And here we go.
Benfica will sell misfit forward Nolito in January - and Liverpool are rumoured to be keen.
The 26-year-old has failed to command a regular first team place under Jorge Jesus and the Portuguese club have agreed to listen to offers in January.
Nolito's predicament is a stark contrast to his first season following a free transfer from Barcelona. Arsenal were said to be interested at the time and he went on to score 15 goals in all competitions.
But the Spaniard, who has yet to earn a cap for his country, has fallen out of favour and will be moved on.
The news is likely to interest Brendan Rodgers, who says he will be active in January and improving his attacking options is a priority.
Enrique making splash in 'Pool midfield: Rodgers
LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers believes defender José Enrique has provided an example of what can be achieved through hard work and commitment.
The Spaniard's future at Anfield appeared to be in doubt at the start of the season after he failed to hold down a first-team place.
However, Enrique has started the past five Premier League matches, scored his first Reds goal 10 days ago and would have doubled his tally at Swansea on Sunday had it not been for a debatable offside flag.
"I think he has been outstanding," said Rodgers, who has played the 25-year-old in a more advanced role recently in the hope it will add more goals to midfield.
"It is a great credit to him because he and I spoke earlier in the season about trying to improve his game.
"Further up the field he is a real threat going forward with his pace and power and you can see in the last three games how determined he is to get a goal.
"Every player will have a preferred position but I think he has the qualities to play the (midfield) role as he is not a defensive left-back. He is comfortable in the position, which is important, and it gives us a great thrust at the top end of the field."
Pivotal
Striker Luis Suarez's league-leading 10 goals have been pivotal to Liverpool's improvement but the goals from midfield have not materialised.
Just five league goals -- which includes Enrique's strike against Wigan -- have been scored by midfielders and Rodgers knows it is an issue which must be addressed.
"We are just looking to improve how clinical we can be in those areas," added Rodgers.
"I am not going to dwell on as it is highlighted often enough, we just have to keep working."
Victory at seventh-placed Tottenham, just four points ahead, tonight would be a major boost.
"It is a big game against a rival as Tottenham have been up in or around that top four for the last few seasons," said the Northern Irishman.
"If you go away to one of your rivals and win, that can give you great confidence."
Rafa says Torres fitness central to improvement
RAFAEL BENITEZ has told Fernando Torres to start pumping iron if he was serious about proving he could be Chelsea's £50m man of steel.
Interim Blues boss Benitez admitted he did not know whether Torres could recapture the glory days that convinced the Blues to make him the most expensive player ever transferred between British clubs almost two years ago but claimed his fellow Spaniard needed to get fitter to stand any chance of doing so.
Benitez, who helped Torres become one of the best strikers in the world at Liverpool, acknowledged the 28-year-old was not the same player he had been before joining Chelsea.
But he insisted the striker could still make himself an asset rather than a liability at Stamford Bridge, and to do so, he needed to get down the gym.
"We have to improve some players physically and they will come back to maybe the strength they had," Benitez said, insisting age or injuries had nothing to do with Torres's loss of explosive pace.
"He has to train in a way that suits him. We will try to find this way.
"It's a question of time, but we know we have to change the movements we're working. You have to work in the gym on strength. Maybe he needs to do that again."
Maximum
Three Blues managers have failed to get Torres scoring regularly, each repeatedly insisting there was nothing wrong with the forward.
But the man who knows his fellow Spaniard better than any of them said: "He's not exactly the same player now, because he was at maximum level at this time (at Liverpool). But I think he can come back. How close? I don't know. It depends on the rest of the team. I'm sure he can improve, but the team has to help him."
Torres also has to help himself, as does Benitez, following a run of just 19 goals in 88 games for the European champions.
"The first thing is to give him some confidence, instructions as to how he can do things in a different way, improve him a little bit physically," said Benitez, who wants Torres's team-mates to create more chances for the striker and win the ball back faster.
Added on November 29, 2012, 12:16 amLiverpool hoping for big things from 'new Gareth Barry'
Liverpool academy director Frank McParland hopes Reds teenager Marc Pelosi can develop into one of the finest midfielders in the Premier League, and has compared the American to Manchester City star Gareth Barry.
Pelosi joined Liverpool a year ago, despite keen interest from Major League clubs in his native USA, and the 17-year-old continues to impress in the Anfield club's youth system.
The teenager has been tipped by USA under-20 manager Tab Ramos to play his country's senior side for the 'next decade', and Liverpool are also hoping for big things from Pelosi.
According to Liverpool academy chief McParland, Pelosi is similar in style to Barry - a former target for the Anfield club - and the Californian has what it takes to reach the top.
"He reminds me of Gareth Barry of Man City," McParland told Goal.com. "We think he has really high potential."
