Liverpool will demand exciting young striker Christian Tello
in exchange for Barcelona target Pepe Reina.
The Spanish giants believe the knowledge and experience of
former Nou Camp starlet Reina make him the perfect candidate to replace their
first-choice goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who is expected to leave the club in the
summer.
Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers has consistently maintained he
doesn't want to lose the Spanish international, but he would be prepared to
listen if Barca throw Spain Under-21 forward Tello into the mix.
Tello, regarded as a coming man in Spanish football, can
operate both as a central striker or wide attacking player - exactly the
versatile sort of forward Rodgers is looking to recruit for the Reds this
summer.
The 21-year-old has a release clause in his contract priced
at around £8.5million, and, after failing to force his way into the starting
line-up at Barca on a regular basis this season, will seriously consider his
options in the summer.
Barcelona have indicated they are ready to spend as much as
£10m to ensure they bring Reina back to a club he graced as a youngster.
The experienced Anfield number one made his debut at the Nou
Camp aged 18, after graduating through the youth academy, and it is his
knowledge of the way the club operates which is so attractive to coach Tito
Vilanova.
The deal will hinge on how Tello, views his future after
making just 11 starts in La Liga this season.
For Rodgers, Tello fits Liverpool's profile perfectly, and
even though he is inclined to keep Reina, he would be sorely tempted to pull
the trigger if a deal could be struck.
Rodgers is keen to build on this season's experience, and
has been massively encouraged by the impact made by exciting young signings
Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge in January.
Meanwhile, Reds' boss Rodgers has admitted his first year at
Anfield has been a struggle at times - but he has been encouraged by the
mentality of his new players, who are in the same mould as Tello, and insisted
he needs more of the same in the summer.
"This year has provided a great learning curve for me
and I look back and see that it was learning that I needed," he explained.
"If we improve our mentality in the summer - by signing
players who have that consistent, winning mentality - we can improve again.
"That's the job of the recruitment team and the club to
identify those types of players. They
might not always be the best players but what we need in the second year of
this project is to find a great level of consistency.
"You build a mentality in your group and you get the
types of players who can be on it every single game.
"I've loved every minute of being here and the small
steps of where we want to go. But now I want to make bigger steps."
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