Former Fulham manager Roy Hodgson faces a battle to sign top-rated defender Brede Hangeland for his new club Liverpool, with Arsene Wenger about to lodge an audacious move to tempt him to Arsenal.
The Gunners are putting together a £10million transfer package in the hope of taking Hangeland to north London, where he will provide an experienced partner for Thomas Vermaelen at the heart of the defence.
Hodgson's unveiling at Anfield on Thursday will pave the way for the 62-year-old to begin putting his own stamp on the squad he inherits from Rafael Benitez.
And he will begin by restructuring a defensive line that gave up too many soft goals last season, especially late in games.
Hangeland has been attracting interest from several top clubs in the last 12 months, including Manchester United and Tottenham, as well as Arsenal.
He showed his unswerving loyalty to Hodgson when he signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract last November, but now the former Inter Milan boss has gone to Liverpool the centre-back's future remains shrouded in doubt.
Arsenal hold high hopes of signing the Norwegian ahead of Hodgson as the 29-year-old is now settled in London and is reluctant to move north.
However, the lure of the English tactician could still prove too much - especially as he has already hinted he intends to build his defence around the well-regarded stopper.
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