Liverpool Transfer Rumours: Will Reds Come out on Top in Enrique Race?

Liverpool's race to build an elite squad has gone swimmingly thus far for manager Kenny Dalglish. The Reds have already landed midfielders Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing, successfully revamping their middle, but Dalglish hasn't finished scoring targets yet.

After all, the Reds' manager has also listed the left side of his defense as another area which could use a boost, and with several potential targets on the list, they've got ample talent to choose from. 

One name which has been consistently linked with a move to Anfield is that of Newcastle's star defender Jose Enrique. The 25-year-old Spaniard was a smash hit in his first season at St. James Park, and has garnered the attention of several of the Premiership's top clubs. 

In fact, according to a Mirror Football report, the Reds are so convinced by Enrique's talent that they're ready and willing to bid on the excellent left back.

But Anfield isn't the only place that Enrique is coveted; Arsenal have also had their eyes on the talented 25-year-old stopper to help plug the holes in their leaky defense, and Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is ready for a good, old-fashioned bidding war over his top talent:

"

“Joey seems pretty focused on Newcastle whereas the noises coming out of Jose's camp are that he wants to get a new club [that is] playing Champions League football.

"We cannot offer him that at the moment, so that seems to be his focus. Hopefully that will change.

“It is a moving feast. We have got to be ready because if he goes, it is going to leave a big hole in the team and we need to fill it quickly. But he does travel to the United States with us.

"

In other words, when a deal, happens, it will happen quickly, but will the Reds come out of the race victorious once again, or will Dalglish be dealt his second major defeat of the summer in whiffing on Enrique? 

We've known about their interest in the Newcastle striker for quite some time now; they've been kicking the tires and looking at making a potential offer on his services since the moment the transfer window opened this summer.

But, with higher-priced talent in their sights in Downing, Henderson, and Adam, the Reds were more focused on their midfield while Enrique, whose likely price rests around just £8 million, fell to the wayside.

On top of that, there's a clear desire from the Spaniard to play in the Champions League, which severely hurts Liverpool's chances of landing the talented defender. Thanks to last season's terrible start, the Reds whiffed on all European competition last season, handing a major edge to the Gunners in this race in the process. 

However, we've seen Dalglish work his magic on previous targets, such as Downing, who are craving a shot at proving themselves in Europe. The Reds have the cash to make this deal happen, and Dalglish has the charisma to pull negate the Gunners' European advantage. 

In the end, though, I can't help but feel as though the Reds are falling behind in this race ever so slightly. That lack of Champions League play for next season is hurting them here, even with Dalglish's ability to convince players to come to the Kop.

They're not out of the race at this point, particularly if Arsene Wenger and the Gunners try to lowball Newcastle with a bid (a real possibility given Wenger's track record in that department), but given the Gunners' position in the Champions League, Liverpool can't be seen as much more than a close second favorite.

Look for the bidding to pick up in the next few days as both sides turn their attention to Enrique, but I don't think the Reds will come out on top of this race as of now.