£6M Is A Shrewd Bit Of Business From King Kenny

Liverpool is looking to bolster their defensive options this summer with a move for Croatian international, Dejan Lovren. The Reds are keen to bring in a new centre back, with Jamie Carragher reaching the latter stages of his career and the club sees the Lyon man as the natural replacement.

The Lyon centre back has been capped at all levels for the Croatian national team and has shown his potential to play in the Premier League. With the recent acquisition of Jordan Henderson, it seems as though Liverpool are looking to build for the future, particularly British talent. However, after missing out to Manchester United in the race for Phil Jones’ signature it looks as though the Merseyside club have taken their search abroad.

Ligue 1 is also host to another Liverpool defensive target in Paris Saint Germain’s Mamadou Sakho but Dalglish is believed to prefer the 21 year-old Croatian. Reports also suggest an interest in relegated Birmingham’s Scott Dann.

The new American owners at Liverpool are looking to make a real impact in the transfer window this summer as they target young talent across Europe. Dalglish and Comolli will have a battle on their hands if they are to bring Lovren to Anfield as Lyon will not want to let a rising young star go on the cheap.

Lovren’s introduction to the club would possibly spell the end of Sotirios Kyrgiakos’ Liverpool career as they look to ship him out this summer after a poor first season in the Premier League.

Reds Try For Savic

Liverpool is trying to hijack Manchester City's move for Montenegro star Stefan Savic, skysports.com understands.

However, the Reds' late efforts look set to be in vain as the 20-year-old is believed to be fully focused on completing a move to Eastlands.

Savic arrived in England on Monday evening ahead of a planned medical with City, whilst talks over a potential £6million deal continued.

Skysports.com understands Liverpool have made moves to try and prise him away from City's grasp.

But the Partizan Belgrade defender is believed to have his heart set on a move to City and will seemingly not let any rival interest deter him.

The 20-year-old is regarded as one of the best young defenders in Europe, so it is little surprise Liverpool have shown an interest.

Liverpool Prepare £7m Move For Barcelona Winger

Liverpool target Jeffren is set for talks with Barcelona this week to decide his future, talkSPORT have reported.

The winger, who is also attracting interest from Aston Villa and Fulham, will hold talks due to the impending arrival of £32m signing Alexis Sanchez from Udinese.

It was originally thought Jeffren would join the Italian club as part of the Sanchez deal but the 23-year-old rejected the opportunity to move to Serie A.

And according to talkSPORT, the Barcelona trainee will, along with his father/agent Efren, meet with Barcelona's sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta to discuss what future he has at the Nou Camp.

Jeffren is highly-regarded at Barca but has so far failed to establish himself in the first-team. If the arrival of Sanchez is confirmed, it could spell the end of his career with the European champions.

Various reports have linked Liverpool with a move for some time but it is claimed Fulham are the only club who have lodged an official offer.

Valencia are also believed to be interested, particularly with Joaquin joining Malaga and the future of star man Juan Mata still undecided.

Efren revealed last month that his son would be rejecting the move to Italy but is interested in a move to the Premier League.

"Playing in Italy is not a good option for Jeffren," he said. "He has more attractive offers from Spain and England."

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is looking to build a squad capable of challenging for silverware and £7m-rated Jeffren fits the profile for the type of player he is looking to recruit.

Liverpool Move On To French Winger After Giving Up On Downing

The Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has had a few disappointments in the transfer market so far, but he is still searching for the classy winger that is much-needed at Anfield.

Dalglish lost out on Ashley Young, who went to Man Utd, and now they appear to be priced out of a move for Stewart Downing as Aston Villa are demanding £20m for Young’s team-mate.

So it is being reported today by the Metro that Dalglish has now moved on to Charles N’Zogbia of Wigan, who has been transfer listed by Roberto Martinez after refusing a contract extension, and with just 12 months remaining on his contract the Frenchman will be available for around £9million which is more suited to Liverpool’s budget.

N’Zogbia made it clear he wants to move to a more ambitious club than Wigan when he said: “I have one-year left on my contract, and after two-years I think the coach and the owner are satisfied with what I have produced.

“Now they know that I want to sign with a bigger club, with bigger goals who can play in Europe and also help me with France.

“I said to them that if I am still at Wigan then I would give them 200 per cent, as I am loyal to the club.

“But they have opted for a transfer and I hope it will happen under good conditions and that everyone will be happy.”

Could N’Zogbia land a dream move to Liverpool?

