Liverpool transfer news: Reds 'in talks' to sign Benfica winger Nicolas Gaitan as summer spending threatens to exceed £100m

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Liverpool are believed to be in talks with Benfica regarding the transfer of sought after winger Nicolas Gaitan, with Brendan Rodgers looking to reinvest the money generated from Luis Suarez’s £75m sale in “the right players”.

Gaitan has been linked with a move to a number of clubs including Manchester United and Chelsea, but moves to the Premier League over the past two transfer windows have failed to materialise.

Benfica are known to want Gaitan’s release clause activated as they do not want to lose the player, but according to reports in France Liverpool believe they can land the 26-year-old for a reduced fee.

French media outlet RMC claims that the Argentinian winger had agreed to join Monaco this week only for the deal to fall through after the Ligue 1 club failed to agree an acceptable fee with the Europe League finalists.

The report goes on to suggest that Liverpool opened negotiations on Thursday, but despite the Red maintaining the hope that they can get their man for less than his £35.6m release fee, any move is still likely to cost in excess of the £30m mark.

Should Gaitan head to Anfield, the move will take Brendan Rodgers’ summer spending spree to nearly £100m, having already signed Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Emre Can and Lazar Markovic for a combined £59m, as well as the £8.5m move for Loic Remy on the verge of completion.

They also remain in talks to sign young Belgium striker Divock Origi for £9.8m, although the 19-year-old will spend a season on loan with his current club Lille.

Gaitan has also been linked with the likes of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, and the expectation is that he could finally leave Benfica after four years with the Portuguese club.