Neto puts Liverpool on alert as he quits Fiorentina

The Brazilian goalkeeper’s current deal is set to expire at the end of the season and the Viola have made it clear they will sell Neto in January to avoid losing him on a free transfer.

“Fiorentina announce that today, via his representatives, the player Norberto Murara Neto officially confirmed that he does not wish to extend his contract with Fiorentina and considers his experience with the club definitively closed.

“The player also pointed out this was not an economic issue, but down to his desire to autonomously decide for his future.”

So far crisis talks have failed to reach an agreement and this afternoon there was a crunch meeting between the club and Neto’s entourage.

Roma and Liverpool have been regularly linked with Brazilian goalkeeper Neto, but Juventus are also an option.

However, at this stage he could accept sitting on the bench for six months in order to ensure he gets the club he wants.

Simon Mignolet has proven this season that he is simply not up to the job of keeping goal at Liverpool - and with a mooted deal for ex-Barcelona star Victor Valdes falling through a couple of months ago, the Reds are in desperate need of another top-quality stopper, if only to provide some serious competition for a place that might kick Mignolet into gear. The Brazilian, at the age of just 25, could be just the ticket on that basis, but it seems unlikely that he would be any better than Mignolet - though he may yet prove to be a good signing as a keeper for the long term.