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The Reds will return to Champions League action on Wednesday when they face Sevilla at Anfield.
Liverpool began their Champions League group stage campaign with a 2-2 draw with Sevilla at Anfield on Wednesday.
Liverpool endured a frustrating afternoon at Anfield as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley on Saturday.
Liverpool is keen to make up for the frustration of Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Burnley.
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The London side will match Liverpool's asking price of around £15m, but the 24-year-old is unsure about the move ahead of a World Cup year.
It is understood interest from former club Newcastle United has cooled.
West Ham are expected to bid for Vitesse Arnhem's Wilfried Bony if Carroll rejects their approach.
The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international finished as 31-goal top scorer in the Dutch league this season, but West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has made no secret about Carroll being his main summer target,
Meanwhile, Carroll has withdrawn from the England squad for the upcoming friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil because of a heel injury.
Carroll was signed by Kenny Dalglish and moved to Liverpool on transfer deadline day in January 2011, for what remains a record fee for a British player of £35m.
He had impressed by scoring 31 times for his boyhood club Newcastle United in 81 appearances, but his time at Anfield was short lived.
Coupled with the arrival of Brendan Rodgers and a new style of play, Carroll's return of just six goals in 44 outings for Liverpool saw him loaned to West Ham in late August 2012.
Despite a knee injury ruling him out for December, Carroll scored seven times for Allardyce's side during the season, form which encouraged the West Ham boss to pursue a permanent deal.
"If we can start with Andy Carroll, that would be a great achievement for us as he can only get better and better," he said after West Ham's weekend win over Reading.
"Then we build around that in terms of how we want to improve next year, with better quality.
"Andy is a player who is wanting to enjoy his football. He lives for his football and wants to play every game. He wants to use his strengths and score as many as he can - but he also works very hard for the team."
Whether the deal goes through appears to rest with Carroll, who has said he has "enjoyed every minute" of his loan spell in London.
"I have had a great season here at West Ham, really enjoyed being part of a great set of lads in the team, with the staff around us and the fans," Carroll told the club's official website.
"Everyone has been so welcoming to me and I have been over the moon to be here. This is a great club."
Source: BBC UK
This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.
Aspas' release clause is believed to stand at €10m but that will drop by almost a third if relegation is confirmed. Reds' boss Brendan Rodgers believes a cut-price fee for the 25-year-old could be a steal and he may have a point. Aspas has 11 goals and six assists from 32 league starts, which means he has had a hand, directly, in half of his side's goals this campaign.
A salary of £45,000 per week has reportedly been agreed but Rodgers' former club, Swansea City, have also shown interest and could look to make a second bargain signing from La Liga in as many years, after signing Rayo Vallecano forward Michu last summer.
Meanwhile, Rodgers has already confirmed the Anfield club will add, despite a meager summer budget, at least two attacking players to the first team. The Northern Irishman has Uruguayan Luis Suarez, England international Daniel Sturridge and young Brazilian Philippe Coutinho as his first choice attacking line but wants cover and reinforcements.
Liverpool fans are used to having a player in Luis Suarez that so ferociously divides opinion. They’ve taken to the Uruguayan as one of their own, irrelevant of the opinions Suarez’s detractors hold.
It will make fascinating viewing then, if another contentious character in Iago Aspas turns out for them.
Aspas too, is of that 'love to have him on your team, hate to play against him' mould. He also happens to be a very, very good footballer.
The 25-year-old plays each game like it’s his last, getting in the faces of opponents and going to the ends of the earth for his team. He’s energy, enthusiasm, and endeavour. But he’s also skill and sublime.
He was born in Moana, a town of just 20,000 in Galician. At school he was a terror too, constantly distracted in lessons with only focus on football.
Asked what his favourite moment as a Celta fan was he didn’t mention a goal, or assist, he recalled when Wagner infamously booted Diego Tristan in the air during a Galician derby.
It was in 2010/2011 that he first rose to prominence, scoring 23 goals in 35 games as Celta pushed towards a return to Spain’s top flight.
He played as a lone striker in the Segunda that season, working in tandem with the various support acts he was handed. His coach at the time was a certain ex-Liverpool man in Paco Herrera, part of that glorious Champions League victory steered by Rafa Benitez.
Herrera had to handle Aspas with care, for he was always on the brink of breaking.
That season he played for every single fan that entered the stadium; would chase lost causes, formed the first part of defence from his attacking role, put in tackles and of course, scored goals.
He’s a passionate character too, constantly muttering to himself when moving around the field and when against an opponent engaging in some exchanged words. It motivated him, psyched himself up. It rarely did not produce an end product.
Aspas' transition from Segunda to Primera was seemingly effortless for the player. He managed three goals in his opening seven games, and as it stands has 11 in 32 matches.
There's a common misconception that Aspas is just a tenacious striker, but there's much more to him than that. He’s a creator too, marking down six assists and generally being the centre of everything good his team produces.
Aspas can drop off into midfield and start attacks, move into the channels and take players on with pace – particularly on the right hand side, where he likes to drift in from with a drop of the shoulder. He can also play on the shoulder like a number 9, offering a team verticality in their play.
His movement is one of the most impressive aspects of his game, harnessing a sweet change of direction and burst of pace. Although he doesn’t have great strength or power, he puts his body between the ball and an opponent intelligently while using skill or that pace to jet away.
His stature and skill set makes him a slippery character, difficult to contain. Out-and-out striker, inverted winger, second striker – Aspas would do any of these roles justice. He is though most at home in that second striker berth.
Aspas is seen as a Jekyll and Hyde character, so much so his ex-coach Herrera referred to him as part Messi and part monster. The latter part came to fruition in two incidents this season; one when he had to be substituted by Herrera to avoid being sent off then another when he head-butted an opponent and was banned for four games. All the while, Celta fans still sung the name of their hero who they felt represented them.
