Liverpool are preparing an offer for Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph in the January window…
Aston Villa are determined to fight off interest from Liverpool for star midfielder Fabian Delph, despite reports claiming that the Reds will launch a £7.5m bid before the January transfer window closes.
According to the Daily Mirror, Kop boss Brendan Rodgers had accepted that Villa’s determination not to sell the England international this month would mean he’d have to wait until the summer.
But after Steven Gerrard revealed that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season, and moving to MLS side LA Galaxy, Liverpool chiefs have apparently decided that they must act now to replace their departing captain.
Liverpool have of course been linked with Delph since the summer. With the player’s contract set to expire later this year – and a new deal looking progressively less likely – he is by all means up for grabs.
But quite whether he fits the bill as a replacement for Gerrard is another matter. The Mirror describes Delph as a tough-tackling and highly mobile player, citing his recent inclusion in the England squad as a sign of his progress.
The 25-year-old, who has also attracted interest from Tottenham, has missed the last couple of months through injury and would be unlikely to come straight into the Liverpool team.
While he would also represent strong cover for Lucas Leiva, who has been linked with Inter Milan, you’d imagine that there are more pressing transfer issues for Rodgers, who is unlikely to have a huge budget to work with.