Done Deal? 'Excellent' €19m South American striker heading to Liverpool this summer

The rumours linking Ezequiel Lavezzi with Liverpool simply refuse to die, and new reports this week suggest once again that the Reds are close to sealing a deal for the Argentinian attacker.

In October, The Mirror claimed that Liverpool were planning a gigantic £30m January offer for Lavezzi, and according to Friday's Daily Express:

* PSG want to replace Lavezzi - and his huge wages - with Andriy Yarmolenko

* The Argentine attacking is consequently 'heading to Liverpool' in the summer.

It's easy to see Lavezzi's appeal to Rodgers:

* Versatile, and can play as striker, or out wide.
* Works very hard on the field, and is good defensively.
* Has pace, which is always a plus for any attacking player.

Lavezzi is the archetypal Rodgers player, and Argentina boss Alejandro Sabella underlined this last summer, when he highlighted his positive influence. He enthused:

"Players like Lavezzi are always very positive, because they keep players happy. They keep a nice atmosphere in the group. And Lavezzi is an excellent player. He never makes negative comments, and he is always supporting the team."

Creative stats for PSG:

* 27 goals/19 assists in 124 appearances,
* Goal every 4.5 games.
* Goal/assist every 2.6 games.

With Sturridge's susceptibility to injury, it's a priority to have another quality forward player who is seemingly impervious to injury, and Lavezzi - nicknamed 'The Beast' by the Argentina media - certainly fits the bill:

* 312 appearances in the last 7 years.
* Averages 40 games a season.
* Missed only 12 games through injury in the last 10 years.

An enticing record, but PSG reportedly want €19m (£14m) for Lavezzi, which is (arguably) way too much.

Liverpool legend Phil Thompson is a fan of Lavezzi, and in January, he called for the Reds to sign the attacker. He told Sky Sports:

“With Brendan playing Raheem up front on his own, I would like to see an experienced striker come in, like Gonzalo Higuain or Ezequiel Lavezzi. They’ve always been my favoured targets".

If Lavezzi is genuinely 'heading to Liverpool' this summer, then it'll probably be for a smaller fee as I can't imagine FSG sanctioning €19m for a player who turns 30 in a few months.

Author: Jaimie K