Liverpool are reportedly targeting a £9.5 million move for River Plate striker Lucas Alario, while the Reds face competition from Sevilla in the race to land Anderlecht starlet Dennis Praet during the summer transfer window, according to the latest rumours.

Per Mike McGrath of the Sun, Reds manager Jurgen Klopp plans to overhaul his attacking options this summer, and Liverpool scouts have been watching Alario ahead of a possible summer move.

The 23-year-old joined River Plate from Colon last summer and immediately made his mark at the club by scoring the opener in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final. He has only improved since then, as you can see in the video below (warning: NSFW lyrics):

Per WhoScored.com, he hasn’t missed his start to the new campaign, either:

Alario has a natural feel for playing inside the box and moves exceptionally well in limited space, displaying quick footwork to create room for shots. He always seems to position himself in the right place to connect with crosses, and he’s a solid finisher with both feet and his head.

But perhaps his biggest asset is his versatility. He shows a surprising turn of speed and does plenty of damage on the counter-attack, and he even has the playmaking abilities to get his fellow forwards involved inside the box.

His ability to move in space would make him a strong fit for Klopp‘s attacking system based around pressing high and hitting at pace. River Plate use similar tactics, and so far, he has done exceptionally well during his time at the club.

Alario has already told TyC Sports (h/t Daily Express‘ David Wright) he would love to move to Anfield, saying: “Tell them to contact me. Given the choice, I’d like to experience the Premier League, and I’d like to play for Liverpool. I always select them when I play football on the PlayStation.”

While that’s great news for Liverpool, River Plate are unlikely to part with the youngster so shortly after bringing him into the squad, and they’ll hold out for a sizable fee. Per Wright, the likes of Ajax and Inter Milan have also expressed an interest, and those two clubs could drive the price up even further.

If the Reds really want Alario, you have to assume they’ll go all out to land him, and a summer move would definitely be possible. But the young forward won’t come cheap, and there are always risks involved with moving for South American talent with limited experience.

Elsewhere, Fichajes.net (h/t Daily Star‘s Colin Harvey) believe Sevilla will battle the Reds for Praet, Anderlecht‘s attacking midfielder who was linked with Liverpool back in January.

The 21-year-old has been a regular in Anderlecht‘s midfield for years and has already won the Gouden Schoen, the award for the best player in the Belgian league. Here’s a look at some of his highlights:

Praet has been a well-known talent for years, yet another member of Anderlecht‘s Purple Talents program that seems to produce star youngsters on a yearly basis. But the attacking midfielder has failed to take the next step in his progression in the last two seasons, and his 2015-16 campaign hasn’t been his greatest.

He’s likely to leave Anderlecht this summer, but at this point in time, he doesn’t seem ready to make the step up to a top club. According to Kristof Terreur of Het Laatste Nieuws, the persistent links with Liverpool come down to praise Klopp offered him years ago, and little more:

Praet is a ball-dominant midfielder who will remind some of Philippe Countinho, and while he has experience in a wide role, he does his best work through the middle. Liverpool’s squad already boasts a number of players who prefer to ply their trade in such a role, including Coutinho and Adam Lallana, and spending money on a similar player doesn’t make a lot of sense.

The Belgium international is a solid player, but a transfer to the Bundesliga or a smaller Premier League club would probably be the right move for his career.

 

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