Liverpool Target French Keeper as Replacement for Pepe Reina - Report

Brendan Rodgers' task of rebuilding Liverpool may just be getting tougher and tougher. An earlier IBTimes UK report suggested Italian champions AC Milan could be hunting for the Reds' goalkeeper Pepe Reina after the Italian club's coach, Massimiliano Allegri, was reportedly unhappy with the San Siro first choice Christian Abbiati. In addition, the fact Abbiati will turn 35 this summer meant there was one more reason for Allegri to move for Spain's number three keeper.

The Anfield club, as of now, has four goal keepers (according to the official Web site) - Reina, Australian Brad Jones, Italian Alexander Doni and Hungarian Peter Gulasci. Should Reina leave, Rodgers is extremely unlikely to trust any of his three back-up shot-stoppers to be first-choice. This means Liverpool will be forced to dip into the transfer market and spend big money on signing a new first choice keeper. A report in the Mirror suggests Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyon's Hugo Lloris may be the replacement.

The 25 year old, who is also the captain of his country, is understood to be happy at Lyon, although the Mirror report says club chairman Jean-Michael Aulas revealed, before the 2012 Euros, Lloris told him he could move if a "great European club" came calling.

Incidentally, Liverpool will not be the first English club to register an interest in Lloris. Bitter rivals Manchester United were reported to be interested in the Frenchman back in early 2011, when they were searching for a long-term replacement for the outgoing Dutchman Edwin van der Saar. Furthermore, before the Red Devils' interest, Lloris was also a target, ironically, for AC Milan. In any case, although Lloris admitted he was "flattered" by the links, nothing came of it and Sir Alex Ferguson eventually signed Atletico Madrid's David De Gea.

Meanwhile, Milan continue to shore up their goal keeping ranks. A statement on the club's official Web site has confirmed the signing of young Brazilian keeper Gabriel from Cruzeiro, for an undisclosed fee. A report on Goal.com added the 19 year old has already been capped at the U20 level for his country and represented the club's third signing of the season, after deals had been struck for Italian midfielder Riccardo Montolivo and Malian midfielder Bakaye Traore.