Liverpool agree €7m deal with Sporting for Tiago Ilori

Liverpool are close to signing Sporting defender Tiago Ilori, after Brendan Rodgers was forced to make a late incursion in the transfer market, following the injury to Kolo Toure.


According to Portugal media outlet, O Jogo and Sky Sports reporter Pepe O’Rourke, the Reds have already have agreed a €7 million deal plus add-ons for the highly rated youngster. The 20-year-old is a highly rated defender and would be seen as a long term replacement for legendary Jamie Carragher, who retired last season.
Defence was one of the major concerns of the Reds manager, Brendan Rodgers. The club needed to replenish the void left by Carragher, while Rodgers was hugely unimpressed with other available defenders in the squad, namely Martin Skrtel and Sebastian Coates.

However, with Coates now injured for a lengthy period of time and new signing Kolo Toure, who was bought on fee from Manchester City, also sidelined after suffering a groin injury against Notts County in the last match, Rodgers is forced to delve into the transfer market.

The Reds had been linked with Ilori early in the summer, but following a disagreement in fees, Liverpool chose not to pursue talks further. But, the situation has now become critical and Liverpool wasted no time to rekindle their interest again and sign him up at the earliest.
Liverpool have bolstered their squad in the summer and have purchased some top players like Iago Aspas, Simon Mignolet, Luis Alberto and Toure. It is understood that Rodgers is looking to add one or two players more, as the Reds are looking to mount a serious challenge to qualify for the Champions League spot.