Liverpool Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Thomas Lemar, Ben Woodburn Loan Deal

Liverpool have suffered disappointment as they scout the market for potential replacements for Philippe Coutinho after Monaco announced they intend to keep Thomas Lemar in January.

The France international is Reds manager Jurgen Klopp's preferred choice to claim Coutinho's shirt at Anfield, with the Brazilian possibly set for a switch to Barcelona.

Darren Lewis of the Mirror reported the Ligue 1 champions will dash Liverpool's ambitions to take their forward, who is under contract until 2020. Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim has made it clear he will not be doing business in January after a plethora of departures in recent times.

"Monaco are not in the habit of making big sales in the winter. It's our strategy," Jardim said on Friday. "The players understand and they know how it goes here."

Romain Perrocheau/Getty Images

Duncan Castles of Yahoo Sport reported Lemar had decided to move to Merseyside to replace Coutinho if a fee could be agreed. Liverpool will have significant funds available if Coutinho gets his wish to move to Spain, and Klopp needs a top-class talent to arrive in the weeks ahead.

According to Castles, Arsenal and Manchester United have both shown interest in the 22-year-old, but Liverpool's expected need to recruit a forward could see them aggressively attack the January transfer window.

Klopp has already captured Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk for a reported £75 million—a world-record figure for a defender, per Jeremy Wilson of the Telegraph, smashing Liverpool's club record.

ROMAIN LAFABREGUE/Getty Images

Coutinho's exit would be a bitter blow for the Anfield giants, but the player's departure has been a story since last summer as Liverpool resisted Barca's approach.

Lemar's arrival would quickly give the Kop a new hero to cheer for, but the form of Mohamed Salah suggests the goals will keep flowing on Merseyside regardless.

Here is Lemar in action:

In other Reds news, Sunderland are set to take teenage forward Ben Woodburn on loan until the end of the season, as Klopp wants the player to taste first-team football.

Craig Hope for the Daily Mail reported the 18-year-old is expected to join up with the Black Cats as they languish at the foot of the EFL Championship table. Sunderland manager Chris Coleman has said he is ready to blood young talent after the catastrophic failure of the senior professionals at the club.

Woodburn is already a full international for Wales but has made only one substitute appearance in Carabao Cup for Liverpool this term.

Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

Per Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo, Woodburn became Liverpool's youngest ever scorer in 2016, beating the record set by Michael Owen after a strike against Leeds United in the League Cup.

Woodburn has the talent to become a solid squad player for the Reds, but a drop into the Championship is desperately needed in order for him to develop.

Sunderland are running out of ideas as they fight against the embarrassment of relegation, and Woodburn could provide the spark they need to start accumulating precious points.