Liverpool Winger Heading For Anfield Exit

Liverpool winger Milan Jovanovic has been given permission to find a new club, after being told he no longer features in the club's plans.

The Serbian has only been at Anfield for one-year after joining last season on a free-transfer from Belgian club Standard Liege.

Despite appearing to find a place in Liverpool's starting XI, the winger subsequently found himself frozen out of the team when Kenny Dalglish took the helm in January.

The 30-year-old was brought in last summer, along with Joe Cole, to offer width and relieve the burden placed on Dirk Kuyt. Jovanovic failed to impress in his debut season though, and earlier in the year admitted it was difficult to adjust to life in England.

Jovanovic reportedly said to a Greek media outlet: "I got the paper from Liverpool that I am free to search for a new club."

The Serbian international has been linked with Greek side Olympiakos, but has confirmed that there is no concrete offer in place. "Up to now, I still haven't received an official offer from Olympiakos, but I am looking forward to hearing their plans," he said.

Jovanovic's departure will help to slash the massive wage bill club owner John W. Henry inherited when he bought the club last season. Jovanovic is reportedly picking up a cool £120,000-per-week.

With the club keen to bring in younger talent on minimal wages, it appears as though Jovanovic will not be the only departure from the club this summer.

England international Joe Cole has been touted with a move away from Merseyside, with London a likely destination.

Suarez Earns Uruguay Draw

Luiz Suarez's first-half equalizer ensured Uruguay started their Copa America challenge with a 1-1 draw with Peru in Group C.

Liverpool striker Suarez struck with virtually the last touch of the opening period in San Juan to bring his side level after Paolo Guerrero had put Peru ahead.

Diego Forlan then had the chance to win it for Oscar Tabarez's men, but the Atletico Madrid striker was off target when it would have been easier to score.

After a slow start, Peru brought the game to life in the 24th minute when Guerrero sprung the offside trap and raced half the length of the field to round Fernando Muslera and open the scoring.

Maxi Pereira had a shot deflected wide as Uruguay sought a way back into the match, and Forlan thought he had it when he curled a free-kick towards the top corner, only to see Raul Fernandez claw it away.

But Suarez did the business when he found himself one-on-one with the keeper just before the half-time whistle, slotting coolly under his body for an 18th goal for his country.

Juan Manuel Vargas dragged a shot just wide for Peru after the break, before Suarez played Forlan through on goal, only for the normally accurate striker to sidefoot high and wide.

Vargas then saw another effort drift wide and Guerrero had more time than he realized with a free, last-ditch header as the match ended in a draw, the fourth in five games so far in the tournament.

Reds Are In Good Shape

Darren Burgess admits he was thrilled with the condition of the Liverpool players who returned to Melwood following the summer break on Monday.

Each member of the Reds' playing staff was issued a specially-prepared fitness programme to follow over their holidays to ensure they came back to the club's training base in good condition - and the players appeared to be in fine shape as they got their preparations for 2011-12 up and running.

Head of fitness and conditioning Burgess told Liverpoolfc.tv: "Training is going well. The boys have looked really good.

"It was a pretty hard session on Monday. We certainly put them through a tough session, especially early on - but the boys handled it pretty well. Better than I thought they would, actually, which is good.

"They did a football-fitness circuit, where they combined a little bit of running with a little bit of football. There was a little bit of passing, but mainly a fair bit of hard work and then they did some possession drills with the coaches after that.

"We gave them a couple of weeks off at the end of last season and then they all had individual programs to follow, which included a bit of running, a bit of gym and some injury prevention work. Based on training, I would say they've all carried out those programs.

"It's massive that they look after themselves over the summer. The Premier League is getting quicker and quicker and we only have a six-week pre-season to try and get the players from a base level to a level where they can compete in the Premier League, so they needed to do some work during the off-season - and they certainly did that."

A little over six weeks had passed since the final day of the 2010-11 season before the Liverpool players were being put through their paces at Melwood once again.

They'll now spend the next half dozen weeks undergoing meticulously prepared training sessions to ensure they're in prime condition by the time Sunderland visit Anfield on August 13.

Burgess explained: "The players finished their session on Monday morning, had some lunch and then spent the afternoon doing some medical, physiotherapy and fitness screening, so we'll know by the end of today exactly where each player is at and then we can work out their program based on it.

"Each session is planned in terms of how far we want them to run, how many sprints we want them to do and how much time we want them out there. That's planned by myself, the fitness staff, the coaches and the medical staff.

