Serie A playmaker on Liverpool's transfer radar

Pepe Reina today gives a hint that he could swap Liverpool for Manchester United in the future if the Reds continue to struggle.

- Van der Sar will hang up his gloves in the summer so of course [United] are looking. I can't do anything. I can't say anything logically as I have a contract with Liverpool, is his quite surprising statement.

To Murphy, loosing Pepe Reina to Manchester United, would almost be a bigger blow than the Torres transfer to Chelsea.

Reina is one of the worlds best goalkeepers and has won loads of points for Liverpool. It would break our red hearts!

Liverpool are thought to have competition in the race to sign Slovenian playmaker Josip Ilicic, GiveMeFootball claims.

The 23-year-old Palermo star has been linked with a number of Barclays Premier League teams as his stock continues to rise in Italy, with Liverpool thought to be one of the clubs keen to bring the player to England.

Chelsea have also tracked the player in the past, but now Italian sources claim Spurs are keen to bring the player to White Hart Lane.

- I have not had any contact with Tottenham chiefs, although it is indisputable that the player would like the English club, agent Armir Ruznic told reterete24.it.

Liverpool are thought to be one of those clubs, with director of football strategy at Anfield, Damien Comolli, thought to be impressed by the attacking youngsters ability.

January Liverpool transfer target Charlie Adam today insists that ambition and not money will be the driving force when he eventually leaves Blackpool.

The Scotland midfielder is expected to be sold in the summer after handing in a transfer request last month and seeing Blackpool turn down offers from Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa, The Daily Mail reports.

- Maybe the jump in money would have been enormous but if you're a real footballer, you are here to play football. For me, it's all about playing at football and playing at massive clubs, he tells the paper.

- I don't worry about moving to a bigger club and not getting a game. If these big clubs want to sign you then they want you to play. Deadline day was abit crazy but it's gone and focus is on Blackpool now. You never know what's going to happen in the summer.

Another player, that was heavily linked with Liverpool in the January transfer window, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, is now a doubt for the summer window.

Arsenal and Manchester United are still interested in the Southampton starlet, that has been given his first call up to England Under 21s.

Saints chairman Nicola Cortese has so far refused to enter into negotiations reports the Daily Telegraph, according to GiveMeFootball.

Cortese believes Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is set to make his England U21 debut tonight would be better staying with Southampton at least until the end of next season.

He questiones the conduct of some of the clubs that had reportedly bid for the player saying, 'I have experienced a lot of things over the past month about the behaviour of some Premier League clubs. Some have really behaved very well. There has been professionalism and there has been the complete opposite as well. Some simply sent a fax. No communication, nothing. It gave the impression that they didn’t care about the boy. Those faxes went straight into the bin.'

The faxed offer allegedly came from Liverpool who had been scouting Chamberlain for some time in a bid to bring the player to Anfield.

First Dalglish transfer already done?

Today it was revealed that our new owners have targeted Peter Lawwell as the clubs new chief executive.

According to Scotlands Evening Times a new chief executive is top of John W. Henry's priorities and Celtic supremo Lawwell, who was targeted by Arsenal back in 2008, is said to be on a shortlist.

As earlier reported the owners are set to cisit Liverpool this week, as they are ready to step up transfer pursuits.

And allthough, according to The Mirror, it appears that Dalglish haven't asked to buy anyone and don't know how much I've got to spend, the same paper claims his first signing allready is done...

The Mirror says the Liverpool boss has gone back to old club Blackburn to make 18 year-old Jason Banton the first signing of his second spell at Anfield.

Dalglish has snapped up the former England youth international after Rovers let him go because he was growing unsettled.

Banton joined Rovers from Arsenal - where he also became fed up at his lack of progress through the ranks - two years ago, and he had been pushing for a first-team squad slot at Ewood Park. Liverpool have handed the youngster a deal to the end of the season.

The same paper - The Mirror, also claims Dalglish is ready to make Blackpool's Charlie Adam his first shock signing at Liverpool.

