Liverpool to buy Barca starlet as Carroll hedge

Liverpool are keen to sign Cristian Tello on loan from Barcelona but are facing competition from Atletico Madrid and Valencia, according to the Mirror. Barca are willing to loan the 20-year-old forward this summer to allow him to further his career and also see his progress before deciding on his future. Liverpool have been tracking the Barcelona starlet for months and are anxious to see whether he features in the plans of Tito Vilanova, who will succeed Pep Guardiola as Nou Camp boss this summer, the report added. Arsene Wenger is making a move for Fulham striker Clint Dempsey who became the first American to score 50 goals in the English Premier League. Dempsey has been the standout performer for Fulham this season scoring 23 goals and was linked with a move to Liverpool earlier in the week after their chairman, Tom Werner, claimed any club would be lucky to have him. But Arsenal are poised to win the race for the Fulham frontman with Wenger keen to play him behind Robin van Persie and Lukas Podolski, The Sun reported in an exclusive. Dempsey's contract expires next summer and the Cottagers’ have offered the USA international striker a new three-year deal. Arsenal also have 21-year-old Blackburn striker Junior Hoilett in mind if they fail to land Dempsey. American forward Clint Dempsey scored the 50th goal of his Premier League career to help Fulham to a 2-1 victory over Sunderland at Craven Cottage on Sunday. Dempsey scored his 23rd goal of the season with a superbly-taken free kick in the 22nd minute. Defender Philip Bardsley leveled for Sunderland in the 34th with a shot from the edge of the area but Mousa Dembele restored Fulham's lead just a minute later with a deflected drive which found the top corner. The introduction of substitutes Nicklas Bendtner and Frazier Campbell saw Sunderland end on a high but the visitors could not find a way past Fulham, which secured its fifth win in seven games. The run leaves the west London side with a record-equaling seventh-place finish within reach. Currently eighth, it is a point behind Everton.