Liverpool make £18.5 million bid for starlet

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish made a new £18.5 million bid for Sunderland's England U21 midfielder Jordan Henderson on Sunday.

Dalglish increased his opening offer from last week by almost £5 million as he goes for a quick deal, hoping to tie up Henderson as the Kop's first summer signing before the European finals start this weekend.

Henderson is waiting on the call to head for Merseyside for talks and a medical - although Sunderland believe they may yet get more out of the Anfield club.

Sunderland insiders are shocked by how quickly Liverpool have upped their offer. They were thinking of a £16 million sale, but now their negotiators reckon they may get even more.

Henderson has been briefed about Liverpool's ongoing and increasing interest and it seems sure that he will take the move - despite his allegiances to the Black Cats.

Liverpool are also willing to quadruple his salary to more than £60,000-a-week and that is bound to turn the head of the starlet who was in good form for Stuart Pearce's under-21s yesterday.

Sunderland chief Steve Bruce - currently on holiday - is leaving the thrashing out of a fee to his money men but hopeful that his own transfer kitty may be swollen dramatically in the next day or two.

Source: Daily Mirror

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