Bid tabled for Dutch striker?

Roy Hodgson does want to strengthen his Liverpool squad in January, and has dropped a hit that he might turn out frustrated in the January market.

- If the players are available that we have targeted and think could make us a better team then it would help us shape the team a lot quicker than maybe will be the case otherwise, Hodgson said.

But it seems at least one transfer target is being followed seriously...

Liverpool have apparently tabled an £8.5 million bid for Dutch striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel.

The club are now awaiting a response from the players club, FC Utrecht of the Dutch Eredivisie, TalkSport report.

Liverpool have needed a back-up striker or partner to Fernando Torres for a while, and Roy Hodgson obviously believes that Wolfswinkel will be the answer to his problems.

At the young age of 21, the striker has plenty of time to adjust to life in England and settle at Anfield so he can help the club out of the unfortunate position they currently find themselves in.

He is a versatile player who can also play as an attacking midfielder, but prefers the strikers role – and with good reason too – scoring 10 goals in 11 games in the Eredivisie and 7 goals in 6 Europa League games.

Hodgson was able to watch the player in the Europa League, as Liverpool came up against Utrecht in the Europa League group stages. Wolfswinkel didn’t score in the two games played against Liverpool – no one did, as both games were goalless bore draws, but the Liverpool must have seen something to persuade him to table a bid.

Liverpool are reportedly the only club who have placed a bid, and Utrecht will decide over the weekend,giving Liverpool an answer next week.

Elsewhere it seems Liverpool have stepped up their pursuit of Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik, according to reports in his native Slovakia.

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez was keen on signing the 23-year-old playmaker during his time at the club. But it is thought his summer departure has done nothing to dampen Liverpool's interest.

Damien Comolli, the club's new director of football strategy, has reportedly identified Hamsik - often compared to Czech Republic legend Pavel Nedved - as a key transfer target, Talksport report.

Liverpool are not the only team considering an offer for the £12m-rated star, but Napoli insist no decision will be made on his sale until the end of the season.

Liverpool will also strengthen their defence in the upcoming transfer window with the signing of Stoke City’s Robert Huth, Sportingo claim.

Huth has a wealth of experience despite being just 26 years old and his physical no-nonsense style is reminiscent of Jamie Carragher at a younger age.

The former Chelsea centre back celebrated two Premier League titles while in west London but left in 2006 after finding himself behind John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho and William Gallas in the hunt for a starting place in the first team.

Moves to Middlesbrorugh and Stoke have seen the player develop and Reds boss Roy Hodgson has earmarked the German as the ideal defensive reinforcement in January.

A bid of around £5m is likely to be enough to secure his signature.