Liverpool's pursuit of Barry in the summer transfer window of 2008 was well-documented, with Rafael Benitez striving desperately to bring the England international to Anfield from Aston Villa.
Barry outlined his desire to leave Villa for Liverpool, but the Reds were unable to meet the club's demands, and the midfielder joined Manchester City for £12 million a year later.
Added on November 29, 2012, 12:18 amReal Betis midfielder Benat wanted by Manchester City and Liverpool
Liverpool have joined Manchester City in the hunt for exciting Spanish midfielder Benat, reports the London Metro.
The 25-year-old Real Betis star, who has been likened in playing style to Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso, has emerged as one of La Liga's leading lights over the past two seasons, prompting admiring glances from a host of Premier League clubs.
Manchester City scouts are believed to have been monitoring Benat's progress closely in recent months - including in Betis' 1-0 victory over Real Madrid, where he scored the winner - as Roberto Mancini considers a bid to bring the playmaker to the Etihad Stadium.
However, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is also keen on the technical midfield maestro, after being promised by Anfield owners that he will be given funds to strengthen his squad in January.
Spanish publication AS suggest Benat could cost upwards of £15million, which could prove to be a sticking point for Liverpool. Rodgers might only be willing to spend half that amount, but could maximise his budget by selling the likes of Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson in the New Year.
The Reds boss is targeting a forward as a priority in the forthcoming transfer window, but knows the Spanish international could add vital balance and creativity with his impressive range of passing, to Liverpool's lacklustre midfield.
Added on November 29, 2012, 12:20 amLucas nearing Liverpool first-team comeback
The Brazilian defensive midfielder has missed three months of the season with a thigh injury but could make an appearance in Brendan Rodgers' side in the coming weeks
Liverpool coach Mike Marsh has confirmed that midfielder Lucas Leiva is nearing a return to first-team action.
The former Gremio player has been absent since August with a thigh injury, but stepped up his rehabilitation with an hour-long outing for Liverpool’s Under-21 side on Friday.
"Lucas came back and played an hour last week in an U21 fixture so he could be available sooner rather than later," Marsh told the club's official website.
"Everyone is looking forward to welcoming him back and getting him on the pitch in a first-team shirt.
"Fortunately we're blessed with a lot of central midfielders so there's no rush to get him back in - when the time is right I'm sure the boss will put him in when he thinks it will benefit Lucas and the team.”
Marsh believes Lucas could be involved in the following weeks, and praised the mental strength and resolve of the Brazilian during his long road to recovery.
He continued: "He's not far away at all - if he gets a good week in training while we're away in London, he won't be far away from being included in the next game or two.
"He's a Brazilian international, he moved away from home when he was very young - he is a very mentally strong player. We're looking forward to having him back."
Added on November 29, 2012, 12:21 amLiverpool hire sports psychiatrist who inspired cycling greats Hoy, Pendleton and Wiggins
November 28 - Liverpool FC have strengthened their backroom team by hiring Steve Peters, the sports psychiatrist who inspired Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and Bradley Wiggins to Olympic cycling success.
Peters (pictured top and below, with Pendleton), who still retains links with British Cycling, will spend one day a week at the club's Melwood training ground, combining the role with commitments to UK Athletics.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has brought in the psychiatrist in an attempt to improve the mental strength of players and staff at Anfield as they bid for success.
Peters, whose clients also include the Sky Pro Cycling team, has been described by Tour de France winner Wiggins as "a world expert on common sense".
In addition to working with Hoy and Pendleton, he helped Ronnie O'Sullivan before his victory at this year's World Snooker Championships and was also employed by Craig Bellamy when the forward was at Anfield last season.
Bellamy credited Peters with helping him improve his form through teaching methods that encourage sportspeople to think more rationally under pressure.
Liverpool's players will be free to choose whether to use his services.
"We have brought in someone who is the top guy in his field, one of the leading guys in the world in what he does," Rodgers said.
"I see it as a part of the development of the player.
"The modern game is very much about the psychological aspect of it.
"I do lots of technical, tactical and physical training and sometimes what gets bypassed is the mental tuning for players, especially in the modern game at the top level."
Rodgers is also hoping that Peters will help him as a manager.
"Command can be lonely and it is always good to have other people to turn to when you are trying to lead the club forward," he explained.
"I have my staff around me and they are outstanding, but it is always nice to have a different set of eyes with different experiences.
"I have always used neurologists, but I took my time when I arrived here to make sure we could get someone who could really help performance.
"This guy is of that level.
"I would stress it is not a psychologist.
"It is neurology."
This post has been edited by dillonyong: Nov 29 2012, 12:21 AM 
Nov 27 2012, 01:52 PM, updated 13y ago
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Will join you guys if there's a change of plans.
Now I agree we overpaid massively for Carroll but is the old man having amnesia already. A couple of million, he said eh?
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