Liverpool are interested in bringing Wesley Sneijder to
Anfield - but only if the Inter Milan midfielder agrees to take a massive pay
cut.
The Holland international will leave Italy during the
current transfer window after being frozen out at Inter and he's stalling over
an offer from Galatasaray as he favours a move to the Premier League.
The Reds have yet to make an official approach for Sneijder
but the player's representatives are aware of the club's interest.
Boss Brendan Rodgers is a big admirer of the 28-year-old and
believes he would be a world-class acquisition to his Liverpool squad.
However, one major stumbling block is Sneijder's salary. He
earns an eye-watering 6.5million euros a year (£5.4million) after tax in Italy.
In the UK that is the equivalent of a basic wage of £200,000 per week.
With Liverpool having slashed their inflated wage bill over
the past year and offered more performance-related contracts there is no chance
of them offering anywhere near that figure.
However, if Sneijder lowers his demands in a bid to realise
his dream of playing in England then the Reds will look to hold talks.
Inter are desperate to get Sneijder off their wage bill and
have agreed a 7.5million euros (£6.3million) transfer fee with Galatasaray.
The Turkish side are willing to pay him £100,000 per week
after tax but he's dragging his heels over a move to Istanbul.
Galatasaray president Unal Aysal wants an answer by this
weekend but Sneijder has made it clear he won't be rushed into making a
decision on his future.
"I am considering my options," he said.
"It's not a question of money. I have time to decide
what to do and where to go before January 31."
Sneijder, who was a World Cup finalist with Holland in 2010,
started his career at Ajax before moving to Real Madrid for 27million euros in
2007.
Two years later he went to Inter for 15million euros and in
his first season in Italy he helped Jose Mourinho's side win both Serie A and
the Champions League.
However, he has been hampered by injuries over the past two
seasons and fell out with the club's hierarchy earlier this term after
rejecting their request to take a pay cut.
Sneijder, who is under contract with Inter until 2015,
hasn't played since September and needs a fresh start in order to rekindle his
international career.
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