A replacement for Konchesky in the summer?

As Paul Konchesky is out on loan with Nottingham Forest and Glen Johnson is playing out of position, Liverpool most likely will be looking for a new left back in the summer.

Today's most mentioned transfer rumour involving Liverpool FC, is without a doubt Newcastle United defender Jose Enrique.

According to the Daily Mirror, Liverpool Director of Football Strategy Damien Comolli was at Ewood Park to watch the left back in Newcastle’s 0-0 draw with Blackburn Rovers. The Spanish defender’s contract is up at the end of the seaon, the paper claims.

However, Magpies fansite newcastleunited-mad.co.uk say talks to extend a contract, which will have only 12 months left to run at the end of the season, have been postponed at the player’s request.

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Magpies boss Alan Pardew has admitted that talks have stalled over a new deal:

- Jose’s situation is simple: he’s made it clear that he won’t talk to us until we’re safe. What are we now, 32 points? Well we’re not safe, are we? So that makes the situation clear and, to be honest, it makes a lot of sense for both him and us, he tells the Mail.

- He is an outstanding player and we know that. He is an important player for this team because a lot of our play goes through him. He is involved in a lot of the good stuff that we do and I thought he was superb (against Blackburn). In terms of technique and impact, I thought he was the best player on the pitch by some distance.

Comolli will be looking for a player to fill Liverpool’s problem position at left back and the Reds may trouble Newcastle again in the summer after purchasing Andy Carroll for £35m.

Enríque has previously stated he would like to spend the rest of his career at Newcastle – but so did Andy Carroll.

Elsewhere, apparently Liverpool are preparing an £8m bid for Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge as the Merseyside club looks to further strengthen their strike-force.

The England Under 21 international is currently on loan at Bolton and has impressed with his opening performances for the Trotters, netting three goals in his first three matches.

Having already brought in Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, boss Kenny Dalglish and Director of Football Damien Comolli are keen to bring in further youthful additions as the club plans for the future and Liverpool were said to be close to bringing in the youngster as part of the deal that saw Fernando Torres join Chelsea and will return to the West London club in order to land Sturridge in the summer, Caughtoffside reports.

The former Manchester City man has made just one Premier League start for the Blues and after his spell at Bolton comes to a close the youngster will be reticent to sit back on the Chelsea bench, biding his time waiting for his team-mates to fall prey to injury or loss of form to propel him into Carlo Ancelotti’s first team plans.

If an offer came in for the Birmingham born 21 year old then Chelsea may not stand in the way of a sale of a player who is very much a bit part player at the club.

New twist in Torres saga

This weekend will be ravaged by the speculations surrounding Fernando Torres and his unsure future on Merseyside.

The latest report say that Liverpool are negotiating with Chelsea over a £50m bid but want Nicolas Anelka included in the deal, instead of earlier reported Daniel Sturridge.

Contrary to Liverpool's public stance that Torres is not for sale, the club is willing to negotiate with the Londoners. 

They fear the negative consequences of keeping a player who has publicly revealed his desire to move on, Goal.com reports.

Torres submitted a written transfer request on Friday night which was rejected by Liverpool. But that has not deterred Chelsea from making a second offer for the Spaniard of £40m in cash plus Daniel Sturridge, the England Under-21 striker.

Read more: Why Liverpool Can Demand £50m for Fernando Torres

With Torres, 26, pushing both clubs to negotiate over a move before the transfer window closes at 11pm on Monday, Liverpool have asked for Frenchman Anelka, not Sturridge, to be included in the deal to meet their £50m valuation.

Anelka is considered a proven goalscorer who can slot into the Liverpool side immediately and a more suitable partner for Luis Suarez, who is on Merseyside to complete a £22.8m switch from Ajax.

Anelka spent a loan spell at Anfield in the 2001-02 season and could be open to a return as Torres' arrival would cast doubt over the 31-year-old's future at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is determined to complete a deal for the World Cup winner, who he also tried to sign last summer but was rebuffed by the Merseyside club.

Anelka + Cash for Torres?

Even though an official Liverpool FC statement today says 'Torres is not for sale', and a club spokesman said 'Chelsea have made a bid for Fernando which has been turned down. The player is not for sale', the rumours about Fernando Torres possibly going to Chelsea won't go away.

First Spanish football writer Guillem Balague said 'Torres wants Liverpool to keep negotiating with Chelsea.There's NO buyout clause. Four days to go before a POSSIBLE exit of the striker'.

Duncan 'Dunk' Oldham of KopTalk tonight said on Facebook: Source of mine 'worried' about Torres talk. Chelsea confident, Liverpool worried. This is not someone up the ladder though but still in a good position to pass on the mood. At this time, I can honestly say I have no idea what's going on. Talk of Anelka + cash *if* something goes down. Told Kenny doesn't want him to leave at any price. Players don't think he will jump.

