Liverpool Reportedly Enter Surprising Transfer Battle For Fiorentina Striker

With quality depth in Liverpool's attack, adding a middle-of-the-road attacking midfielder or striker this summer did not figure to be priority.

Nonetheless, plenty of strange rumors connecting Liverpool to such players have persisted, even as the Reds look to shed the wages of Christian Benteke, Mario Balotelli and others from their payroll.

The newest rumor is that Liverpool have joined a six-team race to sign Fiorentina forward Josip Ilicic, who netted 15 times in all competitions this past campaign. Other interested teams include the likes of Leicester City, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Watford and West Brom, with the Foxes reportedly closest to landing a deal.

Fiorentina have valued the Slovenian international at £11.5 million, according to Football Italia.

An attacking midfielder in his late-20s, Ilicic is a solid player without much potential to develop past his current skill set. As such, he's not a great fit for a Liverpool team well stocked in playmaking midfielders and looking to set the foundation for long term success.

For a cut-rate price with European football to be played, he could have been an interesting depth piece at Anfield. Neither of those things exist, however, so it's difficult to see a deal going through.