Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi has been linked to a January move to Liverpool, with manager Jurgen Klopp said to be keen on expanding his options up front.

Bruce Archer of the Daily Express cites CalcioMercato.com, who claims the Reds are tracking the Argentina international with a view to a midseason move. It’s suggested the 22-year-old forward is valued at £25 million and that he’s previously named Liverpool as a team he would be open to playing for in the future.

There’s no denying Icardi has the ability to be a big success in English football, despite a patchy start to life with the Nerazzurri this season. Here’s what he is capable of:

At the moment, Icardi is the main striker in Roberto Mancini’s Inter side, a team that is primarily geared towards defensive play. His form has suffered as a result, and should someone like Liverpool come in for the striker—with the Reds seeming set to play a more daring style of football under Jurgen Klopp—then it’d be tempting to make a move.

Indeed, Icardi has shown previously he has a taste for the big occasion and would potentially relish a stage such as Anfield. As these statistics show from OptaPaolo, the young forward is very much a big-game player:

He’d also add something different to the Liverpool attack. As a skilful operator who can float between the lines, play up against defenders and run in behind, Icardi is a much more rounded forward than any the Reds have on their books. Daniel Sturridge could offer a similar threat, but he is far too unreliable when it comes to injuries.

Inter would be tough to negotiate with in January, though. Some big spending in the summer window suggests the San Siro side are serious about challenging again this season, and you suspect Icardi is a player who will be a massive part of the team’s plans.

 

Victor Valdes Close to Espanyol Move

Manchester United’s marginalised goalkeeper Victor Valdes is set to ignore interest from Liverpool and Newcastle United to join La Liga side Espanyol.

According to Goal.com (h/t Charles Perrin of the Daily Express) the former Barcelona man is getting very close to ending his stay at the Red Devils, which has seen him become an outcast under manager Louis van Gaal. Perrin notes the interest of the two Premier League sides, but it seems as though Valdes is likely to return to Catalonia.

As we can see here, at his best, Valdes is a wonderful goalkeeper:

Even though Valdes has been long out of favour at Old Trafford, the Red Devils and Liverpool are such bitter rivals, they do not typically engage in transfer business. It means the prospects of the goalkeeper making the switch to Merseyside were always pretty unlikely.

At full fitness, Valdes would be an upgrade on Liverpool’s current first choice between the sticks, Simon Mignolet. The Spain international has not played regular football for nearly two years now, though, and he needs to find a team where he can be afforded that luxury. Espanyol, who lost Kiko Casilla to Real Madrid in the summer, would be an ideal suitor.

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