Liverpool Transfer News: Davies, Ljajic, Bakkali To Anfield? Toure, Assaidi Out?

Since moving on from the short-lived Luis Suarez era, Liverpool are now in play to spend the £75 million purse it attained for the Uruguayan and address some needs along the back line and wings.

But of course some of the speculated new acquisitions mean several familiar faces may no longer grace Anfield.

The Reds and manager Brendan Rodgers continued their bidding war with Tottenham for Swansea left-back Ben Davies on Wednesday, according to Daily Star. Spurs offered £10 million for the highly-rated 21-year-old, trumping the Reds £8 million bid.

The report says Swansea and Tottenham reached an agreement for Davies, but Rodgers is attempting to make another offer after talks fell through with Sevilla over defender and longstanding transfer target Alberto Moreno.

Davies has spent his entire career with Swansea, rising through their youth camp to the first team in 2012, and has earned 10 caps for Wales in the last two years.

The moves and negotiations for Davies are a sign that Rodgers is planning to infuse Merseyside with youth, while building a squad that will be competitive in Champions League.

PSV Eindhoven’s Zakaria Bakkali and Roma’s Adem Ljajic are both examples of the youth movement, with Express reporting the Reds are still chasing both players.

Bakkali, 18, debuted for PSV last year and netted a hat-trick against NEC and made 16 total appearances. He’s also ripe to move up Belgium’s international squad, and his quick feet and elusive dribbling could one day make him a certifiable replacement for Suarez. Though Tottenham once again, and Arsenal are also monitoring Bakkali’s progress.

Scoring six goals in his first term with Roma, Ljajic is rated as high as £9.6 million but his agent stated a switch away from the Serie A side won’t happen.

Should either Bakkali or Ljajic make it to Anfield, winger Oussama Assaidi’s stay with Stoke will likely be permanent. After much negotiation, the Telegraph reports that the two sides are close to a £7 million deal for the 25-year-old Moroccan. Assaidi scored four goals in 19 appearances last term for Stoke.

Rodgers is also reportedly considering offers for defender Kolo Toure, specifically overtures from Turkish team Trabzonspor, according to Daily Mail. The Reds have already spent £60 million after completing Lazar Markovic’s deal from Benfica earlier this week, and selling the 33-year-old Toure now could net them a hefty sum to continue the chase of Southampton’s Dejan Lovren.

Toure’s contract is up next summer, and the 33-year-old could be sold for perhaps double his £3.5 million market value. Toure looked in top form for Ivory Coast during the World Cup, but only made 20 appearances for Liverpool last term and his presence in the lineup takes time away from rising players.