After a disappointing eighth-place finish in the English Premier League last season, Liverpool is most definitely a team in transition. Such teams can always use an influx of talent to some degree, so Besiktas midfielder Manuel Fernandes should be a priority for the Reds while the transfer window remains open.

According to John Cross of Mirror Football, Liverpool has interest in the Portuguese star and may be willing to make a £7 million offer for him. Fernandes is just 26 years of age, but he has bounced around a lot and has some experience in the EPL with Everton and Portsmouth, which makes him attractive to the Reds.

Fernandes hasn't come anywhere close to living up to the lofty expectations bestowed upon him as a youngster, but his ability is undeniable. He put up a goal and five assists for Besiktas in eight matches this past season, and while the level of competition in the Turkish league isn't the same as the EPL, production can't be ignored.

Liverpool could use some midfield depth as it is, since there isn't a lot of reliability aside from Steven Gerrard. I wouldn't expect Fernandes to be a starter for the Reds by any means, but he is definitely a guy who is capable of providing a spark late in games thanks to his speed and penchant for finding teammates with creative passes.

That type of creativity is something that Liverpool sorely lacked last season, and although Fernandes would only bring it in small doses, he could add another dimension to the squad. A price of £7 million is fairly cheap when it comes to transfers these days, and for what the Reds could potentially get out of Fernandes, it would be well worth it.

With Luis Suarez operating up top, it would be interesting to see if Fernandes could perhaps create some synergy with the Uruguayan striker. Suarez is supremely talented, but he didn't always receive a ton of support from his teammates when he was on the field last season. I could definitely see Fernandes and Suarez creating some magic late in games.

It doesn't really get much worse than eighth place for the Reds, so they don't have much to lose when it comes to personnel moves. Fernandes is a low-risk, high-reward option and it would be silly if Liverpool didn't at least explore the possibility of bringing him in. Some players are late bloomers, and Fernandes may be a prime example of that.

Even if Fernandes is nothing more than an infrequent contributor off the bench, it is better to take a chance than sit idly by. Fernandes doesn't appear to be heavily courted, so Liverpool will have every opportunity to sign him.

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