Sahin Backing For Rodgers

Liverpool new boy Nuri Sahin is backing Brendan Rodgers to guide his team to glory, provided he is given time.

After their worst start to a season in 100 years, Liverpool sit 14th in the Premier League, already 15 points behind leaders Chelsea.

However, Sahin, 24, believes that Rodgers has what it takes to move Liverpool forward, providing the club allows him time to develop his own philosophy.

Sahin compares Rodgers to his former boss, Jurgen Klopp, who took over a mediocre Borussia Dortmund side and turned them into champions.

"It will take time to take Liverpool back to where it wants to be," Sahin told Liverpool FC Magazine. "When Klopp came we did not have a squad to be champions.

"He changed a lot, bringing his own philosophy in. It took a while for everybody to follow it.

"He had to be calm and consistent. If you go on this way, in the first two or three weeks, okay, you might not get the results, but in the long-term it will go your way if you don't change it.

"The club gave Klopp the time to do this and it worked out very well. But as a character he is a person who relates to the player.

"I can see Brendan doing the same. Brendan's character was very influential in me coming here."

Liverpool Eye January Loan Move For Sturridge

Liverpool is weighing up a loan move for Chelsea’s wantaway striker Daniel Sturridge as soon as the January transfer window opens, reports suggest.

The Daily Mail suggest that Brendan Rodgers will immediately address his striking situation with a quick move for the 23-year-old forward who has seen his opportunities at Chelsea severely limited this season, having made just two appearances as a substitute. Sturridge is reportedly unwilling to sign an extension on his current deal, which expires in 18 months.

The Liverpool manager was seemingly keen on bringing the England international to Anfield before the summer transfer window shut, but reports suggested that neither Chelsea nor Sturridge were willing to agree on a loan deal. Given his desire to pay first team football, the former Manchester City striker may have to change his stance having seen so few first team opportunities this season.

Liverpool have had a worrying lack of cover for their striking options this season, following the decision to allow Andy Carroll to join West Ham United on loan without acquiring suitable cover. Luis Suarez, who has scored five of Liverpool’s nine Premier League goals this campaign, is the club’s only real established striking option. Fabio Borini, while also still adapting to life in the Premier League, is currently sidelined with a fractured foot.

The Daily Mail suggest that Liverpool have no intention of meeting Chelsea’s reported £20 million valuation of Sturridge, but would be keen on exploring the option of a loan offer in the new year with an option of making the move permanent in the summer.

Liverpool In Transfer Fight Over German International

Liverpool faces competition from Inter Milan in the race to sign German international midfielder Lewis Holtby.

The 22-year-old Schalke starlet has been earning rave reviews in the Bundesliga, but is out of contract at the end of the season and could leave the Veltins-Arena on a free transfer.

Huub Stevens remains hopeful that the club can keep hold of one of their rising stars though, with discussions over a new deal still to take place despite the late nature of the talks.

But, with the clock starting to tick, Sky Sport 24 claims Inter Milan has joined Liverpool in their pursuit of the player.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers will be boosted by quotes from the player earlier in the year however, with talkSPORT claiming Holtby revealed he wants to play in the Premier League.

Were the player to move to Anfield, he’d be joining an impressive crop of young talent on Merseyside, with Raheem Sterling, Andre Wisdom and Suso all impressing for Liverpool this season.

However, Holtby would have to fight for a place in the Liverpool midfield, with Steven Gerrard, Joe Allen and Nuri Sahin currently the trio of choice in a 4-3-3 formation.

Liverpool Contested By Dortmund In Korean Pursuit

Liverpool will reportedly have to contest interest from German champions Borussia Dortmund if the Reds hope to sign South Korea international Son Heung-Min from Hamburg.

Son's impressive start to the season, during which he has scored four goals in seven Bundesliga appearances, has seen him linked with a move to Liverpool during the January transfer window.

Liverpool, however, will not have a free run at Son, with reports in Germany claiming Dortmund are also keen for the 20-year-old forward to boost Jurgen Klopp's attacking options.

According to Bild, Liverpool is considering an offer for Son in the region of €10.5 million, although this it not expected to tempt Hamburg to allow the youngster to move to Anfield.

While the potential fee poses a problem for Liverpool, so does the apparent interest from Dortmund, who are reported to have Son on a list of January transfer targets.

Hamburg are hoping to extinguish interest in Son by convincing him to sign a new long-term contract while the player, for his part, has stated that he is 'very comfortable' with the club.

But the lure of a move to Liverpool or Dortmund could prove to be too much for Son, who continues to grow in stature for both club and country.

Liverpool Keen To Bring Dutch Hotshot To Anfield

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers could further his youth revolution with a swoop for Dutch hotshot Jurgen Locadia, according to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

Locadia, 18, announced himself to the world in spectacular fashion last month after scoring an 11-minute hat-trick on his Eredivisie debut for PSV during their 6-0 defeat of VVV.

