Anfield boss tries to persuade Upton Park boss to sell prized asset.
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Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson, reportedly keen to bolster the Reds’ attacking options, is said to be targeting West Ham United striker Carlton Cole – and may be prepared to offer the Hammers Ryan Babel or Lucas as sweeteners in a possible cash-plus-player deal.
Hodgson has money to spend following Javier Mascherano’s departure for Barcelona and although he has already committed a sizeable chunk of the fee from that sale to the acquisition of Raul Meireles and expected arrival of Paul Konchesky, The News of the World claims that he will also make a late bid to land Cole before the transfer window closes on Tuesday.
The powerful England international, previously with Chelsea, has moved to the top of the list of strikers wanted by Hodgson to ease the burden on Fernando Torres, following Tottenham’s refusal to let Peter Crouch return to Anfield, and PSV’s unwillingness to lower the £13 million asking price for Ola Toivonen, who was recently scouted for the Reds by Kenny Dalglish. (Goal.com)
Now in the past I have been less than glowing in my assessment of West Ham forward Carlton Cole but I believe that due to the lack of options and the fact that time is fast running out, a deal of the kind reported in the source above may now be quite tempting.
The former Chelsea man is obviously not amazingly prolific but perhaps given the right service he could turn out to be a good signing. Also he has the kind of attributes, good hold up player and physically strong, to perhaps act as a good foil for Fernando Torres.
I was glad, and a little pleasantly surprised, that Roy got hold of Raul Meireles and I think we need another attacking option before the transfer window slams shut. West ham are clearly not keen on allowing the player to leave for anything less than they believe he is worth, so the idea of offering either Lucas or Ryan Babel may well appeal to Avram Grant who has seen his Hammers side start the season with three convincing defeats.
I would prefer if Lucas was farmed out as part of the deal as I still believe Babel has something to offer. Now with Javier Mascherano on his way to Barcelona some may feel that Leiva is needed to boost our defensive midfield options but Christian Poulsen will do that job until someone else is brought in as back up or perhaps it is now time to give Damien Plessis more of a look in?
Either way I think Lucas has had enough chances without taking any of them!
YNWA
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