Shawcross to replace Carragher?

Following Jamie Carraghers lengthy spell on the sidelines, it is believed Roy Hodgson will be strengthening the Liverpool squads defencive parts in january.

According to SkySports Liverpool are weighing up a January move for Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross.

Sky says Liverpool are targeting a move for Shawcross as they look to bolster their defensive options.

Hodgson are drawing up a list of targets as they look to bring a new centre-half after losing Jamie Carragher to injury for three months and Shawcross is thought to figure highly on their wish-list.

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Liverpool were thought to have originally been eyeing a summer move for the £10.5 million-rated centre-back but, after the long-term layoff of Anfield hero Jamie Carragher, they are now believed planning a January bid.

Shawcross has established himself as one of the best young defenders in the country after catching the eye with the Potters over the last couple of seasons.

Reds boss Roy Hodgson has made a new central defender his top target in the January transfer window and he could move for Shawcross if the funds are available to bid for the 23-year-old.

An old transfer target returns to the radar: This time it seems Liverpool will face competition from Genoa in the race to sign Spurs winger Giovani Dos Santos.

The Guardian reports that the Italian outfit are close to landing the player, leaving Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson with a decision to make over a potential move for the player.

Still only 21-years-old, Dos Santos has 34 caps to his name for Mexico after making his debut in 2007. At the time the player was at Barcelona, but moved to Spurs the following year for a fee in the region of £5 million.

With only 10 White Hart Lane appearances to his name, Dos Santos has spent time on loan at Ipswich and Galatasaray in an effort to get first team football, and Liverpool were linked with a move for the player in the summer.

Whether Harry Redknapp would be willing to sell to a Premier League rival is unclear, but Liverpool will first have to concern themselves with Genoa as the Serie 'A' outfit look to intensify their interest this month.

One of the reported transfer targets Murphy personaly would like to see arive Anfield in January is Real Madrid's Karim Benzema.

 But obvious enough Liverpool would not be the only suitor for the out of favour striker. Now Arsenal have allegedly entered the race for the Real Madrid striker.

The Frenchman has struggled to make an impact since joining Los Blancos from Lyon for €32 million a year ago, although he has recently been given a run in the starting XI by Real boss Jose Mourinho.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for the 22-year-old in recent weeks as the Anfield club search for another goalscorer to take the burden away from Fernando Torres.

But, should Liverpool step up their interest in Benzema, they may now have to battle with Arsenal after Mediaset reported he is the north London club's 'no.1 target'.

Arsene Wenger has a reputation for being frugal in the transfer market, but he is allegedly prepared to break the bank to bring Benzema to Arsenal, GiveMeFootball reports.

Benzema would certainly provide Arsenal with an added cutting edge, but whether the Gunners will bid for him in January remains to be seen.

A completely new name on the Liverpool transfer rumour mill is Racing Genk striker Jelle Vossen.

He has scored 14 goals in 11 Belgian pro league games this season, and Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is thought to have started monitoring the player.

A 21-year-old with five international caps to his name already, Vossen came to prominence during a loan spell at Cercle Brugges last season, with Roma, Aston Villa and Everton all thought to be interested.

However, reports in Belgium suggest that Liverpool are keenest to make a move for the player, according to GiveMeFootball.

It is thought that a bid in the region of €9 million would be needed to take Vossen away from his homeland.