Liverpool to beat Sunderland to Aly Cissokho after deal for Lorenzo Melgarejo collapses
LIVERPOOL have agreed terms with Valencia's Aly Cissokho over a one year loan deal with the option of a permanent transfer.
By: Ben Jefferson
Published: Tue, August 6, 2013
Aly Cissokho looks set to join Liverpool
According to reports in Spain, Liverpool stepped up their interest in the French international after a deal for Benfica's Lorenzo Melgarejo fell through, quashing Sunderland's hopes of luring Cissoko to the Stadium of light.
It is thought that Liverpool will pay Valencia €1m (£870,000) for the initial loan period with an option to sign the player permanently at the end of the season for €4m (£3.5m).
Aly Cissokho was also a target for Sunderland
Lorenzo Melgarejo's Liverpool deal collapsed over a work permit
Cissokho will now compete with Jose Enrique for the starting left-back spot in Brendan Rodgers' team.
The signing brings the end to a summer-long search for reinforcements down the left for Liverpool with Brendan Rodgers on the record as acknowledging the position is an area that needed strengthening.
Late last month Rodgers said: "There are obviously certain areas of the squad where we're a bit thinner than others.
"We probably need a bit more support - that extra bit of quality - at the top end of the field and that's something we'll look out for.
"That'll be mixed with needing cover in the left-back position - that's something we're looking at. It's not really about numbers, it's about quality.
"If we can do that over the next number of weeks we'll be happy."
Luis Enrique will have competition at left-back
Brendan Rodgers identified left-back as an area of weakness
Liverpool thought they had addressed the problem after reaching an agreement with Benfica over Lorenzo Melgarejo, only for the deal for the one-cap Paraguayan to collapse over an inability to secure a work permit.
The news comes as a blow to Sunderland who had hoped for better news on Cissokho after a deal for Argentine full-back Gino Peruzzi was scuppered after the player failed a medical, leaving the out-of-favour Phil Bardsley as the only specialist full-back on the Black Cats' books.
LIVERPOOL have agreed terms with Valencia's Aly Cissokho over a one year loan deal with the option of a permanent transfer.
By: Ben Jefferson
Published: Tue, August 6, 2013
Aly Cissokho looks set to join Liverpool
According to reports in Spain, Liverpool stepped up their interest in the French international after a deal for Benfica's Lorenzo Melgarejo fell through, quashing Sunderland's hopes of luring Cissoko to the Stadium of light.
It is thought that Liverpool will pay Valencia €1m (£870,000) for the initial loan period with an option to sign the player permanently at the end of the season for €4m (£3.5m).
Lorenzo Melgarejo's Liverpool deal collapsed over a work permit
Cissokho will now compete with Jose Enrique for the starting left-back spot in Brendan Rodgers' team.
The signing brings the end to a summer-long search for reinforcements down the left for Liverpool with Brendan Rodgers on the record as acknowledging the position is an area that needed strengthening.
Late last month Rodgers said: "There are obviously certain areas of the squad where we're a bit thinner than others.
"We probably need a bit more support - that extra bit of quality - at the top end of the field and that's something we'll look out for.
"That'll be mixed with needing cover in the left-back position - that's something we're looking at. It's not really about numbers, it's about quality.
"If we can do that over the next number of weeks we'll be happy."
Luis Enrique will have competition at left-back
Brendan Rodgers identified left-back as an area of weakness
Liverpool thought they had addressed the problem after reaching an agreement with Benfica over Lorenzo Melgarejo, only for the deal for the one-cap Paraguayan to collapse over an inability to secure a work permit.
The news comes as a blow to Sunderland who had hoped for better news on Cissokho after a deal for Argentine full-back Gino Peruzzi was scuppered after the player failed a medical, leaving the out-of-favour Phil Bardsley as the only specialist full-back on the Black Cats' books.