The Reds are ready to trump Birmingham and Aston Villa for the Scotland international midfielder, who hit 19 goals last season and has bagged four so far this term.

Ironically, Adam, out of contract next season, is set to line up against Liverpool at Bloomfield Road tonight in what could be his final appearance for the Tangerines.

Aston Villa have already failed with a £2.5m bid, while rivals Birmingham are understood to have offered Blackpool £2m.

According to The Daily Mail Liverpool lead the race to sign Southampton youngster Alex Oxdale-Chamberlain. The Insider say the odds are 4/5 that Liverpool will win the battle ofr the players signature.

Chelsea and Arsenal have made their interest known but Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson’s presence at Southampton's win over Oldham on Tuesday was evidence that they will not let a talent slip by without a fight.

Southampton value Chamberlain at £10m but the reality is that they are unlikely to achieve that initially with offers in the region of £5m more realistic over the next couple of days.
 

Elsewhere it seems there might be an open door to the transfer of Luis Suarez.

According to Live4Liverpool new Ajax coach Frank De Boer admitted in a conversation with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that he cannot rule out a move away from the Dutch club for their striker.

The Uruguayan international is reportedly unsettled in Holland after the departure of manager Martin Jol, and De Boer’s failure to rule out a departure has increased speculation about the 23 year old’s future.

Such a statement could suggest that Ajax are encouraging both Liverpool and Tottenham to bid for the striker...

And the Metro report that Ricky van Wolfswinkel's proposed move to Liverpool or Spurs appears to have fallen through after it was revealed he needs surgery to repair a damaged collarbone.

Any move has been scuppered after he broke his collarbone in a Europa League game last month - coincidentally at Anfield.

He was initially expected to recover with basic physio treatment, but the fact he needs an operation and will not play again this season has put an end to any prospects.

Liverpool prepare £10m bid

Liverpool preparing bid for Southampton starlet. Clubs from Serie A and La Liga have gone cold on Liverpool target. Liverpool join race to sign Blackpool player.

Today it was speculated in Kenny Dalglish considering Dietmar Hamann for a Liverpool return as coach, according to Goal.com.

By the way, a Liverpool FC clothing brand are now celebrating King Kenny's return with Beatles-inspired t-shirt desig. 

According to the latest rumours, Liverpool are preparing a bid for the earlier linked Southampton starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The 17-year-old made his first team debut for Southampton on 2 March 2010, where he immediately impressed. Interim manager Kenny Dalglish is interested in a partner for Torres and believes Chamberlain is ready to play Premier League football.

Now Liverpool are ready to rival Arsenal for his signature, Liverpool Daily Post report. According to The Daily Mail he is rated at about £10m.

Liverpool's scouts view Chamberlain as one of Britain's finest young talents and are keen on snapping him up quickly.

The next month will show whether or not Chamberlain makes a jump to Premier League or not.
 

Reports from Holland suggest that clubs from Serie A and La Liga have gone cold on the idea of signing Luis Suarez from Ajax, put off by the Dutch side's asking price. This has left the field open to just two interested parties, both from the English Premier League; Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, Insidefutbol report.

Ajax do not wish to let Suarez go on the cheap and have let it be known that they are seeking a fee of between 22 and 23 million Euros for the Uruguayan hitman. Real Madrid had made discreet enquiries earlier this month as they face up to life without Gonzalo Higuain, but President Florentino Perez has since decided that Los Blancos will put their faith in misfiring French striker Karim Benzema, hoping he comes good at the Bernabeu.

Whether either Tottenham or Liverpool will come to an agreement with Ajax for 24-year-old Suarez remains to be seen, but a move to either Serie A or La Liga is no longer on the cards for the Eredivisie striker.

Liverpool have joined Aston Villa and Birmingham in the race to sign Blackpool’s Charlie Adam, according to Sky Sports.

Adam has been a key figure at the club so far this season with a number of noteworthy performances that have helped Blackpool blossom in the top flight.

