Liverpool plot cut-price move for red-hot Marseille wideman

Shock runaway Ligue 1 leaders Marseille made it eight wins on the spin with a 2-1 triumph at home to Toulouse, but Marcelo Bielsa’s side’s majestic start to 2014/15 has already seen one of Europe’s big-name brands sniffing around, according to recent rumours.

Marseille wide-forward Andre Ayew, one of three professional footballer sons of former three-time African Player of the Year Abedi Pele, is reportedly being tracked by Liverpool, who may move on the 24-year-old as early as January.

Ayew’s Stade Velodrome contract is up next summer, so the Merseysiders, who are 4/5 to retain their Premier League top-four status this term after a 3-2 win at QPR, could approach acquiring the 56-cap Ghana international from three different angles.

If Reds boss Brendan Rodgers feels his forward ranks need freshening up in January, which Raheem Sterling’s top-scoring haul of three so far this term suggests they do, Liverpool would expect to pay around £3m-£5m to secure Ayew’s services for the second half of this campaign.

However, the Northern Irishman may be happy to capture Ayew’s signature courtesy of a pre-contract agreement, leaving the L’OM stalwart to see out the season at a club where he has spent the past decade, before packing his bags for Anfield on a free next summer.

Of course, Rodgers may wait until Ayew’s contract ends, which runs the risk of others competing for the soon-to-be free agent’s paw print, but could save Liverpool a significant amount in wages if nobody else comes in.

That seems unlikely considering how well the tricky wideman is performing in the French top flight, with two goals, two assists, 12 completed dribbles, 16 shots and nine key passes from 10 Ligue 1 matches so far this term.

With Liverpool summer signing Divock Origi stuck on loan at Lille until the end of the season, and centre-forward dice-roll Mario Balotelli repeatedly coming up snake eyes, Rodgers will surely feel the need for an attacking injection as soon as possible. Ayew could provide it.

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