Liverpool plan shock return for Craig Bellamy and eye Sebastián Coates
• Anfield side also interested in Uruguayan defender
The striker could be joined at Anfield by Coates, the 20-year-old centre-half who was named best young player at this summer's Copa América where his performances for the tournament winners Uruguay – in the same team as Liverpool's Luis Suárez – increased interest from several Premier League clubs.
As the Guardian revealed last month, scouts from Arsenal, City and Liverpool all monitored the 6ft 6in Coates in Argentina, with Arsenal also believed to have watched the defender playing for his club side Nacional, the champions of Uruguay, a dozen times last season.
Liverpool, however, with the advantage of the Suárez connection, have emerged as Coates's most likely destination in the Premier League and could cost Fenway Sports Group, the club's owners who have already sanctioned a £110m recruitment drive this year, a fee of around £12m.
Coates was linked with a £3.5m transfer to Porto in June following the collapse of a proposed move to the Brazilian side São Paulo but his rise to prominence at the Copa América has since inflated Nacional's asking price. The central defender is one of the most highly rated young players in the game and, despite his lack of experience at international level, his Spanish and British ancestry is likely to assist any application for a work permit.
Liverpool are keen to strengthen their defence, especially after allowing Sotirios Kyrgiakos to join Wolfsburg on a free transfer. The Greece international could be followed out of Anfield by Alberto Aquilani, a target for Milan.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/au...amy-shock-returcoates for soto...what an improvement!!