"We pretty much want to predict what the players are going to do at the end of each week so we can make sure they're on track and ready for pre-season, so as you can imagine that takes a fair bit of planning."

He added: "We have the whole of pre-season planned - in theory of course. It doesn't always work like that because numbers of players change and coaches often change sessions based upon what they've seen the week or day before, but in theory we have got everything planned up until we play Sunderland."

Liverpool will spend the week at Melwood before departing for Asia to embark on their tour of the Far East.

Burgess and his staff are planning to get as much hard work done as possible in the milder Merseyside climate before they land in what is likely to be a hot and humid China next week.

He said: "It will be a very tough week this week. When we go to Asia it will be quite warm and the humidity will be quite high, so it will be harder to get a lot of work in when we're over there, so we want to make sure we get a fair bit of work in at Melwood before we head over."

Burgess and co had virtually a full squad to work with on Monday, a contrast to last summer when the players' return to Melwood was staggered due to the World Cup.

However, while the likes of Luis Suarez and Lucas Leiva may be in Argentina, they are still in daily contact with Liverpool's medical and fitness teams keeping them up to speed with the work they're doing with their countries.

"The squad we took to Bad Ragaz (Switzerland) last year compared to what we've got here and the quality of football we've seen is excellent," said Burgess. "Even Luis Suarez and Lucas are sending me information daily on what they're doing with their teams.

"It's important to keep in touch with them. Like I said, they're sending daily information and we'll try and make sure they can get some downtime whenever they can as well because they are going to be pretty important for us for the season.

"I am excited about the new season. There is a really good feel about the place. We've got a new coach in (Kevin Keen) and it's definitely exciting to be here."

World Cup Agony For LFC Six

Six Liverpool youngsters saw their U17 World Cup dream end as England fell to a 3-2 quarter-final defeat to Germany on Monday night.

The Three Lions went 3-0 down in Mexico despite the best efforts of winger Raheem Sterling, who had two long-range efforts saved in the first half and created two excellent chance in the second.

Left-back Brad Smith was also on the pitch as England embarked on a commendable fight back with goals from Sam Magri (pen) and Hallam Hope, while winger Jack Dunn entered the game on 68 minutes - but it wasn't to be.

Adam Morgan, Matty Regan and Tyrell Belford were all unused subs on the night.

The six will now return home.

Kevin Keen On His Dream Job At Liverpool FC

New Liverpool coach Kevin Keen says he is “privileged, proud and honoured to be part of such a fantastic club.”

And the 44-year-old former West Ham midfielder is even prepared to forgive Kenny Dalglish for spoiling his Football League debut 25 years ago!

Dalglish appointed Keen as first team coach yesterday following Sammy Lee’s departure, with Steve Clarke moving up to assistant manager.

And Keen admitted that the Upton Park afternoon in September 1986 when the reigning champions put five past a side which had run the Reds close to the title just four months earlier, had already been discussed.

“It’s already been mentioned,” joked Keen after completing his first training session at Melwood yesterday.

“I was a sub that day and we lost 5-2. I think Kenny was a sub as well but he scored a couple of goals. It wasn’t often that West Ham beat Liverpool!”

Keen signed a three year deal and took his first coaching session at Melwood as the Reds senior stars returned to pre-season training.

“I feel really privileged, proud and honoured to be here and to be part of such a fantastic club,” he explained.

“I grew up in the 70s and 80s, during the glory times for Liverpool when they were winning European Cups and winning the league every year. They are memories from my childhood.

“In my eyes Liverpool are one of the greatest clubs in the world so I am really quite humbled to be here.

“I was back coaching at West Ham for nine years and was a player at West Ham for nine years as well, so they have been a big part of my life. When I got the call from Liverpool I thought the timing was perfect for me.

“To come here and be a part of what Kenny, Steve Clarke, Damien and the owners are looking to do in taking the club forward is very exciting.

“I know Steve very well from my West Ham days and learnt a lot from him when he was assistant manager to Gianfranco Zola. He’s very meticulous with his planning, he’s a fantastic coach and a really nice person to work with.

“I want to come in here and to contribute to us winning trophies for the supporters.

“We’ve a lot of work to do between now and the first match of the season against Sunderland but for me, this is where I want to be. I want to be out training and to help players improve, whether they’re 16, 17 or 18 or whether they’re 33. I want to get the best out of everyone.”