LFC fan Brian Durand tweeted: Tony Evans, Times is on Talksport now. Torres leaving very very soon. Via Tony Barrett. Torres told LFC by phone he wants to leave.

A die hard LFC supporter said: 'Just seen Torres outside Melwood, he says he is committed to the club...That's all he said. he signed an autograph and shook my hand'.

Finaly, The Chelsea Blog tonight is saying 'The latest word from The Times is that Fernando Torres has handed in a transfer request to Liverpool FC in light of the continued interest from Chelsea. CFC have met this news with an offer of £40m plus Daniel Sturridge'.

Interesting reading from Michael Owen: Chelsea won’t lure committed Torres away from Anfield.

World Cup star newcomer on the Liverpool transfer radar

Today's rumour mill consists mainly of old rumours growing stronger or weaker. But there is also one new name coming through to the radar...

Apparently Liverpool are leading the race for Werder Bremen’s World Cup star Per Mertesacker.

The 26 year-old centre-back, is now on the Kop radar after director of football Damien Comolli made a ­personal check on him before Christmas. Bremen are ­prepared to sell the 26-year-old following their exit from the Champions League – but have told any interested clubs that the bidding will start at £10m, The Mirror claims.

Comolli watched ­Mertesacker in action as ­Werder suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Kaiserslautern on December 18 in their final Bundesliga game before the German winter break.

He recommended Liverpool should make a move for the Germany international.

But Liverpool are also keen to balance their books by ­shipping out a central ­defender to make way for the highly-rated German. They will look to cash in on Daniel Agger before they make a move for Mertesacker.

Agger is being touted around ­Europe after being told he can leave Anfield following his fall from grace under manager Roy Hodgson. (Daily Mirror)

More: 10 things you need to know about Per Mertesacker

The Mirror also reports that Liverpool are ready to bankroll bids for Stoke City’s Ryan Shawcross and Aston Villa’s Ashley Young.

Comolli has lined up a bid for Young, fighting Manchester United in the £15million race, while he and Hodgson watched centre-half Shawcross in action last week. But United could also mess up that deal – they have the first option on Shawcross, a former reserve at Old Trafford.

The Anfield regime are looking to invest in the best young British players. Top target is England Under-21 striker Daniel Sturridge, who has told Chelsea he wants to go to Liverpool on loan after making just two league starts in two seasons at Stamford Bridge.

Young’s camp know that Liverpool want him even if Hodgson goes so that deal could go through despite any possible managerial upheaval in the next few weeks.

One rumour that is being renewed is that Roy Hodgson is keen on signing Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner.

The Danish international has been linked with a host of clubs as reports suggest that he may look for a move due to a lack of first team opportunities at the Emirates, claims Caughtoffside.

The powerfully built 22 year old received his first Premier League of the season a few days ago and he went on to score a goal in the game at Wigan. The likes of Lazio and Fulham have both reportedly made enquiries about signing the big striker and Arsene Wenger may well consider offers for Bendtner given that he is low down in the Arsenal pecking order.

Valued at around £8m Nicklas Bendtner is in his fourth season in the first team picture and is no nearer to getting regular first team football and may well be tempted by a move to Merseyside.

Another familiar name that again apparently is relevant on the radar is highly rated and versatile midfielder Keisuke Honda.

It is believed that the Japanese star had agreed a verbal agreement with the club during the latter stages of December and will finalise a move to Anfield within the January transfer window, KopSource claims.

Despite Honda being one of CSKA Moscow’s most consistent players this season, reports suggest that the 24-year-old has not taken to life in Russia after a £6M move to the club last January.

And Damien Comolli looks set to pounce upon the players situation after being impressed with the Blue Samuri’s performances and abilities.

The fee reported, believed to be around £15m, would be a snip for a player of his calibre; not to mention the revenue that would be made from shirt sales in the very lucrative Far East market. It has been said that Honda is the number one most recognisable footballer – pushing Brand Beckham into number two.

Liverpool would have to sell between 300,000 (£13.5M) and 400,000 (£18M) LFC Jerseys in Japan for Honda’s transfer fee to pay itself. And with Japan having a population of 127 million, the figures look very achievable.

Liverpool and Birmingham City are keeping tabs on Watford's teenage striker Marvin Sordell, The People Report.

The 19-year-old has came through the ranks at Vicarage Road, scoring nine goals this season - including against Portsmouth yesterday - and has caught the eye of top-flight clubs including Brum and Liverpool.

Sordell was sent out on loan to Tranmere last season to gain first-team experience and made flying to start to this campaign after being given a chance by Hornets boss Malky Mackay.

