Reports: Liverpool Submit Bid for Hellas Verona Midfielder Jorginho

With the ship sailed for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Liverpool's attentions have been forced to turn elsewhere in the window, and while many are hopeful the club focus on defensive-minded reinforcements, most of the links that have emerged are of the attacking sort. Reports yesterday and today have continued that trend, with plenty of digital ink dedicated to the club's interest in Hellas Verona' Jorginho, a Brazilian-born Italian midfielder. Depending on what you read, the have either already submitted a bid, had it accepted, and/or should be set to complete the deal over the coming days.

The interest itself isn't brand new; he was first identified as a potential target a few weeks ago, but as mentioned, pretty much everything has paled in comparison to the ongoing saga surrounding Mkhitaryan. Most have Liverpool bidding somewhere in the region of €7m-€9m for the player's services, which apparently include the potential to cover for Lucas as a deep-lying playmaker.

There's conflicting reports as to whether or not he would be a player expected to slot into the first-team setup right away, as some speculate that he would be loaned out straightaway rather than retained for the coming season. If that's the case, it's slightly confusing--with so much hinging on the form and fitness of Lucas, cover is still needed, and while Jorginho has potential, a loan deal would only serve to drain some of Liverpool's transfer budget while still not addressing one of the key problems heading into the season.

His readiness for regular first-team action in the Premier League is also up for debate, though his style is one that appears to be well-suited for Brendan Rodgers' preferred style of play. Smart on the ball with good vision and an emphasis on retention and recycling, he looks to be the type of midfielder that Rodgers wants to load up on, and if he develops over the next few seasons--either at the club immediately or somewhere else initially--it could prove to be a smart bit of business.

Video by LFCTikiTaka