Liverpool and Everton transfer rumours rated: Mohamed Salah wants £380,000 p/w, Toffees eyeing Nabil Fekir

The insatiable demand for transfer news means that the rumour mills continues to churn even in the middle of windows.

There’s plenty of gossip on both sides of Merseyside as Everton and Liverpool have a hiatus from fixtures during the international break.

We take a look at the latest hearsay coming out of Anfield and Goodison Park and give our verdict whether such talk might actually come to fruition.

Salah’s contract demands

Mo Salah is demanding between £300,000 and £380,000 per week to sign a new deal at Liverpool, claims The Independent.

The Egyptian has started the season in scintillating form, netting nine goals in as many games - with his latest strike a magnificent one in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Manchester City.

Salah's current deal expires in the summer of 2023 and he remains in negotiations about extending his stay.

He supposedly earns £200,000 per week as things stand, with Virgil van Dijk top earner on £220,000 per week after committing his future in the summer.

- Rumour rated: in truth, it wouldn't be a huge surprise. Salah has established himself as arguably the best player in the Premier League.

Kevin De Bruyne also lays claim to that title. Apparently, Man City pay the midfielder the top end of what Salah is demanding.

The likes Manchester United keeper David de Gea (£375,000 per week), Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku (£325,000 per week) and City's Jack Grealish (£300,000 per week) are the players who also presently net more.

Salah will feel he deserves to be rubbing shoulders with all of those.

The new figures mentioned is far more reasonable than the £500,000 demand that was reported last month.

Fekir wanted by Blues

Everton are keeping tabs on Nabil Fekir, as per Fichajes.

Fekir memorably almost joined Liverpool in the summer of 2018 before the deal broke down. He instead joined Real Betis from Lyon a year later.

Now the France international has come onto the Toffees' radar.

However, Premier League rivals Arsenal and West Ham are also showing interest.

- Rumour rated: Rafa Benitez does not currently have an out-and-out attacking midfielder at Goodison Park. There's no natural player to take up the number-10 role if Everton switched from a 4-4-2 formation to 4-2-3-1.

However, Fekir's price tag might be the concern. His Betis deal expires in June 2023 and he's valued at £22.5 million, according to Transfermrkt.

Could Everton pay such a fee given their financial fair play restraints? It’s unlikely given they also need to recruit in other areas.

And at the age of 28, Fekir would have little sell-on value.

A name to excite Evertonians but perhaps one that may be a tad fanciful.

Reds track next De Bruyne

Coming back to the aforementioned De Bruyne, Liverpool are said to be closing in on his successor - if the Daily Mirror's report is to be believed.

Kacper Kozlowski, of Polish outfit Pognon Szczecin, is on Reds sporting director Michael Edwards' radar.

The 18-year-old has already recorded three goals and two assists in 12 games for Pognon this season.

He also featured twice for Poland at Euro 2020.

Liverpool could have to wait until next summer to land him, however, with Pognon reluctant to sell midway through the campaign.

- Rumour rated: the Reds are a club that sign fledgling talents who have potential.

Just look at their business in recent seasons. Harvey Elliott is, of course, the poster boy for such a transfer tactic.

However, Kaide Gordon looks another shrewd purchase after his debut against Norwich last month, while Brazilian keeper Marcelo Pitaluga was bought a year ago.

Rather than paying large fees, Liverpool know recruiting players with potential and honing them under their watch can offer far better value for money.

Toffees could move for Roma ace

Fichajes have also claimed that Everton are looking to snap up Gonzalo Villar from AS Roma in January.

It is said that the Serie A outfit want to recoup the £3.4 million transfer fee they paid for the midfielder in 2019.

Villar has made just three appearances for Roma so far this season - all in the Europa Conference League.

- Rumour rated: this seems more like it. The transfer fee reported would be in Everton's budget after adding to the coffers following the departure of James Rodriguez.

Clearly, Villar isn't in Jose Mourinho's plans in Italy, having yet to play a league game for the ex-Chelsea boss.

Although Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan have started the season in excellent form for the Blues, there are some question marks about the strength in depth behind them.

Villar seems a sound option on paper, having played 47 times for Roma in all competitions last term.

But Everton might have to shift on either Andre Gomez, Fabian Delph, Jean-Philippe Gbamin or Tom Davies first.

Aged 23, Villar would also have a decent sell-on value if he progressed on Merseyside.

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