Liverpool close in on Nathaniel Clyne with improved offer

  

Liverpool are nearing in on Southampton full-back Nathaniel Clyne after bidding an improved offer for the England international, which is believed to be £10.5 million rising to £12.5 million with add-ons.

Liverpool FC are reportedly nearing their sixth summer of the season, after submitting an improved offer for Southampton'sNathaniel Clyne.

The full-back has been the subject of a £9 million bid already from the Reds, which was quickly rejected by  Ronald Koeman's Saints - who value the English international at £15 million.

But with only a year left on his contract, the 24-year-old could potentially leave for nothing next summer - and Liverpool are hoping their improved bid of £10.5 million, which will rise to £12.5 million with additional instalments, will be enough to tempt Southampton into doing business.

Since the Reds' first bid, the South Coast club have already signed another right-back in Sporting Lisbon's Cedric Soares, which seems to suggest they are resigned to losing their existing no.1. 

Reds ready to make Clyne their first-choice right-back

Clyne would be the fourth signing from Southampton in just 12 months, after they signed the trio of Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallanaand Dejan Lovren last summer for a combined total of £50 million. 

He would also address a key weakness in the side, with on-loan defender Javier Manquillo's future uncertain and Glen Johnsonhaving left the club. Furthermore, Jon Flanagan is set to spend at least six more months on the sidelines after knee surgery, whilstAndre Wisdom is perceived to be adequate back-up but not a suitable starting option.

Clyne would therefore immediately become the club's first-choice on the right of defence, and an impressive one at that. He has scored three goals and created seven assists across three years in thePremier League with Southampton, also making his international debut for England last November, as his stock continues to rise.

A product of the Crystal Palace youth academy, Clyne alsoprompted interest from Manchester United - with a number of suitors closely monitoring his progress, but it seems that Liverpool have won the race to sign him.

Liverpool keen to continue summer investment

Clyne would become the Reds' sixth addition of the summer, with the window yet to have even officially opened. The biggest of which has undoubtedly been the latest, as the Reds reached an agreement withHoffenheim to sign Roberto Firmino for a fee in the range of £29 million.

The Brazilian forward's arrival adds to Brendan Rodgers' growing list of existing business, which includes bringing in James Milner, Danny Ings and Adam Bogdan in on free transfers - as well as signing young promising English centre-back Joe Gomez fromCharlton Athletic.

Liverpool are also pressing for further signings, with a new striker high on the agenda. Colombian striker Carlos Bacca is believed to be the club's first-choice, with Salomon Rondon also a possible alternative as the club's representatives watch the pair at the ongoing Copa America in Chile.

The Reds are also yet to have given up on Aston Villa's Christian Benteke, though they are baulking at the £32.5 million price tag set by the FA Cup runners-up.

Who should Arsenal look to sign from the Bundesliga?

The transfer window officially opens on the 1st of July, but what players should Arsenal target from Germany's top flight?

The summer transfer window of 2015 has a lot of potential to be a good one for the Gunners. With a reported war chest of about £100 million and no need to sell any of the top players at the club to pay off the costs of moving to the Emirates a la Fabregas,Nasri and Robin van Persie, could this window be the one that provides Arsenal with a squad strong enough to bring the Premier League to North London for the first time in more than a decade?

Having looked at potential players Arsenal should sign from the top flights in Italy and France, it now falls to assess the players in the best division in German football that are both good enough for Arsenal as well as possible.

Marco Reus:

The Borussia Dortmund man is one of the most high profile names playing European football today. A versatile forward who can play as a striker, an attacking midfielder and winger on either flank, the German would improve Arsenal massively with his electric pace, accurate shooting and eye for pass. Indeed, an attacking midfield three of Reus, Ozil and Sanchez would be as good, if not better than the Invincible winning midfield trio of Pires, Bergkamp andLjunberg.

The German international has a fine goal scoring record from his favoured position of left wing, with 37 league goals in 82 matches for Borussia Dortmund, but would cost a considerable amount, having just signed a contract extension that ties him to Dortmund till 2019, removing the reported £25 million buy-out clause previously in place. Reus is the finished product and would present an immediate improvement but there are some concerns regarding his proneness to injury. He was kept out of Germany's triumphant 2014 World Cup campaign due to injury and was also limited to only 20 league appearances this season because of two injuries to his ankle. A case of bad luck or something else?

Bernd Leno:

The German goal keeper currently plays for Bayer Leverkusen and, at 23-years-old, has potential to become one of the top goal keepers in the world. With rumoured interest from Real Madrid, if they cannot get De Gea, Leno is recognised around Europe for his ability. However, with the deal for Chelsea stopper Petr Cech almost wrapped up, it looks like this transfer is rather unlikely unless something catastrophic occurs in the Cech and Chelsea transfer talks. Should that happen, Leno would prove to be a fine alternative and more of a long-term option than the Czech and Chelsea goalkeeper. The Leverkusen man played every game of the campaign for his side in 2014-2015 and kept 16 clean sheets from the 34 league games, only conceding 37 goals as Leverkusen finished in 4th place.

Ricardo Rodriguez:

Ricardo Rodríguez; modern day attacking full-back.

Although Gibbs may have only had a mediocre season with Monrealhaving a good one, Swiss international, Rodriguez, would be a step-up in quality to the left-backs Arsenal currently own. The young full-back has had another stellar campaign with Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga and is a key component in the side, along with ex-Chelsea man, Kevin De Bruyne and the Brazilian duo of Luis Gustavo andNaldo. The left-back scored six goals this season and provided five assists as his side finished in second place behind FC Bayern. Rodriguez would not be cheap however, and is widely seen as one of the best full-backs in Europe, even at the tender age of 22. Bankrolled by car giants Volkswagen, Wolfsburg would be under absolutely no pressure to sell one of their best players and the move would only happen if Wenger can convince the Swiss left-back to push for a move.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang:

The French-born Gabonese striker is possibly one of the few players in the world faster than Bellerin and Walcott. A supreme athlete, Aubameyang, like Reus, plays for Borussia Dortmund. Whilst he is not a world-class striker, indeed the term only means a few players are, Aubameyang is in the immediate category below. Strong in the air, a good finisher and possessing incredible levels of pace, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would be rather expensive at the rumoured£28 million Arsenal are reported to be getting ready to bid but that fee comes off the back of a season where Aubameyang scored 16 Bundesliga goals in 31 starts, with 25 goals in all competitions whilst still recording 11 assists. Is the potential fee therefore justified?

Granit Xhaka:

Younger brother of Taulant, Granit is fast making a big name for himself.

Possibly an unfamiliar name to some, Xhaka has just completed a fantastic season with Borussia Monchengladbach playing in a deep midfield role. Another Swiss international on this list, Xhaka is not a traditional central defensive midfielder in the sense that he is not a commanding, tough-tackling presence who will win aerial battles and clatter into opposition players.

Rather than being in the mould of a Matic or a Krychowiak, Xhaka is more similar to Verratti. Aggressive in midfield yet incredibly able with the ball in possession, Xhaka could be used as tempo-setting midfielder, like Verratti, like Pirlo, like Jack Wilshere for England, or as the deep-lying playmaker next to a more defensive central midfielder such as Coquelin. The 22-year-old contributed to five goals and five assists in 42 games for Monchengladbach in all competitions, particularly excelling in the Europa League.