Liverpool want Adam after Henderson swoop

Liverpool last night clinched the signing of Jordan Henderson from Sunderland in a deal worth £20m.

The striker David Ngog, valued at £7m, is to move in the opposite direction subject to medicals for both players.

Anfield officials had been in talks for much of the day with their Sunderland counterparts who had held out for their asking price of £20m for the once-capped England player.

Liverpool and Henderson had wanted the transfer completed before he leaves for the European U21 Championship in Denmark on Wednesday born of a desire on the midfielder's part to focus on the tournament.

Kenny Dalglish envisages a central-midfield role for Henderson, despite his ability to play on the right, and Liverpool having a wealth of options in that area, in Steven Gerrard, Lucas Leiva, Raul Meireles and Jay Spearing. Yet the Liverpool manager also wants Charlie Adam in addition to Sunderland's homegrown 20-year-old and he will return to Blackpool with a revised offer for the Scotland player.

Liverpool had a £12m bid rejected by Blackpool on deadline day in January as Ian Holloway fought to retain his influential midfielder in the campaign to avoid relegation.

With Blackpool having been relegated from the Premier League on the final day of the season, Liverpool will resurrect their interest in the 25-year-old, who was also the subject of a bid from Tottenham Hotspur in January.

Liverpool are expected to return with an offer in the region of £8m. Adam has made it clear he wants to remain in the Premier League and would relish a move to Anfield.

Liverpool are in talks with Roma, too, to sign the Brazilian goalkeeper Alexander Doni, as Dalglish is keen to change the back-up for his first choice goalkeeper, José Reina this summer.

Brad Jones, who was signed last year for £2.3m from Middlesbrough, is available for transfer. Brad Friedel chose Tottenham above Liverpool, one of his former clubs, on the basis that he will play more regularly at White Hart Lane.

Doni's agent, Ovidio Colucci, said: "I spoke to the club [Roma] yesterday [Tuesday] and they confirmed they are holding talks with Liverpool to reach an agreement regarding the transfer of Doni. Once an agreement is reached between the two clubs, we will begin negotiating personal terms with Liverpool. Doni would be very happy to join Liverpool and play in the Premier League."

The 31-year-old joined Roma from the Brazilian side Juventude in 2005. He has only 12 months left on his contract. He has been an understudy to Júlio Sérgio in recent seasons and made 16 league appearances for Roma this last season.

Source: The Guardian