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Liverpool Rumour Mill in Overdrive, Part V: £17m Striker, Double Belgian Deal?

Karl Matchett@@karlmatchettX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJanuary 15, 2011

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - OCTOBER 19:  Luis Suarez of AFC Ajax celebrates scoring during the UEFA Champions League Group G match between AFC Ajax and AJ Auxerre at the Amsterdam ArenA on October 19, 2010 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.  (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Welcome to part five of the January transfer window watch, where we take a look at each player linked with a move to or from Liverpool FC.

After ten days Liverpool had already been linked with 26 players and seven new managers!

For the duration of this window, a complete list of players linked with Liverpool FC will be kept updated right here on Bleacher Report....and come the end of the window, we will see just how accurate the media reports are!

To stay up to date with all the latest transfer rumours regarding Liverpool FC, follow me on bleacherreport or on Twitter:     @karlmatchett

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Latest Players linked with moves to/from Liverpool FC:

Goal.com and TalkSport have Liverpool in the market for Spanish forward Alvaro Negredo. The Sevilla front man is, according to these sources, available for around £17 million and his club are willing to negotiate the deal. Negredo, formerly of Real Madrid and Almeria, has netted 10 times this season.

NESN run with the now-familiar story that Liverpool, and Director of Football Strategy Damien Comolli in particular, are in the hunt for Belgian wonderkid Romelu Lukaku. Beefing up their story, they claim that Comolli is also interested in another Belgian star-in-the-making, Eden Hazard, and that only an injury to the player has prevented him from making his move in this January window.

Finally, NESN say that Ipswich Town forward Connor Wickham is on the Liverpool radar and now that ex-manager Roy Keane has left the club, it may be easier for the Reds to jump in and sign the England youngster. Wickham burst to prominence last season as a 16-year-old but has yet to find the back of the net this season in 16 games.

Imscouting claim that Inter Milan full back Davide Santon is still keen on a move to England but that no fresh developments have taken place, with the highly-rated Italian due for talks with Premiership clubs soon, and Liverpool heading the chasing pack.

Shaun Wright-Phillips, the transfer rumour that just keeps on giving, is back on the Reds' shortlist according to givemefootball.com. The Manchester City winger is out of favour at his club and the 29-year old would be available at £4 million should Dalglish wish to follow up his interest with a firm bid. The site also notes that Damien Comolli would be keen on a shorter-term loan deal.

Goal.com again now, with news that apparently Liverpool are interested in signing West Ham's on-loan forward Victor Obinna from Inter Milan, in an £8 million swoop. The Nigerian has not exactly been prolific this season and received a straight red card midweek in the League Cup semi final. While explosive and unpredictable, Obinna is unlikely to be a player to capture Reds fans' imagination, due to his inconsistency and sub-standard finishing.

Urby Emanuelson was mentioned by skysports.com as being a target for Kenny Dalglish; however, the left sided player's agent has quashed rumours that talks were at an advanced stage. Although he did say that his client would certainly consider a move to Anfield should any offer be forthcoming. Emanuelson's contract at present club Ajax will expire in the summer.

Givemefootball.com break from the current fad of linking Liverpool with every under-26 years old player in Europe by bringing us news of a £15 million move for West Ham central midfielder Scott Parker. The website reports that Dalglish wants to pair him with Steven Gerrard in the centre of midfield.

The same website also reports that Roma forward Mirko Vucinic is a major target for Liverpool, though a €20 million move will have to wait until the summer to take place, as his club do not want the Montenegro international to move before then. Vucinic was linked first under Roy Hodgson and seemingly the interest, or at least the rumour, remains under Dalglish.

A double Ajax-based swoop now for the Reds, with the Telegraph claiming interest from Liverpool on both Urby Emanuelson and Luis Suarez, with a €31 million bid for the pair in the offing. However, the reported €8 million bid for the left-sided Dutchman Emanuelson would seem unlikely given, as mentioned previously, he is six months away from being a free agent.

The same newspaper also links several other players as having been mentioned in conversation between manager Dalglish, Football Strategy director Damien Comolli and owners John W. Henry and Tom Werner. Such names as Gervinho and Sylvain Marveaux have been regularly mentioned in this article previously, though Aston Villa duo Ashley Young and Stephen Warnock are new names added to the mix; the latter the supposed subject of a loan bid until the end of the season.

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Another day, another £100 million spent by the Reds.

Funnily enough, also another week without any indication of transfer movement (in or out) by the club.

Although that's not strictly true. Liverpool yesterday confirmed the signing until the end of the season to the Academy side of ex-Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers winger Jason Banton, who will train and play with the under 18's for the next five months!

Total players linked with moves to Liverpool: 37 (11 new ones)

Total players linked to be sold: Eight

Total potential new managers: Seven (Kenny Dalglish appointed)

You can follow me on Twitter:     @karlmatchett