Liverpool Transfers: Top 5 January Rumors of the Week

The Reds have had their share of great and terrible moments so far this season, most recently suffering a disappointing draw to Swansea and sitting in sixth with a resurgent Arsenal closing in. With Newcastle still on their hot streak and Tottenham looking in form, Kenny Dalglish will have to make some changes if the Reds still want to get back into Europe. 

With January on the horizon, Liverpool will be looking to make some key moves to repeat the success of last January's acquisition, Luis Suárez, and send them up the table to a top-four finish. Here are five of the latest rumors, and as always they should be taken with a grain of salt. If you have any thoughts as to who you'd like to see move to or away from Anfield, please have at it in the comments. 

Reds To Square off with Juventus for Bruno Alves

Tough-tackling Portuguese defender Bruno Alves has surfaced on the transfer radar recently, and with the experienced centre-back shining as part of a Zenit St. Petersburg squad that has impressed in Champions League competition, it's clear to see how his stock has risen.

According to some reports, Liverpool and Juventus are both interested in bringing the veteran on, and Alves has expressed interest in leaving Zenit after just a season there. But Alves will come at a price: he's under contract with the Russian Premier League club until 2014 and has a release clause set at a whopping £21 million.

Liverpool Interested in Newcastle Skipper Fabricio Coloccini

Newcastle United has been a surprising force in this year's Champions League competition, sitting at third in the table after finishing in the bottom half last season. So it comes as no surprise that some Newcastle players would become the topics of conversation as January looms closer.

According to a Daily Mail report, Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli has been scouting Newcastle's captain, 29-year-old Argentine centre back Fabricio Coloccini.

Coloccini would bring experience, determination and leadership to the Reds defense, and Kenny Dalglish has said he thinks Coloccini would be an ideal successor to the aging and oft-injured Jamie Carragher in the back four, and he would join his former fellow Magpies Andy Carroll and José Enrique at Anfield.

Of course, with Newcastle's recent success, it seems unlikely Alan Pardew would be ready to part with his captain at this juncture, especially if their strong play holds out through the end of the calendar year.

Liverpool, Newcastle Gearing Up for Bid Battle for Luuk De Jong

With Andy Carroll continuing to underwhelm at Anfield, it's looking more and more as though Dalglish will be looking for another striker come January. One name that has come up is 21-year-old Luuk De Jong, who has been on fire in the Eredivisie for FC Twente, leading to increased interest from clubs all over Europe. His international profile is also on the rise, as he earned his first cap last season and his first goal back in September in the Euro qualifiers. 

Newcastle United have also been linked to a January bid for the up-and-coming striker, who will reportedly go for around a £10 to £12 million offer.

Liverpool Linked to Spurs Midfielder Tom Huddlestone

Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli has a long history with Tom Huddlestone: it was the scout who first brought Huddlestone to Tottenham Hotspur from Derby County in 2005. Now, the versatile midfielder, despite seeing successes at White Hart Lane in the past, is out of favor with Scott Parker, Luka Modric and Sandro all ahead of him in the lineup. 

And now, according to the Daily Mail, Huddlestone may be linking up with Comolli again, this time at Liverpool as the 24-year-old midfielder looks for a change of scenery and more first-team action. 

Carlos Tévez Headed to Anfield?

Well now, here's an interesting possible development. Manchester City's want-away striker is getting ready to leave Eastlands in January; this we know. Corinthians, Boca Juniors and even Real Madrid have been reported as possible destinations for Tévez, but as his family has moved over here and he's settled in the United Kingdom, speculation of a move to another Premiership side has grown.

Harry Redknapp has said he would bring Tévez to Tottenham if City made the move affordable, and now, according to the International Business Times, Liverpool has been linked to a possible move for Tévez.

One of Liverpool's recent big-money striker signings proving to be something of a bust as Andy Carroll's poor performance and incompatibility with the preferred Suárez continue to plague the team in front of the net. If Tévez can return to form and keep his attitude in check, perhaps he could be the antidote.