LIVERPOOL are interested in bringing Wesley Sneijder to Anfield – but only if the Inter Milan midfielder agrees to take a massive pay cut.
The Holland international will leave Italy during the current transfer window after being frozen out at Inter and he’s stalling over an offer from Galatasaray as he favours a move to the Premier League.
The Reds have yet to make an official approach for Sneijder but the player’s representatives are aware of the club’s interest.
Boss Brendan Rodgers is a big admirer of the 28-year-old and believes he would be a world-class acquisition to his Liverpool squad.
However, one major stumbling block is Sneijder’s salary. He earns an eye-watering 6.5million euros a year (£5.4million) after tax in Italy. In the UK that is the equivalent of a basic wage of £200,000 per week.
With Liverpool having slashed their inflated wage bill over the past year and offered more performance-related contracts there is no chance of them offering anywhere near that figure.
However, if Sneijder lowers his demands in a bid to realise his dream of playing in England then the Reds will look to hold talks.
Inter are desperate to get Sneijder off their wage bill and have agreed a 7.5million euros (£6.3million) transfer fee with Galatasaray. The Turkish side are willing to pay him £100,000 per week after tax but he’s dragging his heels over a move to Istanbul.
Galatasaray president Unal Aysal wants an answer by this weekend but Sneijder won’t be rushed into making a decision on his future.
“I am considering my options,” he said. “It’s not a question of money. I have time to decide what to do and where to go before January 31.”
Sneijder, who was a World Cup finalist with Holland in 2010, has been hampered by injuries over the past two seasons and fell out with Inter’s hierarchy earlier this term after rejecting their request to take a pay cut.
Sneijder, who is under contract with Inter until 2015, hasn’t played since September.
If Sneijder does come into Liverpool’s price range then it will provide a test of their transfer policy.
MD Ian Ayre told the ECHO this week they are targeting players aged under 24 in order to build for the future. However, he insisted that wasn’t “set in stone” and said Rodgers would be able to sign more experienced players if the right personnel became available.