As a player Keen made more than 200 appearances for West Ham in the 80s and 90s, helping The Hammers to promotion in 1990–91 and to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

His final game for West Ham in May 1993 was another promotion clincher to the top flight, this time against Cambridge, before a dispute over a new contract saw him drop down a division and join Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Liverpool players, Including Alberto Aquilani, Return To Training

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and £35million record signing Andy Carroll both returned to pre-season training alongside one player who was back at Melwood for the first time in almost a year.

Gerrard missed the last two and a half months of the season after a groin operation in March but did some work away from the main group as he continued his rehabilitation.

Carroll struggled for fitness after arriving in January from Newcastle with a thigh problem but he was involved with the rest of the squad.

Defender Martin Kelly, whose season was ended by a hamstring in February, was also involved as was Daniel Agger, who was sidelined with a knee injury from early April.

Also training was Alberto Aquilani, back at the club after a year out on loan at Juventus.

The Serie A club did not take up their option to sign the Italy international and although he has returned to Merseyside he is thought to be one of a number of players manager Kenny Dalglish is looking to offload to free up space on the wage bill to bring in more new signings.

Also believed to be on that list are Christian Poulsen and Joe Cole and they too were put through their paces in the sunshine at Melwood.

Vice-captain Jamie Carragher is keen to pick up where last season left off.

"We've had longer than usual off this year and I want to get started now," he said.

"It's a new start and there's a new sense of optimism. It's going to be great to have most of the players around from the start of pre-season.

"Our form in the second half of last season was very good and we need to ensure we prepare well and get off to a decent start this season.

"That will make a big difference. It can be difficult with the preparations when everyone comes back in dribs and drabs.

"It's good for the manager to have everyone around and it means after a decent pre-season we should be ready to start the season.

"It will be great to see all the lads again and I'm sure there will be a few new faces coming in before the transfer window closes."

New £16million signing Jordan Henderson was absent as he was given extended leave having been involved with England Under-21s at the European Championships last month.

Principal owner John Henry expressed his surprise at how short the summer was for footballers.

"Incredible. A month and a half after the season ends, the first day of LFC 2011/12 training begins," the Boston Red Sox owner wrote on Twitter.

"MLB (Major League Baseball) has 4 months off. Next stop China (where the club play their first friendly against Guangdong Sunray Cave on July 13)."

£14m La Liga Striker Chased By Liverpool And Spurs

Tottenham have increased their efforts to sign Barcelona striker Bojan Krkic, but are likely to face competition from Liverpool in their pursuit of the Spaniard.

According to the Daily Mail, Barca are demanding a fee of £14 million for the 20-year-old, with Spurs and Liverpool both monitoring his situation.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp reportedly flew out to the under-21 European Championships last month in order to run the rule over Bojan, who made an appearance from the bench against England.

However, Redknapp was said to have been sufficiently impressed, and will allegedly now press forward with an attempt to bring Bojan to White Hart Lane.

Liverpool have supposedly been tracking the Spain international for a number of months, but it would now appear Spurs are ready to steal a march on their Barclays Premier League rivals.

It was initially reported by Spanish publication Sport that Liverpool were considering a move for Bojan, while Marca has since claimed the Reds are 'confident' of bringing him to Anfield.

However, Liverpool will have to make their move for the starlet sooner rather than later, with Spurs preparing to finalize their interest.

Liverpool To Offer £20m Player-Plus-Cash Deal For Tottenham Star

Liverpool will offer Alberto Aquilani as bait to tempt Totttenham into selling Aaron Lennon.

The Reds are keen to add to their wide options this summer in a bid to bring the best out of £35m striker Andy Carroll. Lennon has emerged as their number one target in this area with his phenomenal pace offering the mouth-watering prospect of lightning counter attacks in combination with crowd favourite Luis Suarez.

Lennon is believed to have had a series of disagreements with manager Harry Redknapp last season with their relationship at breaking point despite his regular selection at the end of the campaign. Spurs are not averse to selling the England international but will ensure they get a proper fee in return.

Liverpool have already made tentative enquiries with the possibility of making a £20m bid but with Luka Modric the subject of Chelsea's interest, they will now offer unwanted midfielder Aquilani as a ready made replacement for the Croat along with £8m.

Villarreal Among Trio In Chase For Liverpool Defender

Liverpool defender Chris Mavinga will be allowed to leave the club for around £750,000 - with Rennes and Villarreal the latest to express an interest.

Mavinga moved to Genk on a six-month loan deal back in December and talkSPORT last month revealed how the Belgian club was keen on making a permanent move for him.

The France Under-20 starlet has failed to break into the Liverpool senior team following his arrival in 2010 and Kenny Dalglish is open to selling him so he can forge a career elsewhere.