Dutch sensation already a done deal?

The recent rumors and reports has said that there is only one player who seems to be ready for a Liverpool transfer this January window.  

A Daily Mail article stated that a deal for Rennes winger Sylvain Marveaux allready is in place.

But now it seems another young, talented player is on his way to Anfield in January...

The FootballTransferTavern says that a deal for 21-year-old Dutch sensation, Ricky van Wolfswinkel "is apparently already a done-deal". 

He has already hit 11 goals in 17 starts for FC Utrecht this season and according to the report he will cost around £8m.

The site also makes a statement to the official LFC site from Roy Hodgson to be about the player.

- As I’ve said to the supporters many times, it’s important that we don’t just get bodies and numbers. We need people who are going to be very good for the long-term future of the club, or players who are definitely going to make a big difference to us in terms of what we’re going to do in the beginning of 2011, Hodgson said.

It remains to see just how much time Hodgson has left as manager of Liverpool FC, but it might be that NESV is bypassing him. It might be that director of football strategy Damien Comolli be responsible for the transfers, without Hodgson really knowing he has no long term role...
 
The Transfer Tavern also states that Hodgson has got his Fulham cap back on, and is preparing for a bidding war with his old club for Crystal Palace’s 18-year-old forward, Wilfried Zaha.

The scouts have already been deployed, and Kenny Dalglish is rumoured to have a hand in this deal, too. Palace will demand a fee of £2m for their man.

The transfer widow will certainly be a busy time at Anfield, and Hodgson has clearly made signing a striker his top priority, having also been linked with Chelsea’s Daniel Sturridge and Bolton’s Johan Elmander recently.

Benitez back to Anfield?

Today's most predictable transfer rumour is the one that comes every time we are nearing a transfer window.

Barcelona are reportedly plotting a €100 million splurge to sign Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas and Liverpool forward Fernando Torres. 

Also Cologne and Hamburg are apparently chasing Liverpool attacker Milan Jovanovic, which has been put on the transfer list for January at with a £3m price tag.

It has otherwise been a quiet day when it comes to rumors about people coming in, but a few has surfaced.

The first one about an old, but oh so familiar name... 

Reports in Spain today claim that Liverpool's new owners are considering offering Rafa Benitez an escape route from the San Siro back to Anfield, according to KopTalk.

Benitez is unhappy that he has been unable to strengthen his squad and he's indicated that he will leave the club if Inter do not deliver on promises that were made in the summer.

Speaking afer Inter were crowned World Champions, Benitez said:  

- There are three possibilities. One, 100 percent support for the coach and buy four or five players to build a stronger team with competition among the players to be able to carry on winning matches and trophies.

- Two, carry on like this without a project, without planning and go ahead with one person to blame, for the whole season getting to May this way.

- The third is to speak to my agent, reach an agreement if there is not this support. Simple. 

These are comments that did not fall well with Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti, who has criticised the comments made by Rafa, BBC reports.

Koptalk say it has been claimed that John Henry and Tom Werner have drawn up a list of possible replacements and that Benitez is on that list. However, KOPTALK sources exclusively revealed some time ago that André Villas-Boas, the FC Porto manager, was the leading candidate at that time. Other have since latched on to that claim.

Truth be told, as things stand, we can't see a Liverpool return for Benitez but what is positive is that the owners are thinking from themselves and not just listening to members of the former regime who were responsible for axing Benitez and replacing him with Roy Hodgson, the KopTalk site claims.

KopTalk understand that Roy Hodgson will be given the bullet at the end of the season if not before.
 

Today's most twittered and reported Liverpool transfer rumour is that Liverpool are believed to be interested in making a loan move for Chelsea's young striker Daniel Sturridge.

The manager of the Merseyside club, Roy Hodgson, has for some time maintained that he needs to bolster his strike force, so as to give Fernando Torres some breathing space.

And now The People claims that the Reds are looking to take the 21-year-old former Manchester City starlet on loan, with a view to a £5 million permanent transfer during the summer.

Sturridge has not made a single league start at the west London club this term, and it is thought  he could be receptive to a move away from Stamford Bridge to reignite his career.

The same paper repeat that Liverpool are interested in Spurs winger David Bentley. 

But if the interest is to materialise in a January bid there will be competition for the player.

The People today report that Birmingham are willing to outbid Liverpool to land the player that is desperate for an escape route from White Hart Lane after making only two Premier League appearances this term.

And now Tottenham accept they will have to take a hit as they attempt to offload him.

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson wants to boost his Anfield squad but the club’s spending capacity is limited, and the Reds cannot offer anything higher than £6m for the winger.

That news will bring hope to Birmingham boss Alex McLeish if he can move early and line up a bid of about £8m.