Inter are willing to release Castaignos on a loan deal until the end of the season which Liverpool are willing to execute but only with an option to buy in the summer. Serie-A side Bologna are also reportedly interested in taking the teenager on-loan with Inter preferring this option knowing he will return back to the San Siro when the season is over. The Reds are expected to make contact with the Milan giants in the next two weeks when they hope a large loan fee of £2m will help push a deal through.
Damien Comolli, Liverpool’s Director of Football, has continued his mission of seeking out the world’s best young talent. This time he’s found his way to French club Nantes. Jawad Boukabous is a relatively unknown 17-year-old striker who is attracting attention from Italian side Roma, and now Liverpool.
The French Youth International impressed Comolli, enough for the Merseysider’s to make contact with Nantes to enquire about the youngster, according to French tabloid, L’Equipe. One for the future perhaps.
A young player who has embraced the challenge of the Premier League and hit the ground running is Swansea City’s Scott Sinclair, who is also said to be on Kenny Dalglish’s radar, CaughtOffside.com have reported.
The Swans have been a revelation in the Premiership so far this season after winning promotion from the Championship. Brendan Rodgers’ men have received many plaudits from coaches and pundits within the game for their own brand of ‘total-football’ which has been a breath of fresh air for a newly-promoted side. Sinclair has played a major role in City’s success this season. His explosive pace, creative awareness and eye for goal have made a mark on the Premiership and also seems to have caught the eye of the Liverpool boss.
The 22-year-old is a versatile forward who can attack from either flank as well as a more central role. Sinclair would certainly add an extra dimension to Dalglish’s side who have been criticised for a lack of cutting edge this season, and according to the Daily Mail, Liverpool have already tabled a £5m bid for the former Chelsea man – an offer which Rodgers is likely to rebuff in hope of keeping his Swans team together.
While Liverpool are aiming to invest their time and money in youth development to build a squad capable of competing for many years to come, the ‘here and now’ has to be their main focus. Champions League qualification for next season is a necessity and with ground to make up on fourth place the Reds are already up against it.
Kenny Dalglish has to buy a proven Premiership goalscorer who will hit the ground running to have any chance of finishing fourth or higher. For that reason, of the names mentioned, Jermaine Defoe is the stand-out candidate. Likelihood of it happening? Dependant on Spurs January transfer dealings.
Written by Graham Duckworth for FootballTransferTavern. For more rumour, views and opinion follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/grez10
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