Liverpool FC has had to admit defeat in their pursuit of Barcelona winger Alexis Sanchez, after having held talks with the 25-year-old Chilean international that now looks set to join Premiership rivals Arsenal.
Liverpool were hoping to make the Sanchez signing all part of a deal that will see Liverpool striker Luis Suarez move to the Nou Camp, but with both Liverpool and Arsenal willing to meet Barcelona’s asking price of £30 million it all came down to the players preference with Sanchez choosing Bond Street over Lime Street.
According to the Liverpool Echo Sanchez asked for time over the weekend to discuss the matter with his family, and is so often the case with top footballers these days they would prefer to live in the capital rather than in the Northwest of the country.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is of course disappointed as he believed Sanchez could have been a vital part of the young team he is building up on Merseyside, but with it now looking like an all cash £75 million for Suarez the Northern Irishman has turned his attention to Benfica winger Lazar Markovic who the Reds expect to sign for £25 million.
At only 20-years-old the young Serb has plenty of years ahead of him with national team coach Ljubinko Drulovic sanctioning the move to Anfield.
“It’ll be good for him and Benfica,” Drulovic said.
“Going to a very strong league will help him even more to become a major player worldwide.
“He’s 20 years old and has a long time to play. Markovic could prove to become a very important player in Europe.”
