Liverpool’s hunt for a ‘marquee’ centre forward is becoming harder by the day. We now know – if it wasn’t already entirely obvious – that we won’t be signing either Edinson Cavani or Mario Mandzukic.
SEE MORE:
Ranking Liverpool centre-backs of the Premier League era following Skrtel’s new deal
Man City have offered us these three players, but we’ll only sell Sterling for cash
(Video) Emre Can scores sweet goal for Germany Under-21s
We’ve been sporadically linked with both players over recent weeks and months, as we seek out our fourth signing of the summer. However, with both players likely to have their hearts set on playing Champions League football next season, neither deal was ever more than an idea in the mind of us hopeful Liverpool fans.
According to the Daily Mirror, Cavani has decided that he now wants to stay at Paris Saint Germain, despite supposedly having grown frustrated at his role with the French champions (via Sky Sports). The 28-year-old has often been forced to play out wide rather than through the middle, in order to accommodate Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The Mirror – who reference French publication Le10Sport – quote Cavani as saying he remains happy with life in the capital. He said: “I am very happy there and we hope everything will continue as well.”
The same source believes that Mandzukic is likely to move to Juventus. They explain that La Stampa, Gianluca Di Marzio and Gazzetta dello Sport have all reported that an €18m deal is in place, while personal terms have also – supposedly – been agreed.
Mandzukic, who has only spent a year with Atletico Madrid, scored 20 goals in all competitions last season – eleven fewer than Cavani, if you were interested.
Bizarrely, on a day of ‘bad news’ for Liverpool, the Mirror also believes that Stoke City will offer midfielder Steven N’Zonzi a new contract in order to keep him out of the clutches of Brendan Rodgers.
How kind of you, Stoke! We’re not that keen anyway.