Liverpool recruit Kolo Toure on free transfer

Liverpool: Liverpool have agreed the free transfer of defender Kolo Toure from Manchester City after the Ivory Coast player underwent a medical assessment at the club’s training ground.

Toure was on Merseyside concluding the formalities of a two-year deal this week after returning from City’s post-season tour of the United States. The 32-year-old will be the first Liverpool signing of the summer, although he cannot technically register for his new club until July 1.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has been seeking to bolster his defence following the retirement of Jamie Carragher. However, Toure is not Liverpool’s first-choice defensive recruit. The club have been in negotiations with German side Schalke for Kyriakos Papadopoulos for what they hope will be a £12-million (Dh66.47 million) transfer.

Schalke appear to be paving the way for the 21-year-old’s exit after signing Felipe Santana from Borussia Dortmund, although the Greece international is being pursued by numerous European clubs.

Rodgers does not believe his transfer targets compel him to sell players to raise funds. “I’ve been given assurances that most of what we want to do this summer we’re going to be able to do,” Rodgers said.

“I speak regularly with the owners and they’re very aware that we need to strengthen and improve. I’d hope we want to get work done as quick as we possibly can,” he said.

There is potential for a hectic summer transfer window at Anfield, with Liverpool prepared to listen to offers for many players. Martin Skrtel and Stewart Downing can go for the right price, while an offer in excess of £10 million for goalkeeper Pepe Reina from Barcelona could take him back to La Liga.

Having taken over at Napoli, there are suggestions in Italy that Rafael Benitez will target Lucas Leiva, who has only just signed a deal keeping him at Anfield until 2018. Lucas was a firm favourite of Benitez, who signed him for Liverpool in 2007. It would take a huge offer for Rodgers to entertain selling the Brazilian midfielder, whom he regards as pivotal to his plans next season.