Liverpool Transfer News: Rodgers Chases Pair of Spanish Internationals to Fill Goal-Scoring Void

Brendan Rodgers is looking to being in a goal-scorer at the earliest opportunity. Reuters

Since missing out on a striker in the closing days of the transfer window, speculation at Liverpool has focused on just one subject: when will the club score the goal scorer so desperately needed at Anfield. Deals for Clint Dempsey and Daniel Sturridge both failed to come to fruition in the final hours before last Friday's deadline as no replacement was brought in for Andy Carroll.

Having also reportedly failed in a last-minute attempt to lure veteran Italian forward Alessandro Del Piero on a free transfer, manager Brendan Rodgers looks likely to have to wait until January to add to the limited forward options provided by Luis Suarez and Fabio Borini.

Spanish publication AS has on Thursday claimed that Liverpool are looking to Spain for striking reinforcements. Their report states that the club's first choice is unsettled Athletic Bilbao front man Fernando Llorente.

The Spain international has entered the final year of his contract with last year's Europa League finalists and has had acrimonious public negotiations over a new deal. Juventus were heavily linked to the 27-year-old during the summer, but Athletic have refused to negotiate from Llorente's €36 million (£28.6m) buy-out clause.

With Llorente able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement from January, Atheltic may well be tempted to do a cut price deal in the next transfer window, rather than losing him on a free transfer.

If a deal for Llorente does not materialize, AS states that Liverpool will turn their attentions toward fellow-Spanish international Alvaro Negredo. The 27-year-old has scored a combined 34 goals in the last two seasons in La Liga and has already struck twice in three games to begin this campaign. His form has led to repeated speculation of a move away from Sevilla in recent years, with Tottenham often mentioned as a potential destination.

Sevilla revealed that an unnamed English club made a big-money offer for their leading forward just last week.

"On the last day [of the transfer window], an English club offered Sevilla €20 million (£15.9m) for the striker," said Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido.

"First, we did not think of selling him in the market, but the player also said he wanted to stay at Sevilla. And it was not the day to make sales."