LIVERPOOL'S efforts to secure a marquee summer signing have seen them turn to Brazilian star Willian, who is available as part of a fire sale at Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala.

Liverpool are confident of matching the asking price of £30million and paying Willian's £100,000-a-week wages, but are acutely aware their absence from the Champions League counts against them.

Willian is keen to play in England, and Tottenham have also been monitoring the midfielder since a failed bid to sign him last season.

Willian only moved to Anzhi from Shakhtar Donetsk in January for £34m. Since then, the Russian club's billionaire owner Suleyman Kerimov has embarked on a huge cost-cutting exercise with all of Anzhi's squad, including Samuel Eto'o, effectively put up for sale.

The capture of Willian would represent the eye-catching signing Rodgers has been seeking to make and his ability to play on either flank behind a main striker fits in with the manager's blueprint.

Rodgers said at the weekend he wanted someone to play "top left" that would enable him to move Coutinho into a No10 role behind Sturridge.

Reds managing director Ian Ayre was in Spain yesterday trying to close a £5m deal for Granada left-back Guilherme Siqueira.

Source: Daily Express