Liverpool set for transfer boost as midfielder closes on move

Liverpool are reportedly set for an unexpected boost to their transfer kitty as one former Reds midfielder closes in on a return to La Liga.

The name of Luis Alberto will hardly send enthusiasm through the Anfield faithful after he endured an underwhelming spell with the club.

After joining Liverpool in a £6.8million deal from Sevilla in June 2013, the once-capped Spain international went on to make just nine appearances during a three-year stay with the Reds.

After spending season-long loan spells with Malaga and Deportivo La Coruna, Alberto secured a permanent move to Serie A club Lazio in August 2016.

He has rebuilt his reputation in Italy after scoring 40 goals and providing 60 assists in over 200 appearances for Lazio and he helped the club to their Coppa Italia Final win over Atalanta in 2019.

Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport have reported Alberto is in talks over a return to former club Sevilla and they are said to have made an unsuccessful bid of around £13million over the last week.

Negotiations are ongoing and Lazio are believed to be demanding a fee closer to £20million and that could hand a boost to Liverpool’s coffers.

The Reds are due up to 30% of any deal Lazio secure for their midfielder as part of the agreement that took Alberto to Serie A six years ago.

It is unclear whether any funds secured by the sale of their former midfielder could go towards helping Jurgen Klopp boost his depleted options in the middle of the park after the likes of Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all missed Saturday’s draw at Fulham.

Speaking about the injury situation, the Reds boss said: "It's clear we said we don't need a midfielder as we have enough. We actually do have enough.

"The problem now is we have been punished for something which is not our responsibility. Things like this can happen. There's nothing we could do about this. Naby is ill and maybe he'll be back

"With Thiago, it's not good but we will see. A transfer must make sense, now and in the long term.

“We still have eight midfielders, just some of them are injured at the moment. It's not a good situation at all, but we won't panic. We have to see how we react.”