Liverpool Transfer Rumours: Reds Set to Rekindle Interest in England Defender

With Liverpool having conceded just 15 goals through 19 games of the 2011-12 season, defense is far from being the weakest link in the Liverpool side. The team's offense has struggled, and the defensive players have been forced to keep the club's top four hopes afloat with the rest of the team underperforming.

Despite that strong defense, the days leading up to the new year has been dominated by rumours that Liverpool might be interested in building on it. According to The Daily Mirror, manager Kenny Dalglish is set to try to steal a deal to sign Bolton's powerful defender Gary Cahill amid reports that his proposed move to Chelsea has broken down.

The 26-year-old Cahill has in recent seasons established himself as one of the Premier League's elite defenders. With his unique combination of strength, pace, technical ability, and superhuman tackling skills, Cahill is an attractive central defender who can dominate all over the pitch and in all facets of the game.

Cahill's contract is set to run out in the summer. Liverpool were close to signing him for £17 million in August 2011, but the deal broke down. Cahill will be worth significantly less in January, as Bolton will want to cash in on him now rather than letting him leave for free in the summer. 

The Sheffield native was set to join Chelsea in a £7 million deal, but negotiations have collapsed between the highly-rated defender and Stamford Bridge manager Andre Villas-Boas, according to the Daily Mail. Despite the strength of Liverpool's Daniel Agger-Martin Skrtel central defense partnership, Cahill would certainly serve to improve the team.

A January move to sign him would represent a sensational swoop for Dalglish and his Reds.

Follow Jake Ware on Twitter at @JacobWare95