FC Anzhi Makhachkala No. 10 Willian has confirmed his interest in moving to Anfield this summer as Liverpool consider a £30 million bid for the Brazilian ace, according to Metro.
Willian, 25, joined Anzhi from Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk for a fee believed to be in the region of €35 million in January.
However, after a poor start to the 2013/14 Russian Premier League campaign, Anzhi have transfer listed their entire squad (yes, including Willian) in order to cut costs and abide by UEFA Financial Fair Play rules.
The Dagestan-based club have already offloaded Aleksandr Kokorin, Igor Denisov, Oleg Shatov and Yuri Zhirkov this summer, but more departures are imminent.
The next to exit the Anzhi Arena could be Willian, who is reportedly attracting interest from a number of English Premier League clubs, including the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Willian, whose current contract pays him £120,000-a-week, has talked up a potential move to Liverpool, with the Reds expected to submit an initial £30 million offer for the Brazil international within the next few days.
“There are conversations, and I am hoping in the next few days for an offer from a club like Liverpool,” said Willian.
“If it is Liverpool, then they are a great club. The news came as a real shock, but I’m calm about it and hoping for the best because I’ve been told they will help the players to go, if they get a good offer.
“I am hoping there will be something from Liverpool, because England is a league that I’ve dreamed of playing in.”
In other news, Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign France international left-back Aly Cissokho on loan from Valencia CF after failing to agree a fee for Granada CF defender Guilherme Siqueira.
Swindon sign Nile Ranger
Swindon Town F.C. have completed the signing of former Newcastle United misfit Nile Ranger despite the player being involved in an ongoing rape case, BBC Sport understands.
Ranger, who has put pen to paper on a one-year deal with the option for a further year, has been included in the squad to face Shrewsbury on Saturday.
The Wiltshire-based club have signed the former England Under-19 international with “requisite caveats vis-a-vis his ongoing legal case.”
“Having spent a few weeks in discussions with Nile explaining our vision and the values of the club and what we would be looking from him, I feel that with rigorous support from the club, Nile could prove a valuable asset to the squad,” said Swindon chairman Jed McCrory.
“We will provide all the support he needs and it is up to Nile now to prove the star quality player he is – which we as a club believe he will.
“And, of course, I am pleased that Nile has chosen to join Swindon despite having been offered commercially more attractive terms from other clubs.”
Ranger, 22, made just four appearances in all competitions for Newcastle United — prior to being released — last season.
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