Reds Target Parma Striker - Report
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is reportedly looking at Parma's Italian striker Fabio Borini
New Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has already begun planning transfer targets for the 2012/13 season, as he bids to restore the glory days to Anfield.
The Sun reports Rodgers has his eye set on Italian striker Fabio Borini and a £10mn fee is being talked about to help bring the former Chelsea youngster back to England. The 21 year old, incidentally, also played for Swansea, under Rodgers, while on loan, scoring a hugely impressive six goals from nine appearances. As with Sigurdsson though, there seems to be some confusion over Borini's transfer.
In June 2011, BBC reported the striker was set to sign a five year contract with Italian club Parma and would not return to Chelsea after his Swansea loan. However, days later, Goal.com's Italian Web site reported the player had transferred to Roma, on a part-ownership basis, with an option to purchase. As of now, according to a report in the Daily Mail, the option to purchase Borini outright ends, for Roma, on 22 June. This means unless the capital club put up £7mn for his services, Borini will return to Parma. Unfortunately for the Reds, another Goal.com report could well throw a spanner in Liverpool's work, since it seems Parma may not be willing to give up Borini.
"There's nothing to say that he cannot remain at Parma," Tommaso Ghirardi, Parma president, said, "Rome must work out if they are really interested in the player because there have been other enquiries for him. In addition to the Giallorossi, there are also a couple of foreign clubs interested and we must think of what represents the best value for our club."
Meanwhile, long-standing target Gylfi Sigurdsson is still being spoken of as a possible arrival.
There has, however, been some confusion over the Sigurdsson transfer. An earlier statement on the club's official Web site seemed to confirm the permanent transfer of the player from his parent club - Bundesliga side Hoffenheim. The statement indicated the English club would pay a record transfer fee of £6.8mn. Unfortunately for the Swans, once Rodgers was confirmed as Liverpool's new manager, the player reported a change of heart and indicated he wanted to follow his former boss to Anfield. An earlier IBTimes UKreport quoted him as saying he would be happier with Rodgers.
As of now though, it appears it will be difficult for Swansea to complete the transfer, something new manager Michael Laudrup acknowledged in an ESPN report.
"It's a special case," the Dane said during his first meeting with the press as Swansea manager, adding, "He was on loan here and did very well. As far as I know he has a possibility to go to another club. He is owned by a German club. If bigger clubs come with a lot of money it's very difficult to compete."
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