Winger interest confirmed

There may be as many as four new player signings at Anfield this January.

Liverpool are believed to be keen on bringing in a new right-back, central defender, forward and winger if the right players become available in January. To help add to the attacking options Wigan's Charles N'Zogbia is mentioned as a possible target, Sky Sports reports.

Elsewhere a Swedish left back is entering the transfer radar...

Liverpool are amongst the Premier League teams chasing versatile Swedish international Behrang Safari.

The Basel left back, who can also play as a winger, was influential in the club's Swiss Super League title winning season last term, and Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is thought to be monitoring the player through his links in Scandinavia.

Safari's agent, Martin Dahlin, has a relationship with the Reds boss from his time as Sweden and Blackburn manager, something that could give the Liverpool manager an edge should he wish to negotiate a deal.

- Behrang Safari, has been doing very well and was recently linked with Liverpool, Fulham and Everton, Dahlin told Sport.co.uk.

- He is a 25 year-old left-back and left-winger who has been playing in the Champions League with Basel and has already got 17 caps for Sweden. I have high hopes for him, the agent concluded.

Additional Barclays Premier League interest will come as no surprise to the Anfield outfit following the player's impressive start to the current campaign, which could lead to an offer of more than the £3 million valuation from Liverpool or any of the suitors.

Reds scout Jakob Friis-Hansen confirmed that the club were watching Safari last month, with the Liverpool boss keen to strengthen his squad from an area which he knows best.

One of the more familiar names on the Liverpool transfer radar is Evertons Steven Pienaar.

Now Liverpool reportedly are leading the chase to sign the Everton contract rebel and are ready to make an offer for the South African international in January.

Roy Hodgson is thought to be ready to offer around £4m for the former Ajax man who is out of contract in the summer, Caughtoffside reports.

The midfielder has refused to sign a new deal with the Toffees and David Moyes has admitted the club will prefer to offload the 28 year old in January rather than lose him for nothing in the summer and Hodgson is thought to be very keen on the adaptable Everton man.

The likes of Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Ajax are all said to be interested in Pienaar but the short move to Anfield is apparently one he is keen on making.

Liverpool is also reported to be in the battle to sign Paris Saint Germain midfielder Stephane Sessegnon.

The battle for the signature of the midfielder has begun with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, West Ham and Everton tracking the talented Benin international, Sport.co.uk confirms.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is, as things stand, the favourite to land the 26-year-old after the player signalled his intention to move to England. 

Also Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has monitored the player and Liverpool’s new director of football strategy, Damian Comolli, is a confirmed admirer. He has also had the player watched on a number of occasions since joining the Reds.

The Hammers and Toffees are also reportedly in the race for Sessegnon having made tentative enquiries.

Sessegnon confirmed last summer his intention to quit the French capital at the end of this season after two years at the turmoil-ridden Parc des Princes.

Speaking to Sport.co.uk, a source close to the player revealed:

- I do not know if he will be staying at the moment. I could not say for sure. He could leave PSG.

- The Premier League is a serious option for him, and he would like to play there. So we will see.

Today Liverpool are being linked with a shock swoop for Barcelona wonderkid Bojan Krkic in the summer.

The 20-year-old striker, who can also play in the wing positions, has failed to earn a regular starting spot at the Nou Camp, leading to speculation that he could leave the club in the summer.

His agent, Zoran Vekic, revealed that the player will not be making a Catalan exit in January, but admitted Bojan would consider his options at the end of the season. Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is thought to be one of the interested parties in the player.

- Next summer we will analyse it and we'll see, but at the moment he is happy at Barcelona. He's not having many minutes but every time he has a chance he's playing quite well, Vekic told Sport.co.uk.

The agent also dismissed the possibility of a January loan move, something Liverpool have been linked with in relation to the player in the past.

Spurs, Juventus, Inter Milan and Arsenal are also thought to be keen on the player's services, news that could lead to a major battle for Bojan's signature in the new year.

