Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish will offer striker David Ngog as part of a player-plus-cash deal to land Bolton’s Gary Cahill, as the Scot looks to solve his side’s defensive problems.
Dalglish has earmarked the back four as an area that needs improving having seen his side concede 15 goals in 6 pre-season games and he now is prepared to offer Ngog and £14m to land the coveted England defender.
Cahill has been the subject of intense transfer speculation this summer, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham all credited with an interest. But Trotters boss Owen Coyle has revealed that no bids have yet to be received for the 25-year-old centre-half, who has been valued at £18m by his club.
Now the Reds will look to steal a march on their rivals by offering Coyle a chance to sign long-term target Ngog as part of a deal for Cahill. Last month, Liverpool rejected a £3.5m offer from Bolton for the 22-year-old, who is believed to be keen on the switch.
The Frenchman has never established himself in the first-team at Anfield and has scored only nine league goals in 63 games since arriving from Paris St Germain in 2008. He has slipped further down the pecking order following last January’s arrival of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez.
Liverpool have grown anxious in their pursuit of a central defender as the transfer deadline looms. The Reds decided to intensify their efforts to sign Cahill last week, after the club had £10m bid rejected for Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross.
Reds director of football Damien Comolli indicated on Friday that the £6million arrival of Jose Enrique from Newcastle United would be the club’s last inward transfer of the summer. But Dalglish contradicted those claims in the wake of his side’s the 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland, claiming owners Fenway Sports group were encouraging him to continue spending despite £100m worth of new signings since January.
Dalglish has several issues with his current crop of centre backs. Danish international Daniel Agger is currently sidelined with injury, while both Jamie Carragher and Sotirios Kyrgiakos are over 30 years of age and are entering the final years of their careers.
Cahill would become Liverpool’s sixth summer signing following the arrivals of Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing, Alexander Doni and Jose Enrique.
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