Friday's Liverpool transfer rumours
Friday 16 June 2017 09:58, UK
All the latest Liverpool transfer news and rumours from across the British and European press on Friday, June 16.
Liverpool want to raise funds for new transfers by selling defender Mamadou Sakho for £30m, full-back Alberto Moreno for £12m and forward Lazar Markovic for £20m, says The Times.
All three are unwanted at Anfield next season by manager Jurgen Klopp, with both Sakho and Markovic having spent the second half of the previous campaign out on loan at Crystal Palace and Hull City respectively, while Moreno was just a bit-part player under the German.
The Reds, meanwhile, are yet to receive an offer from Newcastle United for midfielder Lucas Leiva, says the Liverpool Echo.
Magpies manager Rafael Benitez, who was then in charge of the Merseysiders, brought the Brazilian to Anfield from Gremio 10 years ago.
The 30-year-old's contract at the club runs out at the end of June, meaning he will be available on a free this summer.
Elsewhere, Liverpool are still to make a decision on where goalkeeper Danny Ward will play next season, reports the Echo.
The Wales international spent the previous campaign out on loan at Huddersfield Town, helping the club get promoted to the Premier League in the process, with the Terriers understood to be keen to bring the player back to the Kirklees Stadium this summer.
Watford are hoping to capture out-of-favour Liverpool winger Markovic this summer, says the Mirror.
New Hornets head coach Marco Silva signed the Serb on a six-month loan deal in January while in charge of Hull, with the Portuguese understood to be keen on being reunited with the 23-year-old.
And finally, Porto left-back Rafa Soares has claimed he his "flattered" to have been identified as a potential target by Liverpool, according to reports in the Daily Mirror.
However, the Portugal U21 international insists that he wants to establish himself in the Porto first team next season after spending the second half of the previous campaign on loan at both Academica de Coimbra and Rio Ave.
"I know I've been followed by English clubs especially after our campaign," Soares is quoted as saying. "Liverpool are a great club and to be linked is an enormous honour for me.
"I'm naturally flattered, but I'm a Porto player and focused on succeeding here.
"My main goal is to establish myself and get first-team football. I feel ready and confident that after my last season I will be given a chance."
