Liverpool Transfer Rumors: Defensive Players the Reds Could Target in January

Kenny Dalglish fared pretty well on deadline day, signing a cracking young defender in Sebastián Coates, bringing back Craig Bellamy in the much-needed backup striker position and getting rid of some costly Roy Hodgson-era flops (Joe Cole, Christian Poulsen). The team also lost midfielder Raul Meireles to Chelsea, but in return now has another £12 million to play with come January.

The biggest priority for Liverpool in January seems to be signing a right winger to fix their wide-playing problems, with Belgian wünderkind Eden Hazard topping everyone's wish list.

However, although new signing Coates will bring a much-needed boost for the club's defense, especially when paired with new left-back José Enrique, Daniel Agger's recent injury woes and Jamie Carragher's fading presence on the field mean the Reds will need more reinforcements to the back four.

Here are a few of the defenders Dalglish and co. may be targeting come January.

Gary Cahill (Bolton)

You're making a move for Gary Cahill in January. I'm making a move for Gary Cahill in January. Alright, so everyone is allegedly making a move for Gary Cahill in January.

Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are among the clubs with their sights on Bolton Wanderers' white-hot defender, who had a stellar start to the season, scoring a 25-yard goal during Bolton's season opener against QPR. He proved himself again over the weekend with a goal for England in Friday's Euro qualifier against Bulgaria. 

A defender who can score goals would undoubtedly be an asset to Liverpool's defense, and Cahill has demonstrated the sort of consistency and rapport with fans that could make him an ideal eventual successor to Jamie Carragher.

But with a promising new centre back still needing to be tested, and the stronger backup defenders like Martin Škrtel needing more field time, a move for Cahill could be a bit extraneous. Not to mention that Liverpool will have some tough competition to bring him on come the next deadline day.

Séamus Coleman (Everton)

Martin Kelly showed promise as a right-back early in the season. However, as old injury issues resurface, Liverpool may want to be on the lookout for another strong right-sided defender to supplement the likes of Kelly, Glen Johnson and newcomer Jon Flanagan. Another new fullback would complement left-back José Enrique, who arrived in August.

One name in contention for January is versatile Everton right-back and Republic of Ireland international Séamus Coleman. Coleman brings speed and strength to the Toffees' defense and could be a valuable boost to Liverpool's right-side defense. His ability to work as a midfielder with plenty of assists to his name as well as part of the back four make him especially appealing. 

At first, it didn't look like Everton would respond to bids for their PFA Young Player of the Year Award nominee, but now that David Moyes has declared that every player has his price, Dalglish may drop some serious cash to acquire Coleman. 

Moussa Sissoko (Toulouse)

Moussa Sissoko is not a defender per se, but the Toulouse midfielder can work box-to-box and his strength has drawn comparisons to another great French defensive midfielder, the recently-retired Patrick Vieira.

The 22-year-old was in high demand in August after a strong season at the Ligue 1 club, with Arsenal, Tottenham and AS Roma among the clubs in talks to bring him on, with Roma looking like the frontrunner as deadline day drew closer.

But Sissoko may be worth a shot: Liverpool could always use more versatility in the midfield. Although new box-to-box midfielder Jordan Henderson is off to a decent start, it wouldn't hurt to have another player to fill that role.     

Come January, we may be hearing Sissoko chants around the Kop again.

Éver Banega (Valencia)

The Argentine has been a Liverpool prospect before (with an £8.5 million bid placed last summer) and almost ended up playing on the opposite end of Merseyside with Everton, but the move was hampered by visa problems.

Banega, a defensive midfielder initially but a creative player who has proved his strength as an attacker, is an asset through his experience as an international player, accustomed to La Liga and to the Champions League, where he has had a couple of key performances.

If Liverpool are looking to get back into Europe—and if things keep going the way they have been, they will—they'll need players who are well accustomed to the international circuit.

With the success of Luis Suárez and the promise of new signing Sebastián Coates, the Reds are looking more and more at South America not only for equal talent, but for players who share the language, playing style and training experiences as their star striker.

Danilo Pereira (Parma)

The 19-year-old defensive midfielder, now at Parma, was a sought-after target for Liverpool in August.

Although Dalglish never sealed the deal, Pereira could be a smart signing in January after he has had more experience in Italy. He has yet to play a match for the club, as Serie A will not start until the weekend, and the next several months will be crucial in seeing how he performs after a strong run last year on loan to Greek club Aris F.C.  

Liverpool's midfield could benefit from a strong defender and, even with the impressive overhaul with the summer transfer additions, could use an extra boost from a young up-and-comer. With only Lucas Leiva as a solid first-team defensive midfielder, Pereira could be a great complement to the 24-year-old Brazilian, or even a successor.