JOURNALISTS in Uruguay and Italy are reporting that Liverpool Football Club are closing in on the signing of Gaston Ramirez from Bologna.
The Reds have so far been quiet in the transfer market this summer, after a deal for Gylfi Sigurdssson fell through last week, but it is now believed that Brendan Rodgers will make Ramirez his first new signing since taking the Anfield hotseat.
Ramirez signed for Bologna from Uruguayan side Penarol in August 2010 and quickly became part of the first team. The skilful attacking midfielder has netted fifteen times in fifty-nine appearances in Italy and, at just 21, has already made double figures in terms of full international caps.
Reports coming from the Gazzetta dello Sport and CNN Italia, in Italy, over the past week had indicated that a bid of €20m, around £15.5m, had been made by Liverpool in the hope of securing the attacking midfielder’s services. New information suggests that last week’s contact was just an enquiry but that a similar bid is almost certain to be made in the coming days.
Over the past 24 hours Uruguayan football journalist Rodrigo Romano has confirmed that an offer is imminent and, with Romano’s colleague Pablo Londinsky confirming that Ramirez’s agent flew in to Montevideo from Italy within the last 48 hours, suggestions are a deal could be wrapped up by early next week.
Londinsky tweeted:
“Deal may be closed this weekend. His agent returned from Italy yesterday, so next hours are very important for the deal.”
The Italian journalist who initially broke the story has tweeted:
“likely next Wed, ?#lfc? should come with first official bid. If (it) will be close to the €20m, then talks will turn into negotiations”
[ad_pod id=”unruly-video” align=”center”]
The news coming out of Uruguay and Italy has been backed up by reliable sources close to the club, however, these sources are keen to stress that while the deal is definitely “on”, it is not yet “done”.
Ramirez, who is also the subject of interest from a Bundesliga club, believed to be Wolfsburg, is currently training with Luis Suarez and Sebastien Coates in Montevideo, in preparation for the London Olympics and it is thought that their influence could be pivotal in sealing his signature. Ramirez would arrive at Anfield with his compatriots after the Games, should the deal go through.
Londinsky added: “Don´t forget he is now training with Coates and Suarez… Very important to meditate a decision.”
You can catch Neil on Twitter @Neil1980 or on his blog http://itsallinthegameblog.wordpress.com/
[ad_pod id=’DFP-MPU’ align=’right’]
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at live4liverpool@snack-media.com
Follow us on Twitter here: @live4Liverpool and ‘Like’ us on Facebook
sell carroll and buy balotelli
wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere wilshere
out~
downing
adam
spearing
bellamy
maxi
jonson
aquiliani
joe cole
lucas leiva
in~
willshere
g.ramirez
victor wanyama
belhanda
————-reina————–
kelly—skrtel—agger—enrique
willshere—–wanyama—-gerrard
belhanda—–suarez—–g.ramirez
susb~ flanagan,coates,robinson,sterling,susso,
Seriously do you live in the world of the sane? One simple question for you why on God’s earth would Arsenal sell Wilshire to us? Is Wenger gone stupid? Would no other Champions League teams be in like a shot to sign him? Seriously a bit of realism helps. Speaking of which you want to get rid of a player we sorely missed last year, Lucas a Brazilian regular no less, for Wanyama! One good season in a league where the vast majority of teams would be League One standard, even Jay Spearing would be brilliant up there, Joe Cole of 2010/11 would be Messi like in that league! Either get a perspective or go learn about football please
Ramirez will sign this week, his agent has arrived from Italy after holding talks with Bologna and is now in talks with LFC regarding the players contract, a fee has been agreed between the clubs.
Uruguay’s Olympic football team which includes Ramirez, Suarez and Coates has been training at Anfield ahead of the Olympics.
Unfortunately, you are wrong. On both counts.
Yes because the Echo and the Post, although their standards have dropped, know less than you. Take it as read when the Echo says someone is not coming they’re NOT COMING
Please sign Ramirez Liverpool don;t have a playmaker man city have silva so Liverpool need the guy he will help the team come top four and we need good winger and one forward god will help Liverpool to come where they belong I wish them better season in Jesus name
Don’t get our hopes up just yet.
The Echo has representatives denying we have had any link with Ramirez. I wish I can say it is smoke and mirros but I just can’t see our Roger’s scouts casting a wide enough net.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2012/07/09/100252-31352262/
We will be looking closer to home and bargains at that.
Here are more likely transfers that will take place: Sturridge, Adam Johnson, Dempsey and Diame.
And it will be 2 or 3 transfers at most. Kuyt has left but Aquilani and Cole are back so we will probably have to make room for the incoming players.
O for God’sfor goodness sake sake do some research it’s not hard, Diame has gone to West Ham and whule dismissing the Ramirez link the Echo dismissed the Dempsey link yesterday. You state it will be 2 or 3 transfers at most, the manager states it will be 3 or 4 so who are we meant to believe you or the Liverpool manager?
Ok I did not follow Diame’s move to West Ham because he is not a player that excites me in any way nor is West Ham, but so far every decent player we are linked with are being dismissed by the Echo so it is pretty depressing when our rivals have already signed 2-3 players and decent one’s at that.
Rodgers has made 4 inquiries. Doesn’t mean we will be getting all 4 players. There will be backups in case others fail for certain positions most likely and unless we sell or loan out some of the deadwood we will be looking at minimal activity.
Anyway, there are 6 weeeks until the window closes but no doubt after firing most of the boardroom we are a little slower at signing the damn cheques.
Let me revise the likely signings:
Borini, Sturridge, Dempsey and Granero if we offer enough to Real. Many other sites are convinced we are after Dempsey still.
Borini or Sturridge.
Hi Nic Rodgers admitted to making 3 or 4 enquiries so far but he also said we’d be adding 3 or 4 players, I’d be extremely surprised and delighted if he got all the players he has enquired about so far. As for Dempsey sorry I believe the Echo when it comes to transfers ahead of any sites, most of which are utter guess merchants/dross. The reality is neither you, I or the press have a clue who we’re after 100% which is fantastic when you consider the day after losing to Chelsea at the end of the 2002/03 season the Echo named 5 targets Ged wanted letting all and sundry know and pushing the price up.
I will be happy to see him in the red colours. Jah bless. YNWA