Sevilla hope to keep Reds target

Liverpool’s bid to sign Sevilla full-back Daniel Alves has stalled, according to the Spanish club.

The Reds have formally tabled two bids for the 23-year-old but have yet to meet the asking price of around £12m.

And despite accepting the player is keen on a move to the Premiership, Sevilla president Jose Maria Del Nido is determined to keep hold of the highly-rated Brazilian.

“Sevilla doesn’t want Alves to leave the club,” insisted Del Nido.

“It is the player’s desire to leave and the tempting deal they (Liverpool) have offered him has been the reason why we have had to sit down and negotiate.

“We have been 15% away from reaching an agreement in terms of what we wanted and what they were offering.

“Since Monday, negotiations have halted and this makes me happy.”

Meanwhile, Deportivo La Coruna have reached a verbal agreement with Liverpool to sign promising Spanish defender Antonio Barragan.

The Primera Liga outfit have confirmed they are close to signing the 19-year-old, who has made just one senior appearance for Rafael Benitez’s side - against CSKA Sofia last August – since leaving Sevilla last summer.

“There is a verbal agreement between the three parties,” read a statement on Deportivo’s official website, canaldeportivo.com.

“We still need to put it on paper before the deal is done.”