The Anfield board reportedly want attacking young talent added to the Liverpool squad, and Bojan would certainly fit the bill were he to be available.

A fee in the region of €16 million is thought to be enough to persuade Pep Guardiola to sell the starlet.

No big signings in January?

Today there are several reports on Liverpool not going to bring in any new big names in the January transfer window. On the other hand the rumours of transfer war chests and players keep on coming like never before.

The Evening Herald reports about Liverpool needing to get theire books in order before the club can buy players.

Hodgson will not target any trophy signings in the January transfer window as Liverpool's new owner, New England Sports Ventures, looks to put a stop to the profligate spending which it believes has hampered the club's progress in recent years, the paper reports.

NESV's takeover freed up £36m a year on revenue -- money that had previously been used to service Liverpool's £282m debts -- to be reinvested in the club.

Although its offer also made provisions for an immediate injection of funds into the playing staff, the American consortium has made it clear it expects value for money, both from fees and salaries.

- At the Boston Red Sox, we invested a lot in management and the scouting system, said NESV chairman Tom Werner, The Daily Telegraph reports.

- We believe the foundation of any good sports club has to be the experience, valuation and understanding of scouting, so we will invest in that as well, he sayd.

Get the updates first!
Follow Murphys on Facebook

Also says the same newspaper Hodgson and his scouting team in recent weeks have been following the Standard Liège captain Steven Defour. A long-term target for the Liverpool manager.

The newspaper believes that at 22, and around £12 million, Defour represents minimum risk for maximum reward.

The player has also been followed by Hodgsons good friend Alex Ferguson, but the manager according to Sportsvibe intends to challenge Manchester United in securing the signature of highly-rated Standard Liege midfielder

The Telegraph also mentions the PSV Eindhoven Winger Ibrahim Afellay, whom Liverpool have assessed on several occasions.

Already a Dutch international at 24 and heralded for several years as one of the brightest prospects in Europe, Afellay would fall within Liverpool's budget, while his wage demands would remain comparatively modest.

More expensive would be Eden Hazard, Defour's Belgian international team-mate, currently with Lille.

Earlier reported transfer goal for Hodgson, Diego Forlan is again being mentioned on the rumour mill.

According to Goal.com the Atletico Madrid striker is keen on a move to the Premiership in january. They say Liverpool and Tottenham are set to battle for the Uruguayan star.

He is apparently targeting a move to England after setting his heart on a return to the Premier League when the transfer window re-opens.

Liverpool and Spurs have been made aware of the €17 million-rated striker's availability and NESV will back the manager with funds to strengthen the squad and the former Fulham boss has made signing a striker to partner Fernando Torres his priority.

Spurs made a summer enquiry for Forlan but were put off by the €27m asking price. 

Another new name appearing today is the St Etienne defensive midfielder Blaise Matuidi. 

The French player was linked with Arsenal and a host of other clubs last winter and Liverpool have also been credited with an interest in Matuidi. It appears that English clubs would have an advantage in any attempt to sign the France international.

- The league that would suit me best is the Premier League. This is due to tactical, cultural and physical reasons, and the atmosphere in the stadiums, the player says according to Sky Sports.

Todays most surprising link is to the West Brom midfielder Chris Brunt. 

The 25-year-old Northern Ireland international has produced a string of eye-catching displays at the Hawthorns, and Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is thought to be keen on bringing the player to Anfield, Givemefootball reports.

The have taken the story from The Belfast Telegraph, who says the player is an £8m target for Liverpool.

- West Brom will be reluctant to let Brunt go but Roy will have money to spend and he’s been impressed by Brunt and the influence he’s had on games this season, a Liverpool source told the paper.

And the most shocking link right now is to Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar.

Pienaar has been unable to agree terms on a new deal, and the Metro reports that new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is keen to bring the player to Anfield, according to Givemefootball.

David Moyes could be forced to sell or risk losing the player on a free transfer in the summer, although he has said he'd rather have the player for six more months than sell on the cheap.