Liverpool step up interest in Iran international striker Sardar Azmoun

Liverpool have stepped up their interest in Sardar Azmoun, who plays for FC Rostov in the Russian Premier League, after Jurgen Klopp determined to strengthen his attack in the January transfer window.

Unhelpfully nicknamed “The Iranian Messi,” Azmoun first came to Liverpool's attention three years ago when he was at Rubin Kazan and his form has been monitored ever since with scouts from the Merseyside club watching him regularly in recent weeks. Azmoun, 21, has scored 16 goals in 22 appearances for the Iran national team and his impact in both the Russian league and on the international stage has been noted by several clubs including Arsenal, Everton, Juventus, Zenit St Petersburg, Spartak Moscow and Borussia Dortmund.

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Liverpool are currently weighing up potential targets for January and Azmoun is understood to be among those under consideration, although a move in the summer may be more likely given Klopp's preference to add another winger to his ranks. Klopp said recently that the three strikers he currently has at his disposal is sufficient for his needs but admitted to wanting an additional wide attacker with Sadio Mane set to spend three weeks at the African Nations Cup with Senegal. The Liverpool manager has not closed the door to the possibility of a conventional forward being recruited, though, conceding that Roberto Firmino could be used as “a kind of winger” in those circumstances. Christian Pulisic remains a target after Liverpool failed in a bid to sign him from Borussia Dortmund in the final week of the summer transfer window but the wide attacker is unlikely to be available in January despite his ongoing contract stand-off with Dortmund.