Double medical expected at Melwood as Liverpool swoop for pair

Liverpool are hoping to enter the final stages of completing the transfers of defenders Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Ilori in the next 24 hours.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Wednesday, December 3, 2008: Manchester City's Ched Evans and Paris Saint-Germain's Mamadou Sakho during the UEFA Cup Round of 32 Group A match at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

It is understood that fees have been agreed with Paris St-Germain and Sporting Lisbon, and the French international and Portuguese U20 international will arrive on Merseyside this weekend to complete their deals.

Earlier today new broke of an £8million deal being agreed between Liverpool and Lisbon for Ilori.

Liverpool have been on the look-out for a new centre-back since the decline in form of Martin Skrtel, which persuaded manager Brendan Rodgers to play veteran Jamie Carragher ahead of the Slovakian last season, and Kolo Toure this season following Carragher’s retirement.

The BBC report tonight:

Sakho, 23, who can play in central defence or on the left, has 14 France caps and is likely to cost £13m.

Ilori meanwhile, is just 20-years-old and will be seen as a hot prospect for the future. Rodgers will surely be hoping the experience of both Daniel Agger and Toure at Anfield will help develop both new potential signings.

Ben Smith of the BBC thought was quick to point out that the double arrival does not necessarily signal the end to Skrtel’s stay at the club, with the 28-year-old linked with a move to Napoli.



French newspaper Le Parisian also carry the Sakho story this evening, suggesting the Reds will pay €19million for tall centre-back.

The departure of Mamadou Sakho is confirmed. The Tricolor international has fallen out of favour of French international coach Didier Deschamps after losing his place at PSG.

Sakho will be the second French signing of the summer, after the arrival of Aly Cissokho on-loan from Valencia.

Cissokho is currently ruled out injured for between 4-6 weeks after hurting his ankle during Liverpool’s 4-2 victory over Notts County on Tuesday night.

Liverpool have also been linked with a move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given. The 37-year-old Irish international would be seen as backup to Simon Mignolet.

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