And there is no shortage of takers for the 20-year-old, with Rennes eager to join Genk and speak to Liverpool about him.

Spanish side Villarreal are also willing to make an official bid, with Mavinga keen to leave Anfield.

Dani Pacheco Plans To Make His Mark For Club And Country

Liverpool youngster Dani Pacheco is hoping to make an impact for both club and country this summer.

The Spanish starlet enjoyed a successful loan spell with Norwich City at the end of last season, helping the Canaries to Npower Championship promotion and a place in the English top flight next season.

A Carrow Road return has been mooted in the press this summer, but the 20-year-old is eager to impress with the Reds on the training ground and stake a claim for some first team opportunities under Kenny Dalglish.

"Back to Liverpool, training 4th till 15th and then National Team for U20s. Massive summer for myself," said Pacheco on his Twitter page.

"Time to give everything on the pitch."

The former Barcelona academy product has been called into the 21-man Spanish U20 World Cup squad, and will travel to Colombia for the tournament.

Georginio Wijnaldum Snubs Reds For PSV

Georginio Wijnaldum has rejected a move to the Premier League in favour of the switch to PSV Eindhoven, according to talkSPORT.

The 20-year-old is seen as the next big thing in Holland following a stunning season with Feyenoord.

But any hope Liverpool had of luring the attacker to Anfield appeared over after has decided to continue his development in the Eredivisie.

“I’m still young and think I can continue developing into a better player. That’s why I have decided to stay in Holland,” he said.

Arsenal and Chelsea were also reportedly interested in Wijnaldum, but Liverpool led the race for a player who has been compared to fellow countryman Rafael Van der Vaart.

Liverpool have already broadened their midfield options this summer after recruiting Jordan Henderson from Sunderland.

Keen Joins Reds' Staff

Liverpool has confirmed that Kevin Keen has joined the club as first-team coach on a three-year contract.

Keen will join up with his new colleagues for the first time on Monday when Liverpool's squad report back to Melwood for the start of pre-season training.

The 44-year-old made over 600 appearances in spells with West Ham, Wolves, Stoke City, Macclesfield and Wycombe.

He was previously first-team coach at West Ham and has acted as caretaker manager at Upton Park on no less than three separate occasions.

Manager Kenny Dalglish is delighted Keen is joining to work alongside ex-Hammers colleague Steve Clarke.

"I'm delighted that Kevin is joining us to work alongside Steve Clarke coaching the first-team squad," he told the club's official website.

"He has previously worked with Steve at West Ham and has a good reputation and a good manner about him.

"He is highly respected in the game and will be a great addition to our technical staff."

LFC Appoint Ops Director

Liverpool FC announced today the appointment of Andrew Parkinson as its first ever Operations Director. Andrew, who will report directly to Managing Director Ian Ayre, takes up his new position on September 5. He will be responsible for the overall delivery of the customer experience at Liverpool, managing and developing operational activities relating to customer services, ticketing, conference and banqueting, stadium operations, and museum and tours. He will also oversee the facilities management of the Club's various different sites.

Currently the general manager for Bluewater, one of Europe's leading retail and leisure destinations, Andrew has operated in a fast paced and multi-faceted retail/leisure environment delivering an operation with the customer at the centre of its success. This has included full P&L responsibility encompassing over 330 UK and international brands, 50 bars and restaurants in a facility covering 1.6million square feet. He also has a track record of working with broader external stakeholders in building relationships with the local council to help position Bluewater at the heart of the community. Additionally he has overseen the development of the next phase of Bluewater's evolution, the Events Venue - a purpose-built 55,000 sq ft facility that will open in late 2011.

Andrew began his career in 1989 as a district sales manager for NAAFI, a multi-faceted retail outlet. He spent six years there before joining Thorn UK as regional sales manager with commercial responsibility for over 50 stores. After a number of promotions he joined Bluewater in 2003 as retail business manager, with responsibility for day-to-day relations. He then became general manager of Touchwood in 2004 and spent three years in that role, with responsibility for 100 retail and catering outlets before joining Bluewater in 2007 as general manager.

Managing Director Ian Ayre said: "Andrew brings a wealth of relevant experience and some fresh ideas. He will add further focus to our desire to improve the all-round customer experience for our fans and customers. We continue to grow in all areas of our business and it is vital that we equip ourselves with the necessary talent on and off the pitch to ensure we are capable of being the best we can be. Andrew will be an excellent addition to the management team."

