to replace Suarez upfront. With AC Milan seemingly keen to sell the fiery Italian international, who is well known in English football for his time with Manchester City, Liverpool could land him for as little as £14m. Although Balotelli is known for his difficult personality and off-the-pitch behavioural problems, his talent is world class and Brendan Rodgers may well be the best manager to get him fully focused on achieving his tremendous potential.
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