Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers keen on deal for Luciano Vietto – dubbed 'the new Sergio Aguero'
Brendan Rodgers wants the ‘new’ Sergio Aguero to replace old Liverpool favourite Luis Suarez.
But the Kop boss will have to fork out £12million and fight off interest from Euro giants Real Madrid and Inter Milan to land Villarreal hitman Luciano Vietto.
Rodgers has turned his sights on Vietto, 21, after admitting Italian
flop Mario Balotelli does not suit his team’s style of play.
Former Manchester City striker Balotelli
has failed to shine on his return to the Premier League, and is without
a top flight goal in 10 league outings for the Anfield side this
season.
Rodgers, who signed Balotelli from AC Milan for £16million last summer,
hopes to off-load the maverick marksman in next month’s transfer window -
and has earmarked Vietto as the number one target to take his place.
Vietto has been likened to fellow Argentinian Aguero, who has notched an
incredible 94 goals in 141 games for Manchester City since checking in
at the Etihad as a £38million capture from Atletico Madrid in July 2011.
Rodgers will not expect that kind of phenomenal return from Vietto if he
succeeds in prising him away from the La Liga high fliers.
Nor would he look to the former Argentina under-20 international to
emulate the feat of Suarez, who netted 82 times in 133 outings for
Liverpool before joining Barcelona for £75million five months ago.But
he believes Vietto can be a consistent scorer and grab the goals that
can fire the Reds to a top four finish and another crack at the
Champions League.
Vietto penned a five-year deal when he joined Villarreal from Argentine team Racing Club in a £4.85million switch last August.
And he has already built a reputation as one of European football’s most
feared finishers after plundering 12 goals in 23 league and cup games
for the Spanish outfit.