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Liverpool want Brazilian winger Willian to be their marquee summer signing and dispel the gloom caused by Luis Suarez.

The Reds' owners, Fenway Sports Group, have been prepared to bankroll a major signing for manager Brendan Rodgers all summer, and are backing his pursuit of Willian.

Russia's Anzhi Makhachkala want to cash in on the Samba star just eight months after buying him for £32million from Shakhtar Donetsk, because they need to slash costs.

This has alerted the Anfield giants, with Rodgers keen to land a big-name signing after missing out on Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, of Shakhtar.

He does not need to sell Suarez first to a move for Willian, as FSG have promised him the cash to make a major signing.

Liverpool could face competition from Tottenham, as their boss Andre Villas-Boas has tried to buy the South American for both them and Chelsea.

While Rodgers has been busy this summer, buying Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto and Simon Mignolet and signing Kolo Toure, none of those players cost over £10m.

Meanwhile, Daniel Sturridge scored twice in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Tuesday to prove his fitness for Stoke on Saturday.