Andrew said: "This is a really exciting challenge at a pivotal time in the Club's development. Liverpool is an iconic sporting institution, with a fantastic heritage. It's my job to help build on that and deliver the best possible experience for all our supporters, whether that is on a matchday or through other channels of communication with the Club.

"I was brought up a Liverpool fan and my great grandfather Jack Parkinson actually played as a striker for the Club in the early 20th century, so this is a fabulous opportunity for me to work for an organization which means so much me personally."

Website Tops 100m Total Again

June may have been a quiet month on the pitch at Anfield, but off it fans have once again been logging onto the Club's official website in their millions as excitement starts to build ahead of the big kick-off.

In a month which saw Jordan Henderson sign in from Sunderland, an incredible 102 million pages were generated by more than 4.6 million supporters as fans visited Liverpoolfc.tv for breaking news updates and daily transfer speculation stories as we kept an eye on which players were being linked with the Reds.

The final total for June of 102,324,812 page impressions represents an increase of 64,526,799 on our total for June 2010 and an increase of 24,389,918 on May 2011's total.

After our memorable transfer window activity in January, this is only the second time Liverpool fans have generated over 100 million page impressions in a single month - further proof that optimism is high as Kenny Dalglish prepares his squad for the start of the brand new Barclays Premier League campaign.

With Kenny still looking to strengthen his squad over the coming weeks, and with first team action set to resume now that the players have returned to Melwood for the start of pre-season training, July promises to be another bumper month online - so make sure you log on every day for the latest breaking news from Anfield.

Dalglish Would Prefer To Stay At Anfield

A lot has been said about the Liverpool stadium situation and this past week Ian Ayre said that he still does not know if Liverpool are going to build or new stadium or stay at Anfield and redevelop it. Kenny Dalglish has given us his take and it seems like if he had it his way, he would opt to remain at Anfield.

Dalglish was speaking to Liverpoolfc.tv and said, “We are going to win either way. They have decided we need a bigger attendance and to make that worthwhile we’ve got to get results on the pitch. The nostalgic one would be to stay at Anfield and extend it. The other option is to build a new one. If it’s possible I’d slightly favour Anfield because of the tradition that is there.

“If they can redevelop and it extends it then I would have no problem staying whatsoever. I’m sure John (Henry) and Tom (Werner) are having a good look at the stadium situation and will decide what they think is best. I would think they will take the fans opinion into consideration. They’ve certainly listened to them so far.”

I like the part where Dalglish says that we have to simply win whether we stay at Anfield or move to a new stadium. There is no point building a new stadium which seats 70,000 fans if the team is not winning. I certainly do hope we the fans get a say in regards the new stadium as Kenny suggests. What would you want us to do if you were asked by Henry and Werner about the new stadium?

Reds Line Up £11m Bid For Celtic Star

Liverpool aim to fill the vacant left-back spot with the signing of Emilio Izaguirre from Celtic.

The Honduras international has been a revelation in the Scottish Premier League since joining the club for a fee that is officially undisclosed but reported to be no more than £600,000. Such has been his impact in the SPL that he swept the board at the player of the year awards at the end of the season despite his club only picking up the Scottish Cup.

Liverpool have been impressed and want Izaguirre to solve their problem position. With Emiliano Insua shipped out after failing to star and Paul Konchesky's arrival from Fulham never likely to be the answer, the Reds relied largely on Glen Johnson playing out of position with Fabio Aurelio constantly succumbing to injury.

The 25-year-old has flirted with the idea of a move south of the border with Manchester United rumoured to be monitoring the situation. However, with the Red Devils failing to follow up their interest, the path is clear for Liverpool to make an approach with an £11m bid thought to be enough to secure Izaguirre's signature.

Reds Plan Move For Chelsea Star

Liverpool are reportedly set to mount an audacious attempt to lure Chelsea youngster Daniel Sturridge to Anfield.

The England U21 international is a player that boss Kenny Dalglish and director of football Damien Comolli are interested in bringing to in and may feel they have a decent shot at landing the striker as his first team chances seem set to become even more limited than previously.

Newly installed Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas apparently has no intention of selling either Fernando Torres or Didier Drogba, but may listen to offers for French international Nicolas Anelka, however the former FC Porto boss is reportedly keen on signing Santos star Neymar and Chelsea have already secured the services of Brazilian teenager Lucas Piazón and therefore Sturridge may well find it tough to break into the first team.

Liverpool are said to have made a move for Sturridge last January but at the time Chelsea were only willing to farm out the former Man City man out on loan and the 21 year old made a big impression at Bolton where he netted eight goals from 11 starts at the Reebok Stadium side.

