Linked manager 'very interested'

Linked German mananger is 'very interested'. 6ft 8in striker in fresh link. Adebayor for January Liverpool switch? Dutch strikers agent confirms interest. Preston midfielder linked.

Ralf Rangnick.

The rumours regarding who might be the next man in the Liverpool FC hot seat are heating up. The latest man being linked is German coach Ralf Rangnick. He says he is very interested in the Premier League and Liverpool is certainly a very interesting club with a great tradition, according to The Mirror.

Now the speculations also has been taken on by the BBC, which makes it even more credible, with Rangnick's agent talking about the interest.

- He would be interested in Liverpool and it's possible he could manage there, Rangnick's agent, Oliver Mintzlaff, said.

He added:

- There are no negotiations with them, not even a meeting yet, but he is a big fan of the Premier League. If he had to make a decision between the Premier League and staying in the Bundesliga, he would go to England.

Meanwhile Roy Hodgson has underlined his ambition to make changes to the Liverpool squad in the transfer window and 'stamp his philosophy' on the team. Apparently Hodgson would like to add a host of players to his underperforming side.

One of them could be FC Cluj striker Lacina Traore.

Lacina Traore.

According to The Mirror Liverpool are considering a January bid for the player.

The Reds are desperate for another striker to help propel them back up the table after a disappointing first half of the season, and boss Roy Hodgson has now identified 6ft 8in Traore as a possible solution.

The 20-year-old Ivory Coast forward was linked with Arsenal last summer and Fulham and Newcastle are also thought to be interested.

Emmanuel Adebayor.

Liverpool are also understood to have inquired to Manchester City about the availability of striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

The striker has hit the headlines after being involved in another training ground bust-up with team mate Kolo Toure just 24 hours before the pair return to North London to face former club Arsenal.

Adebayor and Toure also squared up in April last year and today's news that City have agreed an agreement with Wolfsburg to sign their £30million-rated striker Edin Dzeko, a former Anfield target, could see the Togo international winging his way to Merseyside, ClickLiverpool report.

City are expected to be willing to accept a reduced price on the £25m they paid for the controversial striker little over 18 months ago.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel.

Another strongly linked player is Ricky van Wolfswinkel. His agent, Louis Laros, has confirmed there is interest from English sides but has urged both Liverpool and Tottenham to make an official approach.

The player looks set to quit Dutch side FC Utrecht and favours a move to the Barclays Premier League, according to Sport.co.uk.

The striker has been in sensational form for his Eredivisie side over the past two seasons, drawing comparisons with Netherlands legend Marco Van Basten, and has attracted a lot of interest.

- At this moment it is unlikely Ricky will move because I have not received an concrete offer from either Tottenham Hotspur or Liverpool, his agent said.

I cannot say at the moment if it is serious interest, an enquiry, or just rumours. We are waiting for calls from both clubs, as we need an official offer from Liverpool or Spurs to proceed.

Adam Barton.

The Mirror also report Liverpool are ready to buy Preston’s Northern Ireland international midfield starlet Adam Barton, building a squad for the future.

The Anfield club have been plotting raids on several youngsters in a bid to return to their old philosophy of grooming top young talent. North End have been asking for £5m for the 19-year-old, but Liverpool hope to lower the price with add-ons.

City forward on loan?

Despite the poor results for Liverpool this season Roy Hodgson does not fear for his job. He belives NESV will back him as he tries to turnaround the club's recent decline.

- Because basically speaking unless there is a major inflow of cash into the club and the team is going to be changed from one moment to the next then whoever takes my place will be doing a similar job with similar players, Hodgson said, The Birmingham Mail reports.

So any other manager would do exactly the same job as Hodgson, giving the same results? Would not change anything, would he? I'm just asking...

One report today implies that Liverpool has had a plan to tak Manchester City's Emmanuel Adebayor on loan in January.

This has however come unstuck now that Carlos Tevez has handed in a transfer request, Sportingo reports.

The Argentine's insurrection has caused uproar in Manchester though it provides a lifeline for Adebayor after his career at Eastlands appeared to be over. With only Mario Balotelli and forgotten men Roque Santa Cruz and Jo remaining as front line strikers, Adebayor will now get another chance to shine for Roberton Mancini.

The development will disappoint Roy Hodgson who was planning on making a loan enquiry for the Togolese hitman as he searches for another forward with Liverpool owners NESV having previously said that no significant funds will be available for player acquisitions in January.

Hodgson had earmarked Adebayor as the man to partner Torres, in the short term at least, as they bid for a top four finish and the lack of a transfer fee had made him a far more attractice option than either Carlton Cole or Darren Bent.

Elsewhere Liverpool apparently are keeping a close eye on Sochaux midfielder Ryad Boudebouz, according to Goal.com.

The 20-year-old has seen his stock rise dramatically in recent months; playing in the World Cup for Algeria and, in turn, attracting the interest of a number of Europe's top clubs.

Liverpool director of football strategy, Damien Comolli, will travel to France before the New Year with a view to bringing Boudebouz to Anfield when the transfer window opens next month.

- Liverpool have shown serious interest in him and Damien Comolli will come to watch him at a game in the next two or three weeks, an insider told Goal.com.

- It is looking very possible that he will sign for Liverpool - he is an exciting young player who needs developing but is capable of special things.

Boudebouz is an attack-minded midfielder with an eye for goal who would certainly fit with the ethos of Liverpool owners NESV in their quest to bring top young talent to Anfield.

Another name that re-appears today is Borussia Dortmund striker Lucas Barrios.

Liverpool are according to GiveMeFootball fighting Real Madrid in the race to sign the 26-year-old Paraguayan striker who has been in fine form for the runaway Bundesliga leaders this term, leading to speculation over a potential big-money move away from Signal Iduna Park.

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson was thought to be one of the parties interested in the player, with the Anfield chief searching for an attacking foil for Fernando Torres as his number one priority in the New Year.

However, Spanish paper Marca claims that Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has joined the chase for the player, with the La Liga giants keen to find cover for Argentine international striker Gonzalo Higuain.

A long-term target of the Merseyside outfit, Barrios is thought to have originally appeared on the Liverpool radar when Rafa Benitez was in charge of the club.

Hodgson is believed to have continued the interest after glowing references from the Liverpool scouts, and were considering an offer in the region of €17.5 million.