Liverpool transfers news and rumours: Reds target Pierre Emerick Aubameyang; Marko Grujic set for Anfield medical
A round-up of all the latest transfer speculation to swirl around Anfield as Jurgen Klopp closes in on Marko Grujic, Stan Collymore expresses his views on the Reds' transfer strategy and Venezuelan wonderkid Adalberto Penaranda emerges as a possible target
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is preparing to join Arsenal in the hunt to sign Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to reports.
Don Balon speculate that Klopp is a keen admirer of the 26-year-old Gabonese international and would be willing to raid his former club to secure his services. Arsene Wenger, the Gunners manager, is believed to also rate Aubameyang highly and would be frustrated should Liverpool make their move this month.
A source reportedly told The Sun: “An intermediary has made contact with Dortmund about Pierre-Emerick making a move to Arsenal. Wenger knows the fee is very high — yet this is a striker who can make a massive difference for him and help win the title for the first time in 12 years.”
The Reds are reportedly on the verge of announcing Marko Grujic as their first January signing from Red Star Belgrade after the 19-year-old arrived in Merseyside on Sunday evening.
With reports suggesting a £5.1m move to Anfield will be completed within the next 24 hours, Klopp's first signing is expected to return to the Serbian club on loan for the rest of the season, say the Liverpool Echo.
Grujic, a product of Red Star's youth system, intimated that the move was close to completion over the weekend while posting on his Facebook page. Klopp's personal intervention in negotiations is believed to have convinced the young midfielder of a move to Anfield and helped the German seal the switch swiftly.
Lorient left-back Raphael Guerreiro is another target on Liverpool’s not-so shortlist this winter, report Goal.com this morning.
Former Newcastle full-back Jose Enrique is expected to leave Anfield this month leaving Klopp in need of a replacement following the 2-0 defeat by West Ham United at the weekend.
Alberto Moreno is currently the first-choice on the left of Klopp’s defence but Liverpool chiefs want to see competition across the entire squad heightened in the coming months.
Klopp is believed to have kept tabs on Guerreiro, a Portuguese international, while at Borussia Dortmund and is now set to rekindle that interest with the Reds.
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore had added his views to the debate on who the club should sign this month.
Speaking to talkSPORT, the ex-Aston Villa and Leicester City star enthused about Klopp’s ability to build exciting teams, citing the German’s successful spell with Dortmund.
“This is a guy who built an exciting young side, but he built this side with players who hung on his every word,” Collymore said. “There are obviously players at Liverpool who were bought by other managers, that he is going to want to get out of the club.
“He is not going to be bringing in players with potential, he has the clout to bring in top quality European footballers. They will go to Liverpool to play under Jurgen Klopp.”
Tottenham Hotspur are likely to provide the sternest opposition as Liverpool try to lure record-breaking Venezuelan wonderkid Adalberto Penaranda to Merseyside, The Sun report.
The Granada striker became the youngest player in the club’s history when he made his debut against Athletic Bilbao in November, grabbing the attention of scouts across the globe.
The 18-year-old has since scored a brace against Levante last month to smash Lionel Messi’s mark as the youngest foreigner to score a La Liga double an reportedly has been targeted by the Premier League duo.
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