Manager Ian Holloway is firmly trying to keep hold of the 25-year-old, and has already declined a £2.5m bid from Aston Villa for the player and confirmed that he is looking to bolster his squad instead of weaken it.

Read more: Liverpol plot shock swoop for £4m Anfield tormentor

Gomez in swap deal?

Rafa Benitez is apparently fighting to hold on to his Inter Milan job. Now he says the club haven't had it so good for 20 years.

Roy Hodgson feels the Liverpool side he inherited from Rafael Benítez is starting to feel like his own. But the manager says he needs to bring in his own players like Harry Redknapp at Tottenham Hotspur.

Maybe this one will be one of them?

Accoring to Sportingo Liverpool will use Bayern Munich's interest in full back Glen Johnson to further their pursuit of striker Mario Gomez.

The Germany international has been a revelation this season for the Bavarian giants, scoring 12 times in the Bundesliga and six times in the Champions League including a hat-trick against CFR Cluj. He has even netted for his national team as his dream campaign continues.

Liverpool were interested in signing Gomez in the summer and had looked into the possibility of taking him on loan, a suggestion that brought an angry response from Bayern director Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

With the Reds still keen on acquiring another striker, they will only have been encouraged but the player's recent displays though the German club are now even less happy to lose him.

However, that could change depending on their level of interest in Johnson. Bayern are in the market for full backs and seem to have decided that Merseyside will be the focus of their attention with Everton's Leighton Baines also being considered.

Johnson has had a falling out with Reds boss Roy Hodgson which could hasten his departure from Anfield and Liverpool will allow him to move to the Allianz Arena as long as Gomez is included in the deal.

Liverpool are again being linked with a "SHOCK" move for former striker Peter Crouch.

The 29-year-old left the Reds for Portsmouth for a reported fee of £11 million in 2008 after three eventful years at Anfield.

But now it appears Liverpool are considering bringing the Spurs star back to Merseyside as they search desperately for striking reinforcements.

It had initially been reported by the Daily Star that Liverpool were keeping tabs on the England international and now, according to caughtoffside.com, Spurs would be willing to entertain offers of £10-12 million for the ex-Southampton forward.

The Liverpool boss has frequently admitted his intention to bring more potent attacking options to Anfield when the transfer window opens in order to ease the burden on Torres and Reds captain Steven Gerrard.

Hodgson will reportedly have upwards of £20 million to spend next month on new recruits as he and NESV aim to transform fortunes at Liverpool.

Arsenal and Liverpool are weighing up bids for Southampton teenager Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – but have been told it will take “Theo Walcott money” to get him.

Goal.com UK understands that the Barclays Premier League big-hitters are seriously considering an offer for the England Under-18 attacking midfielder, who is the son of former England international Mark Chamberlain.

But Southampton are ready to dig in their heels and demand a £10m fee for a player who club insiders rate as better than Walcott at the same age.

- A lot of the big clubs are watching Alex but it will take serious money to get him, a Southampton source told Goal.com UK.

- The coaching staff rate him higher than Walcott at the same age and the club have sorted out their financial issues so are not under any great pressure to sell him for a knockdown fee. It will take Walcott money to get him.

A player that keeps coming back on the transfer radar is Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Now, according to caughtoffside.com, Liverpool are ready to table an offer of £5 million for the former Chelsea speedster.

Wright-Phillips joined the Londoners for £21 million from City in 2005 before moving back in the opposite direction three years later after struggling to make an impact at Stamford Bridge.

However, the England international has failed to feature regularly at City under boss Roberto Mancini and the Eastlands side are reportedly ready to entertain offers for the out-of-favour attacker.

This has put Liverpool on red alert as they look to draft more potent attacking options to Anfield in January in order to ease the goalscoring burden on Fernando Torres.

Hodgson will reportedly have upwards of £20 million to spend on new recruits when the transfer window opens as new Liverpool owners NESV look to back their manager in the transfer market.