Liverpool keen to make Man City defender a summer acquisition

There was a time when Micah Richards was hailed as a future England great, becoming the youngest defender to represent the national side in 2006 when making his debut against the Netherlands.

Now though, the 25-year-old is struggling to make his presence felt at Manchester City and as a result is being linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium this summer.

Richards has made just nine starts for Manuel Pellegrini this season, with Pablo Zabaleta keeping the right-back position under lock and key since arriving in Manchester, while injuries haven’t helped the Englishman’s cause either.

That lack of game time has alerted Liverpool to the possibility of Richards’ availability, with Turkish giants Galatasaray also keeping tabs on the defender’s situation.

Rodgers, whose Liverpool side are 1/4 to finish in the top four this season and 8/1 to win the Premier League title, has earmarked Birmingham native as a potential recruit, to provide competition for English pair Glen Johnson and Jon Flanagan at full-back.

Like Richards, Johnson has suffered from injuries this season and Flanagan has performed well in his absence, but should the Champions League dream be realised, Rodgers knows a squad full of strength in depth is a necessity.

Richards’ ability to play at centre-back will also be of huge benefit to the Northern Irishman, who has trialled a three-at-the-back system during parts of the campaign.

That Galatasaray are in the market for Richards is no surprise, given that former Man City boss Roberto Mancini is in charge of the club and worked with Richards last season, despite only handing him seven league appearances.

But with the defenders career stalling and tumbling downhill for the best part of two seasons, decisions must be made on where he heads next in order to reignite it.

Pellegrini won’t be the man to do that, though, with the Chilean reportedly happy to listen to offers for the defender.

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