Coral’s rumour reel: Liverpool aim for reinforcements
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The summer’s transfer frenzy has begun, with the rumour reel going into overdrive after the Premier League season came to a thrilling close.
On the red half of Merseyside, Liverpool have had a £10m swoop for Southampton and England international right back Nathaniel Clyne turned down, with the Saints expecting a more substantial offer.
The south coast club are preparing themselves for another bid from the Reds, while the Anfield side also set to up their interest in Fiorentina’s 25-year-old goalkeeper Norbert Neto, and are 5/2 with Coral for a top four finish next season.
Liverpool could be set for a busy summer, as they aim to rebuild a squad capable of pushing further up the Premier League table next season, and the acquisition of Inter Milan’s midfield maestro Mateo Kovacic could certainly help that cause. The 21-year-old Croatian international could be seen as a possible long-term replacement for recently departed skipper Steven Gerrard.
Across to London, and Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal are chasing one of Europe’s most prolific strikers after lining up a £24.7m bid for Porto’s deadly Jackson Martinez. The 28-year-old struck an impressive 28 times this season and could significantly bolster the Gunners’ firepower for next term.
Remaining in the capital, former West Ham United marksman Carlton Cole could soon find himself a new club immediately after departing Upton Park. Recently relegated QPR are reported to be interested in his services for Championship campaign after dropping out of the top-flight.
Aston Villa are preparing to face the Gunners at Wembley in their FA Cup final showdown, but they could also be set to lose star striker Christian Benteke, and African attacker Emmanuel Adebayor is reportedly being lined up as a potential replacement. Spurs are ready to offload the stuttering Togo targetman and a switch to the West Midlands outfit could suit both parties, with Tim Sherwood known for getting the best out of under-performing players.
Elsewhere, after his sensational displays on the way to Europa League success with Sevilla, Carlos Bacca is being targeted by Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United this summer, with the Dutchman hoping to boost his frontline for their return to the Champions League next season (9/2 for the 2015/16 title).
