Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has revived interest in Schalke center-back Kyriakos Papadopoulos. According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool are willing to part with £13 million for the player.
Rodgers and his recruitment team are believed to have been considering Papadopoulos since the beginning of the transfer window, but were put off by the player's injury record. He is currently recovering from a knee ligament injury and it is unclear whether he will be fit for the start of the season. Hence the completion of the deal is subject to a rigorous medical examination.
With Liverpool already having Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger, Sebastian Coates and Kolo Toure as first-team center-backs the deal could signal the departure of one of those four players. The Daily Mail suggested that it is Skrtel who is on the way out, following Pepe Reina to Napoli on loan.
Should the transfer materialise, Papadopoulos would be the club's fifth signing of the summer along with the aforementioned Toure, Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto and Simon Mignolet.
Aspas Hopes to Win a Place in the First-Team
Recently acquired Liverpool striker Iago Aspas has spoken about the transition to English football and his hopes for the coming season.
"At the beginning it has been a little tougher than the sessions in Spain, but we know there is a little more running involved in this league," Aspas told Liverpool's official website. "However, we do a lot of work with the ball and I think in that respect the sessions are very similar to back in Spain."
The Spaniard's goal for the remainder of the pre-season is to force his way into the starting line-up for the Reds opening day clash against Stoke City.
"I'm working hard every day to try and earn my place on the team sheet for the first game," Aspas continued. "From that moment on it's all about doing as well as I can and gaining confidence to continue to keep my place in the side."
The player has enjoyed a promising start to his Liverpool career, scoring three goals in the club's four pre-season games so far.
