Liverpool Transfer News: Reds to Fight Arsenal for Edinson Cavani, Paulo Dybala

Liverpool look set to take on Arsenal in the transfer market with the Reds reportedly interested in two of the Gunners' targets: strikers Edinson Cavani and Paulo Dybala.

The Reds have had a poor start to the Premier League season and currently sit eighth in the table. Strikers Fabio Borini, Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert are failing to fill the gap left by the departed Luis Suarez and injured Daniel Sturridge.

As a result, Brendan Rodgers is reportedly set to rival Arsenal in the January transfer window for Paris St-Germain star Cavani's signature, with Chisanga Malata writing in the Daily Star that both clubs are prepared to offer £50 million for the Uruguayan. 

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That would be a significant increase on Liverpool's current transfer record of £35 million—paid for Andy Carroll in 2011—but Rodgers does need to add real strength in the January window.

Cavani could well be the star replacement for Suarez that Liverpool should have moved for in the summer, the 27-year-old having bagged 12 goals in 20 Ligue 1 and Champions League appearances already this season, per WhoScored.com.

Malata reports that the former Napoli man is currently unhappy in France. He is constantly in the shadow of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, PSG's main man, with ESPN analyst Craig Burley suggesting he would thrive away from the Swede:

Liverpool may be in with a chance of signing Cavani if they are prepared to stump up the cash, although they will face competition from Arsenal, Manchester United and European champions Real Madrid, per Squawka's Tyrone Webb-McGarthland.

Liverpool were never going to be able to fully replace Suarez after his departure to Barcelona in the summer, but the paltry additions of Lambert and Balotelli have not even come close to what the Reds need.

The Anfield outfit need a true star to play alongside Sturridge when the Englishman finally returns, and Cavani could well be that player for Rodgers.

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Equally, Palermo striker Dybala could be the answer. Tuttomercatoweb (h/t Alex Harris in the Daily Star) reports that Liverpool have also entered the race to sign the 21-year-old next summer, joining Arsenal, Manchester United and Southampton in an attempt to get Dybala's signature.

The young Argentine is highly rated and has scored six Serie A goals this season, per WhoScored, but Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has placed a significant pricetag on him, per Harris' report.

"Within two years, he's going to be better than Cristiano Ronaldo, [Lionel] Messi and [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic," Zamparini said. "It would take €40m (£31m) to take him away from us. He's the best striker in Serie A.

While cheaper than Cavani, it would be a gamble from Liverpool to shell out so much for the largely unproven Dybala. As Italian football expert James Horncastle highlights, though, Dybala does look to be on the up:

Liverpool need to make strong additions to their squad, with goals currently hard to come by from the strikers, a weak defence and the talismanic Steven Gerrard seemingly on the wane. B/R UK's Sam Tighe looks at a possible long-term replacement for the Reds legend below:

Cavani would be the bigger signing and could potentially be bought in January, a key factor as Liverpool can't afford to let this season slip away from them.

What is in no doubt is that a genuine goalscorer is needed, and with Cavani and Dybala both finding the net regularly, either would be an improvement on the current crop at Anfield.