The 18-year-old is considered one of the great young talents in Dutch football, and he is being monitored by sides across Germany and Italy.

Rodgers, who has fielded teenagers Suso, Raheem Sterling and Andre Wisdom in recent weeks, is also keen on Locadia, and could test PSV's resolve with a January bid for the forward.

Marcelo Brozovic Attracting Interest From Liverpool

The agent of Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Marcelo Brozovic claims his client is interesting Premier League heavyweights Liverpool and a number of clubs in Italy.

The 20-year-old only moved to Dinamo in August, penning a long-term contract upon his arrival.

He has, however, already been linked with a high-profile switch elsewhere during the winter transfer window.

Liverpool is in the market for creative, forward-thinking talent and Brozovic is a player under consideration by Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers.

"Many Italian clubs are looking at him - like Bologna, Parma and Genoa," Brozovic's representative, Miroslav Bicanic, told tuttomercatoweb.com.

"They are not the only ones. Liverpool scouts have also been following him for a long time now and I know they have spoken with the Croatian club.

"It's too early to talk about prices, but I have heard he could be worth €3.5million (£2.8m).

"He is a player with a great engine, but also two good feet. He plays a bit like (Andrea) Pirlo."

Borini Ruled Out For Three Months

Liverpool’s striker crisis has taken a turn for the worse, after the club revealed that Fabio Borini is facing up to three months out injured with a broken foot.

The blow will leave Brendan Rodgers with just one fit striker in his squad in Luis Suarez, and will force the northern Irishman to delve deeper into his youth ranks until the January transfer market, where he will be likely to explore additional striking options.

“Liverpool has confirmed Fabio Borini is to undergo an operation on a fractured bone in his foot,” a statement from Liverpool read.

“The forward originally sustained an injury to the area during the recent Anfield clash with Manchester United.

“He then further aggravated the problem resulting in a fracture and returned from international duty with Italy last week.

“Borini was assessed by the club's medical team upon his return to Melwood and a decision was made for the 21-year-old to have surgery.”

The statement concluded by stating that an injury of this nature typically requires a minimum of three months of rehabilitation before a return date can be set.

Borini has struggled to find his goal scoring form since his £11 million transfer from Roma earlier in the summer, having failed to find the net in five Premier League appearances. Regardless of form, the news of Borini’s absence will still come as a disappointment with forward options as strained as they are.

Reina To Undergo Tests On Recent Injury

Liverpool will face an anxious wait over Pepe Reina's fitness after the goalkeeper picked up a muscle injury during the half-time break in Spain's clash with France on Tuesday night.

The Reds' first-choice keeper was unable to take his usual place on La Roja's bench for the game's second half and will now undergo a physical examination upon returning to Merseyside.

Manchester City's David Silva was substituted in the game after picking up a hamstring injury, while Alvaro Arbeloa was also withdrawn with a similar knock.

Reina told reporters: "The injury is not serious. I got injured at half-time. On Thursday I will do more tests at Liverpool."

The Spaniard has only missed four Premier League games for the Reds since May 2007, with a run out of the team being enforced on him towards the end of last season due to suspension.

Move For Fresh '96' Inquest

The Attorney General has paved the way for a fresh inquest into the deaths of 96 fans in the Hillsborough disaster 23 years ago.

Dominic Grieve QC announced in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon that he would apply to the High Court to have the verdicts of the original hearing quashed in order for a new one to be held.

The move comes just weeks after a damning report into the disaster laid bare a cover-up that saw police attempt to shift the blame for the tragedy on to its victims.

Mr. Grieve said his consideration of the evidence was far from over, but that he was taking an "exceptional" stance on the basis of the documentation he had already seen.

"My consideration of the evidence is far from complete but, given the anxiety further delay may cause the families affected by the Hillsborough disaster, I have decided to take an exceptional course and state at this stage that, on the basis of what I have already seen, I have determined that I must make an application to the court," Mr. Grieve said.

"In doing so, I should make it clear that further work will need to be done before any application can be made.

"In particular, there was not one inquest but 96. My current view is that I will apply to have every one of those 96 inquests quashed.

"I believe that these deaths, arising as they do from a common chain of events, should all be considered afresh ... I will be in contact with each family seeking views."

Ninety six Liverpool supporters died in the crush on 15 April, 1989 at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium, where their team was to meet Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final.

But the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report last month revealed that up to 41 of those victims had the "potential to survive", prompting new questions over how many could have been saved had the emergency response been better.

Some families of the victims, who have campaigned on the issue since the 1989 disaster, have said that having the original inquest verdict quashed is their priority.