Wolves’ rumoured £20m move for Brazil U-23 international Anderson Talisca was always unlikely to come off, but the Benfica attacking-midfielder snubbing Liverpool for a loan switch to Turkish champions Besiktas is something of a surprise.
No disrespect is meant towards the Istanbul club who, unlike the Reds, have Champions League football on the menu this season, yet the lure of playing under managerial rockstar Jurgen Klopp at Anfield will have been hard to resist.
As it is, Liverpool and Wolves may be implicated in another high-profile transfer before the summer’s out, with rumours swirling that Merseyside misfit Mario Balotelli could drop down a division or two in order to restore his waning reputation.
Reports that the erstwhile Italy international might soon be taking on the likes of League One small-fry Fleetwood and Oxford in the colours of Port Vale are surely wide of the mark, but a mooted move to Championship Wolves seems somewhat less fanciful.
Having become the third West Midlands club in the top two tiers of English football taken over by Chinese consortia after Birmingham City and Aston Villa, and quickly followed by West Brom, the Molineux outfit mean business.
Benfica pair Joao Teixeira and Helder Costa have been coaxed to the club on loan, the latter having turned out 25 times for Monaco in France’s Ligue 1 last term, while former boss Kenny Jackett’s services were dispensed in favour of ex-Italy international goalkeeper Walter Zenga.
According to reports, the latest on Balotelli’s future has come about after the 26-year-old former Manchester City, Inter and AC Milan troublemaker sought advice from Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho, who briefly managed the striker during his time at the Nerazzurri helm.
Needless to say, the pair were not thought to be discussing a potential Balotelli move to Old Trafford.
Liverpool are 8/15 to maintain their winning start to the Premier League campaign with victory over Burnley at Turf Moor.
