Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that Liverpool are close to signing midfielder Nuri Sahin.

Real Madrid are willing to send the Turkey international out on loan and he looked destined to link up with Liverpool’s Premier League rivals, Arsenal, earlier this week.

But it is believed the Arsenal wanted to make it a permanent move and the 23-year-old was only willing to leave the Bernabeu on loan. Now Rodgers, who worked with Real boss Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, believes a deal is imminent for Sahin to go on loan to Anfield instead.

The Real Madrid midfielder has also been linked with a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal but looks set for a switch to Anfield, with Rodgers hopeful a deal is imminent. “Hopefully in the next 24 hours we will get some confirmation on that.

The early indications suggest this is the case, with Nuri Sahin on the brink of a season-long loan move to Anfield from Real Madrid despite Arsenal’s prolonged pursuit of the Turkey international. Sahin may undergo a medical on Merseyside as Rodgers desperately seeks to improve the technical ability of the Liverpool midfield.

“Hopefully in the next 24 hours we will get some confirmation on that,” said the Liverpool manager after his side’s UEFA Europa League win at Hearts.

“It’s quite far along. He’s a very good footballer.”

Hearts 0 Liverpool 1:Reds nervy win over Hearts

Hearts 0-1 Liverpool: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers revealed the reason Andy Carroll was missing from last night’s 1-0 win over Heart of Midlothian in the Europa League was the result of a hamstring problem

Andy Carroll failed to make the squad for the play-off first leg in Edinburgh – despite his presence at the stadium – with the £35million striker linked with a return to Newcastle. However, Rodgers said the forward was set to start against Hearts and the manager remains hopeful his striker will be fit for Sunday’s visit of champions Manchester City.

Rodgers said: “Andy was due to start. He had a slight twinge on his hamstring. We had a scan on it and it didn’t show a tear, just a slight disruption. We tried to give him 48 hours, let him travel and he trained yesterday to see how it was. It was still a bit tight and the medics’ advice was it was too much of a risk for him to play. It was unfortunate because he has worked well and I know he was desperate to play.”

Tenacity had to be Liverpool’s most effective quality. They would not have imagined that this trip across the border would cause such anxiety. A Europa League play-off tie against Hearts was supposed to be a restorative occasion for Rodgers’ side, but instead it was hard-fought and occasionally trying. The expectation is that they will now progress to the group stages following the second leg at Anfield, yet this was never a straightforward assignment.

Much of it was endured by Liverpool. They persevered, and that allowed them to take advantage of their opponents’ tiring legs and minds. It was no coincidence Hearts conceded once the game entered the closing 12 minutes, because they had spent so much of the evening being energetic.

Martin Kelly made an incursion down the right flank and although his cross evaded Fabio Borini, Andy Webster could not prevent the ball spinning off his leg and into the net for an own goal. There was an element of cruelty to the breakthrough, but Liverpool had enabled it by being patient.

Watch Hearts-Liverpool UEFA Match Video:

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