Liverpool Transfer News & Rumours

Liverpool Launch £20M Lallana Bid

With the season only a day done, Liverpool have already begun their efforts for next year with an official £20M bid for Southampton's Adam Lallana.

By Noel Chomyn@LFCOffside May 12, 2014, 11:02pm BST

Over the final week of the season there were widespread rumours Adam Lallana would be Liverpool's top target this summer and their first signing of the offseason, with the club likely to put all their efforts into securing the attacking midfielder before the World Cup kicked off in June. As it turns out, before the World Cup could turn into before the end of the week, as Liverpool have wasted no time officially tabling a £20M offer for the player.

There were suggestions early in the day coming out of Radio Solent, the BBC's local service for the region including Southampton, that an official bid may have been in progress, and this evening that has been confirmed by the Liverpool Echo. Whether Southampton are willing to quickly wrap up a deal for at or around the £20M Liverpool have offered is, of course, another matter entirely.

With widespread reports that the player's preferred destination this summer is Liverpool, though, both to join Brendan Rodgers' project and also for the chance to compete in the Champions League, most will feel confident of a deal being reached eventually. However, with how obvious Liverpool have made their interest in Lallana, it would hardly be surprising for Southampton to hold out for an at least slightly bigger payday.

Lallana made 43 appearances in all competitions for Southampton this season, scoring 11 goals and adding six assists. Few English players in recent memory have shown as much technical verve and tactical acumen, and having just turned 26 he will be entering his prime, walking into Liverpool the finished product and with at least five seasons at his peak in front of him.

From vision to ball control to workrate, Lallana is one of the most complete attacking players in the Premier League and a perfect fit for Liverpool's system alongside the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Luis Suarez, and fellow Englishmen Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson. He's the perfect signing for a club looking to secure its top four gains and push on for more, and that Liverpool are moving towards securing his services so quickly is wonderful news for the immediate future of the club.

Video by LFC Tiki Taka