The truth is Aspas had many faces and many talents, and if he can channel that passion he has in the right direction he’ll accomplish great things.
Source: Mirror
This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.
Liverpool manager Rodgers has targeted highly-rated Greece international Kyriakos Papadopoulos, and will table a firm £13.5million offer for the centre-half.
At just 21, Papadopoulos has the right age profile for a big Anfield signing but already has vast experience, having become the youngest-ever player in the Greek league at the age of 15 and won 14 caps.
His performances with Olympiacos earned him a move to Schalke, and he helped the Germans reach the later stages of the Champions League before turning down a £16m move to Russia's Zenit St Petersburg.
Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City have all monitored his progress in the Bundesliga, but Liverpool have been in contact with the player's father and believe he would choose Anfield.
The Reds will first need a medical thumbs-up on a knee problem that kept him out for the second half of the season, but are expected to make a formal approach within the next week.
Rodgers also wants £7m-rated right-back Sam Byram from Championship side Leeds.
The Yorkshire club have resigned themselves to losing the talented 19-year-old - also a target for Everton - and have already lined up Manchester City starlet Reese Wabara as a replacement.
Source: Liverpool FC
This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.
The Reds captain struck home from the spot with eight minutes remaining of an end-to-end contest to seal the three points.
Luis Suarez had put the Reds ahead on 21 minutes with a slick instant finish from Jose Enrique's pass in the box.
Spurs equalised just before half-time when centre-back Jan Vertonghen headed Gareth Bale's centre home from yards out.
The visitors' No.5 then put them in front shortly after the break when he lashed home a loose ball in the box from a free-kick the Reds couldn't clear to safety.
But Liverpool levelled on 66 minutes when Hugo Lloris made a mess of trying to deal with a wayward back pass, allowing Stewart Downing to go through on goal and drill into the net with the 'keeper out of position.
Then it was left to Gerrard to have the final say after Beniot Assou-Ekotto had brought down Suarez in the box - and the No.8 made no mistake with a low finish to clinch victory and move the Reds up to sixth in the Barclays Premier League.
The pre-match team news confirmed Pepe Reina would miss the contest due to injury, with Brad Jones deputising in the absence of the Spaniard. Daniel Sturridge, however, returned to an attack-minded starting XI after a knock.
Meanwhile, Jamie Carragher notched up his 500th league appearance for the club - only the second man to do so in Anfield history following Ian Callaghan.
Full report: Official Liverpool FC
Stunning long-range goals from Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard helped Liverpool to a 2-2 draw against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The Reds made a positive start to the contest, but were underdone midway through the opening period when Edin Dzeko ghosted into the box to convert James Milner's low centre from close range.
But Liverpool levelled up before the half-hour mark when Daniel Sturridge fired into the bottom corner from distance.
The visitors began to dominate and they got the goal their display merited when Steven Gerrard netted with a volley from distance after pouncing on Gael Clichy's clearance.
However, City secured a point when Sergio Aguero beat Pepe Reina to a long ball into the box and netted from a tight angle to ensure the points were shared.
Following the spirited midweek draw at Arsenal, Brendan Rodgers elected to make just one change to his line up with the fit-again Jose Enrique replacing Andre Wisdom in defence.
The Reds had impressed right from the off at the Emirates, but within 60 seconds of the game getting underway at the Etihad, Pepe Reina was required to tip a stinging David Silva drive over the bar.
Liverpool stood up firmly to the host's early pressure and, on 14 minutes, carved out a brilliant opening when a free-flowing move resulted in Sturridge touching a lofted pass into the box beyond Joe Hart, but Pablo Zabaleta was on hand to prevent the striker from turning the ball into the unguarded net.
Full report: Official Liverpool FC
On a day when the club signed another striker in Daniel Sturridge, top scorer Luis Suarez took his tally for the season to 18 - one more than his total for 2011-12.
He also assisted the opener for Raheem Sterling as the Reds made it three wins from four festive fixtures and climbed to eighth in the table.
Ineligible to play after signing a contract earlier in the day, Sturridge will have liked what he saw from the directors' box. Just as they did at QPR three days ago, the Reds established a firm lead inside the opening 45 minutes - and again Suarez was central.
The first might have come through Stewart Downing on 12 minutes when both Suarez and Steven Gerrard stood aside to allow him a dead ball effort. The England man didn't disappoint but was denied by a scampering save from Simon Mignolet.
Instead it was Sterling who secured the opener on 18 minutes, the second goal of his first full season in the Liverpool team. His lob over the visiting goalkeeper followed fine work from Suarez, who in one movement twisted his body and launched a ball over the top of the Sunderland defence.
Martin O'Neill's side had several chances to breach the Kop net in the first period, but James McLean was twice wasteful with just Pepe Reina to beat. The Liverpool goalkeeper had to work harder to prevent Matt Kilgallon scoring with a half-volley from close range but he was up to the task with a superb reflex save.
Full report: Official Liverpool FC
The 23-year-old becomes our first signing of the January transfer window after penning a long-term contract at Melwood today.
Afterwards he told Liverpoolfc.com of his joy at sealing the deal.
"I am humbled and happy to be here," said Sturridge.
"Brendan Rodgers said he sees me here for a long time - and I also see myself here for a long time. I've not signed here to play for a couple of years and then move on.
"I've signed to be here for as long as possible. It's a humongous club - for me, one of the biggest in the world - and to have the fans and world-class players we have here is amazing."
Sturridge began his professional career at Manchester City, where he finished top-scorer as City lifted the FA Youth Cup in 2008.
Source: Official Liverpool FC
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