Liverpool, who have announced the £9.75m signature of Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Emre Can after his medical on Merseyside on Thursday, are also expected to bolster their academy set-up after Manchester City completed their latest raid on its coaching staff.

The departure of coaches Steve Torpey and Darren Hughes, who will work at the new integrated Etihad campus, follows City’s appointment of Rodolfo Borrell as global technical director, after Liverpool had let him go last November. Liverpool had not wanted to lose Torpey and Hughes, who worked with age groups up to 14, and the moves to replace them are expected to form part of a summer of restructuring at the Kirkby academy. As yet, no director has been appointed to succeed Frank McParland, the Rafael Benitez appointee who the club let go at the same time as Borrell. Liverpool will above all be keen to demonstrate to parents of talented young players that the loss of two respected coaches to the wealthier Manchester club does not imply that City are a better option.

Torpey, the senior of the two departing coaches, had forged a strong partnership with Hughes for Liverpool, coaching age groups up to the age of 14. Though both had seemed to be a part of the McParland/Borrell set-up that Liverpool have dispensed with, Torpey’s departure is a particular surprise. He was a youth team player for the Anfield club and had been seen as an integral part of the Anfield set-up. Manager Brendan Rodgers’ keenness to help shape the Academy culture means that appointments are expected very soon. Key to the future of the Academy will be Alex Inglethorpe, who is close to Rodgers. He came from Tottenham Hotspur to become reserve-team manager, five months after Rodgers was appointed manager in 2012.

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Shape Created with Sketch. Liverpool transfer targets: Who might they sign this summer? Show all 5 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Liverpool transfer targets: Who might they sign this summer? 1/5 Wilfried Bony The Swansea striker is one of many attacking targets linked with Liverpool. He only move to South Wales at the start of last season but had a great campaign that brought 16 goals in 34 Premier League appearances. The Ivory Coast international will cost in the region of £20m. Reuters 2/5 Mohamed Diame Mohamed Diame said he was on the verge of a move to Liverpool in 2012 but the dismissal of Kenny Dalglish scuppered the deal. The West Ham attacking midfielder has stated more recently that he wants to play for a bigger side. Having impressed last term with goals and assists to his name at Upton Park, a move to Anfield could be back on. Getty Images 3/5 Mateo Kovacic The last player Liverpool signed from Inter Milan, Philippe Coutinho, was rather successful. So it's no surprise Liverpool have been linked with rising star Mateo Kovacic. Th 20-year-old has a long-term deal at the San Siro and says he is happy to remain in Italy having joined in a £12.4m deal in 2013. GETTY IMAGES 4/5 Mario Balotelli AC Milan appear ready to sell the former Manchester City player and he's been strongly linked with a return to the Premier League. Arsenal were understood to be the front-runners in the chase for the striker but the departure of Suarez has seen Liverpool emerge as contenders. Getty Images 5/5 Ezequiel Lavezzi The Argentina international was linked with a move to Liverpool following the collapse of the move for Loic Remy. The PSG forward could be available due to the expected arrival of Angel Di Maria in the French capital. Lavezzi scored nine goals in 32 Ligue 1 appearances last term and has notched seven goals in 19 Champions League appearances since joining the club for £24m. GETTY IMAGES 1/5 Wilfried Bony The Swansea striker is one of many attacking targets linked with Liverpool. He only move to South Wales at the start of last season but had a great campaign that brought 16 goals in 34 Premier League appearances. The Ivory Coast international will cost in the region of £20m. Reuters 2/5 Mohamed Diame Mohamed Diame said he was on the verge of a move to Liverpool in 2012 but the dismissal of Kenny Dalglish scuppered the deal. The West Ham attacking midfielder has stated more recently that he wants to play for a bigger side. Having impressed last term with goals and assists to his name at Upton Park, a move to Anfield could be back on. Getty Images 3/5 Mateo Kovacic The last player Liverpool signed from Inter Milan, Philippe Coutinho, was rather successful. So it's no surprise Liverpool have been linked with rising star Mateo Kovacic. Th 20-year-old has a long-term deal at the San Siro and says he is happy to remain in Italy having joined in a £12.4m deal in 2013. GETTY IMAGES 4/5 Mario Balotelli AC Milan appear ready to sell the former Manchester City player and he's been strongly linked with a return to the Premier League. Arsenal were understood to be the front-runners in the chase for the striker but the departure of Suarez has seen Liverpool emerge as contenders. Getty Images 5/5 Ezequiel Lavezzi The Argentina international was linked with a move to Liverpool following the collapse of the move for Loic Remy. The PSG forward could be available due to the expected arrival of Angel Di Maria in the French capital. Lavezzi scored nine goals in 32 Ligue 1 appearances last term and has notched seven goals in 19 Champions League appearances since joining the club for £24m. GETTY IMAGES

Agreement in principle was reached for the signing of 20-year-old German under-21 international Can from Bayer Leverkusen after the conclusion of his medical. Liverpool triggered a 12m euro release clause in his contract to sign him a player who played an influential role in the team’s fourth-placed finish in the Bundesliga, following his move from Bayern Munich last year.

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