Reports have linked Liverpool with a multitude of strikers in recent days and ProSoccerTalk understands that Southampton’s Republic of Ireland international Shane Long is not heading to Anfield, despite reports claiming a $12 million bid had been rejected.
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Reports from Don Balon claim that Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez could arrive at Anfield this summer. The Mexican international striker, 27, has been on fire for Bayer Leverkusen since leaving Manchester United for the Bundesliga on Transfer Deadline Day last summer. Hernandez has scored 19 goals in 22 games for Bayer, further enhancing his reputation as a “fox in the box” and if he does return to England then Leverkusen can expect a handsome profit for the man they paid just $12 million for less than six months ago.
Chicharito has already played for two teams this season (United and Bayer) and he can’t play for a third in the same season so any transfer would have to happen in the summer. According to the report Jurgen Klopp is unhappy with his current strike options at Anfield as Daniel Sturridge, Danny Ings and Divock Origi have been out injured, while Christian Benteke continues to underwhelm with the Reds creating plenty of chances but struggling for goals.
Sky Sports’ Spanish expert Guillem Balague says in his weekly column that Barcelona could make a move for Everton youngster John Stones. Balague says: “I know Barcelona like John Stones a lot, but they haven’t yet decided where they are going to put their money this summer.”
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Stones, 21, was the subject of multiple bids from Chelsea in the summer with Everton said to have rejected a $60 million fee. Would the Toffees be more wiling to sell Stones overseas? He looks like a young Gerard Pique in the making, with the way he marauds out of the back four with the ball perhaps more suited to La Liga than the Premier League. Stones is a future star of the English national team and with Everton treading water in the PL’s midtable, teams such as Chelsea, Manchester United and now Barca are lining up to make a move.
Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur are said to be keen on signing Fulham’s young French striker Moussa Dembele. The 19-year-old can leave for nothing at the end of the season but Fulham would be due a tribunal fee if he joins another English team because Dembele is under the age of 24. The London Evening Standard reports that Tottenham’s reps have been speaking to Fulham about snapping up Dembele, while plenty of other top clubs in Europe -- Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Monaco to name a few -- are sniffing around the situation.
Dembele has scored 11 goals in 28 appearances this season and if he did end up at Spurs he would follow his namesake, Mousa Dembele, in switching Craven Cottage for White Hart Lane. Now, that would get confusing for announcers: “Mousa Dembele plays the ball in to Moussa Dembele, and he then lays it off for Mousa Dembele.” Just saying.
The Evening Chronicle is reporting that Newcastle United have been offered both Alexandre Pato and Bafetimbi Gomis. Pato is currently at Brazilian club Corinthians but is eager to return to Europe and has previously been linked with both Arsenal and Liverpool. The Brazilian winger, 26, burst onto the scene at AC Milan as a teenager but his powers have dwindled in recent years. After buying Jonjo Shelvey and Henri Saivet so far in this transfer window, perhaps the Magpies will wait until the summer to splash more cash. According to other reports, Newcastle aren’t interested in Pato and any move for Gomis could be vetoed as Swansea would prefer not to sell the French striker to a direct relegation rival.