Dalglish brought in strike pairing Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll but may well feel that the addition of another young attacker could help add further strength in depth and though the Merseyside club also has experienced Dutch international Dirk Kuyt on their books, he has tended to revert to a wide right role for much of his recent Liverpool career.

Liverpool is apparently ready to offload French striker David Ngog after the former PSG man failed to make an impact over the past three seasons. The Anfield side are also looking to sell a number of under performing squad players to help make way for new additions and the likes of Milan Jovanovic, Christian Poulsen, Paul Konchesky and Joe Cole. It also looks likely that Dalglish will allow Maxi Rodriguez to make the move back to Argentina that he has requested.

Chelsea boss Villas Boas may well consider offers for Sturridge as he too looks to make significant changes to his squad. The young Portuguese manager seems keen to bring a player or two from his former club FC Porto but is also strongly linked with moves to address the ageing nature of his squad.

Speculation is rife that players such as Florent Malouda, Paulo Ferriera and the aforementioned Anelka will be sold and squad players Salomon Kalou, Jose Bosingwa Yossi Benayoun and Yuri Zhirkov may well be sacrificed as Boas looks to re-shape his Stamford Bridge squad to better reflect his long term plans.

Fanatix reports that Liverpool will look to make an offer in the near future for the Chelsea front man, but it does seem that the West London side are not likely to sell the player to a club vying for a top four spot and may elect instead to accept over offers if they do indeed look to allow the Birmingham born striker to leave.

Arsenal To Rival Liverpool For Stewart Downing Transfer

Stewart Downing has emerged as a transfer target for Arsenal, despite reports that he is on his way to Liverpool.

Reds boss Kenny Dalglish is determined to land the England winger, but no deal has yet been agreed because Aston Villa has put a £20 million price tag on the player.

The lack of progress in Downing's expected move to Anfield has left the door open for bids from other clubs and it appears Arsenal are ready to take advantage of the situation.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is prepared to match Villa's asking price in order to get his man, reports the Sunday Mirror.

Wenger is determined to add a creative player to his squad before the new season gets underway, as he is facing the prospect of losing Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona and possibly also seeing Samir Nasri leave.

Downing does not enjoy the same standing in the game as Fabregas and Nasri, but the 26-year-old is a proven Premier League performer who would need little time to adapt.

Liverpool & Tottenham Monitoring Jack Collison

Liverpool and Tottenham are monitoring the situation of West Ham midfielder Jack Collison, it has been claimed.

According to the News of the World, the Barclays Premier League rivals will also have West Brom to contend with, should they formalize their interest in the Wales international.

Collison only returned to action for the Hammers in the closing weeks of last season, having been sidelined for 14 months with a serious knee injury.

And, with the east London club having been relegated the Npower Championship, the 21-year-old is facing an uncertain future at Upton Park, despite the Hammers being desperate to retain his services.

Collison is to hold talks with new boss Sam Allardyce to discuss his options, but it is likely the youngster will have his head turned if Liverpool and Spurs make a serious approach.

Liverpool and Spurs are also both thought to be keen on the acquisition of Lille star Eden Hazard, while both clubs had been hoping to beat Arsenal to the signature of the Belgian’s teammate Gervinho.

Liverpool Face Battle For Stade Brest Striker

Liverpool face a battle with Sochaux and Lille for striker Nolan Roux.

talkSPORT recently revealed Liverpool were keen on the French forward, with Kenny Dalglish committed to overhauling his squad this summer.

Stade Brest has received enquiries for Roux and the club is planning to cash in on the £7million-rated star - with Liverpool the most keen.

But talkSPORT understands French sides Sochaux and Lille are also eager to speak to Brest about the possibility of signing the 23-year-old.

Lille are losing striker Gervinho to Arsenal and the club are already planning for his departure by scouring the market for a replacement.

It all means Dalglish will have to move quickly to sign his target and although Brest have not received an official bid yet, interest from elsewhere may force him into action.

Liverpool To Resume Interest In Jose Enrique

Liverpool will reportedly turn their attention back to Newcastle United defender Jose Enrique after failing in their bid to land Arsenal's Gael Clichy, according to The News of the World.

Manchester City have apparently beaten the Reds to the signing of Clichy, so Liverpool are said to be reviving their interest in Enrique, who has been a target for the Anfield club after impressing for the Magpies last season.

