Liverpool could already be making moves to strengthen their squad ahead of next season, with stories emerging that the Reds are weighing up a move for CSKA Moscow attacker Keisuke Honda.
Juventus are said to be just as keen as Liverpool, however, so a move isn't likely to be straightforward. talkSPORT's Transfer Spotlight has more...
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Honda was the flavour of the week back in the 2009-10 season, when his brilliant free kick sent CSKA through to the Champions League quarterfinals at the expense of Sevilla, and he had been linked with Arsenal in particular prior to his move to Russia. These days, the Japanese star is said to be unhappy with his current situation in Moscow, and is unlikely to sign a contract extension before his deal runs out in the summer. Reports claim that Liverpool are keen to tie him down to a pre-contractual agreement as a result, but Antonio Conte's high-flying Juventus may have enough to out-muscle the Reds.
Did you know?
1. Honda played for several teams at youth level, including local high school side Seiryo, before becoming a registered senior player for the J League in 2004.
2. The attacker signed his first professional deal for Nagoya Grampus in 2005 and played three seasons with them in Japan, making 105 appearances and scoring 13 goals. In 2007 Eredivisie club Venlo took him on trial, then signed him on a permanent deal as a result.
3. Honda's experience in the Netherlands was mixed, with Venlo being relegated to the Dutch second division at the end of his first season, though it did give him the opportunity to win his first piece of silverware the following year, when Venlo finished first in the Eerste Divisie. In December 2009, after interest from several European clubs, he agreed to join CSKA Moscow.
4. The attacker's free kick winner against Sevilla in the 2009-10 Champions League made him the first Japanese player to take part in the quarter finals of the competition. In the summer of 2010 , AC Milan made a €10m offer for his signature, but the Russian club refused. Though his form has been sporadic in Moscow, he did manage to score a penalty in a Russian Cup semi-final shoot-out against Spartak in May 2011, sending CSKA Moscow through to the final, which they would ultimately win. It is his only trophy with CSKA to date.
5. Honda has a strong international record with Japan, and is fast approaching his 50th cap with his country. He won the 2011 AFC Asian Cup with them, and was voted MVP of the tournament.
Source: talkSPORT
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