Reds' boss Kenny Dalglish is keen to strengthen his options at left-back and has also been linked with a move for England defender Leighton Baines, but was apparently put off by neighbours Everton’s £20 (€22) million valuation.

However, he has been tracking Enrique for a number of months. Ironically, when the Spaniard left Villarreal for the Premier League in August 2007, Liverpool (then managed by Rafael Benitez) was one of the clubs, along with Manchester City, whom Newcastle beat to his signature.

Youngster Targets World Cup Glory

Academy forward Adam Morgan is relishing the prospect of England's mouthwatering U17 World Cup quarter-final against Germany on Monday night.

The Reds striker came off the bench to net a cool spot-kick in the shoot-out success over Argentina in the round of 16 - and is now optimistic the Three Lions can rise to the occasion when they lock horns with one of the competition's favourites in Morelia, Mexico.

“It was a fantastic feeling to score a penalty at a World Cup and get through to a Quarter Final,” said Morgan.

“Even though the conditions were awful, we played well throughout the match and deserved the victory. The lads are delighted we got through and can’t wait for the next game against Germany."

He added: "We're confident we can beat any team at this tournament. We can't see ourselves losing at the moment."

If England is to go on and lift the U17 World Cup they will have to overcome some of their fiercest rivals along the way.

The Three Lions' senior team has a long history of battles with both Argentina and Germany, something that is not lost on Morgan despite his tender years.

"I can remember watching England-Argentina games through the World Cups when I was younger," he said. "I remember Michael Owen's great goal in 1998 and David Beckham's penalty in 2002. It's such a special feeling to be a part of this rivalry at a World Cup.

"It's the same in the next round. They're Germany and we're England. The games between us are always special.

"We're determined to give it our all. Going forward, we've got the likes of Raheem (Sterling) and Hallam (Hope) and we're flying on the wings. As long as we put in a solid team performance we know that we will score goals.

“It’s fantastic for all the squad to have game time at a World Cup, it’s a brilliant experience for all 21 players to play and been involved at such a young age. It will definitely help us in the future, there is no doubt about that.

“Every time I get an opportunity to play, I give it my all and hope I have an impact on the matches I play in.”

He added: "We've got so many wingers and forwards who can hurt a team. We're really coming together. We will be giving it our best shot to reach the Semi-Finals of a World Cup.”

Liverpool’s Plan For Fewer Injuries This Season

Since the arrival of Dr. Peter Brukner and his small army of Sport Scientists last summer, it has been hard to gauge really how successful the big changes in the medical department have been. There was a lot of talk of improving the injury situation at Anfield, with the Reds being hampered by a number of players sidelined with so called “soft tissue injuries.” Dr. Brukner, a pre-eminent figure in the field of Sports Science and Medicine back in his native Australia, felt that football in particular, despite being the world’s most popular sport, had a lot to learn from other sports in regards to fitness and injury management.

This season has seen the likes of Daniel Agger, Steven Gerrard and Fabio Aurelio, three players who have lengthy injury records, being sidelined once again with recurring injuries, and it looked like any edge we would get for being at the forefront of Sports Science in football would be negligible, but Brukner talked to LFC Weekly this week about how their procedures and programs may make a difference next campaign:

“They all have a program. If they’re playing internationals, they’ll have a month off and the ones who are not will have six weeks off. But in this day and age you can’t just do nothing for four or six weeks. The players won’t have to do an awful lot but they will be on a maintenance program so three or four times a week, they’ll have things to do.”

Martin Skrtel stated last week in an interview he was keeping to his program, and it has also been mentioned that these programs are also targeted to strengthen the weakest areas of their bodies (i.e. where they had injuries last season) and to make sure they come to pre-season training next month as strong as they can be to ensure that these injuries don’t reoccur next campaign. In addition, Brukner believes the absence of the World Cup will give the Sports Science team greater time to implement their programs to ensure the team is in the best shape possible for next season:

“It is very different to last year when we got everyone back in dribs and drabs as and when they got eliminated from the World Cup. It will be a good opportunity for us to really work with the players. With the World Cup, we didn’t have that lengthy period of pre-season training to do that. We’re looking forward to working with them in that period. They may not be looking forward to it so much, but we are!”

Although it is very hard to see a great difference in Reds players’ injury record last season, perhaps this campaign will be different. With the Medical department in its second year at the club, knowing more about the strength and weaknesses of each player, as well as the absence of a summer tournament for the majority of the players, we should see better fitness levels next season, and hopefully it will give us an extra edge in tight matches as next campaign draws to a close.