Anfield side hot on the heels of some much needed striking reinforcements.Of all the areas Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will be looking to address when the transfer window re-opens next month it will surely be his lack of striking options that the Northern Irish manager looks to deal with first.
Currently the Anfield side are overly reliant on Luis Suarez and even with the Uruguayan in a rich vein of form the Merseyside club are still struggling to close out games, as clearly evidenced by their most recent Premier League encounter where despite being at home Liverpool could only scrape to a 1-0 win over Southampton, a side who had conceded 19 goals in their previous six away fixtures.
With that in mind Liverpool have been linked with a myriad of potential striker additions, here are five based in the Premier League.
Demba Ba (Newcastle United)
Newcastle striker Demba Ba is yet to be persuaded to sign a new deal as the January transfer window looms.
Sportsmail understands the 27-year-old Senegal international has rejected the club's latest offer as they attempt to negotiate out the release clause contained in his initial contract.
Despite concerted speculation during the summer, no potential suitor activated the £7.5million get-out which could have lured the former West Ham frontman away from St James' Park.
However, while supporters heaved a sigh of relief that last season's leading scorer would be staying on Tyneside, manager Alan Pardew revealed that the clause would become active once again next month.
SOURCE: Daily Mail
And as Alan Pardew worries about the Demba Ba's future at St James' Park a host of prospective suitors eagerly await the January transfer window re-opening so that they can assert their interest in the 27 year old. Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for the former West Ham man and may feel that a bid to trigger the striker's £7.5m release clause would be a wise financial decision to take.
Ba may have hit a period of average form but that hasn't stopped the Senegal international from scoring eight Premier League goals in 13 starts thus far this season, form that will not have gone unnoticed.
If Newcastle United fans are of the opinion that the lethal finisher would have the loyalty to remain at the North-East club they need only recall just how swiftly he left West Ham after they were relegated to the Championship.
The player's wage demands may well lead to Pardew happily accepting his inevitable departure and given the relatively low transfer fee those salary expectations may be easier for Liverpool to cope with financially.
Shane Long (West Brom)
LIVERPOOL are set to launch a £12million January bid for striker Shane Long.
Even though West Bromwich Albion are riding high in the Premier League – and even though Long, 25, still has two-and-a-half years left on his contract – the striker would jump at the chance to move to Anfield.
Brendan Rodgers remains a fan of Long's from his time managing Reading and the fact the Reds made a bid to sign him when Kenny Dalglish was in charge shows they have serious intentions.
Anfield chiefs have let Long's advisors know they are interested, especially as his £25K-a-week wages fit well within their tight budget.
SOURCE: Daily Star
Whilst Shane Long may not be considered a spectacular Liverpool transfer target the Irish international may well be a very useful prospect for Brendan Rodgers to pursue, as well as a realistic January purchase to help boost the Merseyside club's threadbare striking options.
The 25 year old former Reading forward has been linked with a move to Liverpool in the recent past and has certainly upped his game over the past 12 months. His early season form has greatly helped Steve Clarke's side to begin the campaign in excellent fashion, netting seven goals in all competitions already this term, scoring goals against both Chelsea and Man City.
Clarke would be loathed to lose the Tipperary born marksman but mat well struggle to retain the player if he is sufficiently tempted by a move to Liverpool and £12m is a fee that the Baggies may find hard to turn down for a player they spent £6.5m to sign 18 months ago.
Liverpool have over relied on Luis Suarez this term and even when fully fit, Italian Fabio Borini is still to prove himself in the English top tier and Long has shown his effectiveness at Premier League level and could well be an intelligent January target for Rodgers to set his sights on.
Darren Bent (Aston Villa)
Darren Bent 'closes on Liverpool loan' as Rodgers reveals lack of funds
Darren Bent is reportedly closing in on a January loan to Liverpool after being axed by Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert
Now Liverpool, who are in desperate need of extra firepower, are believed to already be in negotiations with Villa over taking Bent on loan until the end of the season with a view to making the move permanent in the summer.
A temporary signing would be the ideal solution to Liverpool's striker problems, as Brendan Rodgers admitted after his side's 0-0 draw with Swansea that funds may not be available to bring in a permanent recruit.
'If we can get in the quality in the final third we need to support what we have, then there will be enough to keep the team moving forward,' said Rodgers.
SOURCE: Metro
Though Darren Bent was fit and available for selection for Aston Villa's home encounter with Arsenal, Villa Park boss Paul Lambert opted instead to not select the England man, not even in a sub role, opting instead to name youngster Jordan Bowery as his back up forward. This has led to growing speculation that the 28 year old is set to leave Villa Park.
This source believes the two clubs are already in negotiations over a loan with a view to a permanent switch in the summer. This would of course depend on whether Bent impresses during that spell but given his consistent form over the past few years one would imagine there is a good chance he would score goals at Liverpool, after all he has scored goals regularly wherever he has played.
There can be few more underrated strikers in England than Bent, a player who very rarely gets the credit his strike-rate deserves.
Often the target of boo-boys the former Tottenham man has scored goals wherever he has gone but for some reason never gets anything like the plaudits he should. Being forced out of the Aston Villa picture will not sit well with the Tooting born forward who would surely jump at the chance of a move to Liverpool.
Brendan Rodgers has to rely solely on Luis Suarez for goals and even when fully fit, Italian Fabio Borini is yet to prove himself and beyond this pairing the Liverpool manager then has to consider the use of talented, but raw, teenager Adam Morgan.
Bent has scored 20 goals in 43 Premier League starts for Aston Villa, and 32 goals in 58 top tier appearances at Sunderland, where the striker bounced back from an overall disappointing spell at White Hart Lane where he was in and out of the first team picture.
Prior to his big money move to Tottenham Darren Bent had amassed 92 goals with Ipswich Town and Charlton Athletic.
Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
Another player who has consistently been linked with a move to Anfield and despite apparent talk of a possible compromise over the England man's wage demands as yet no deal has been forthcoming and as such come January a bid from Liverpool may well be considered by the North London club.
Walcott wants to play in an orthodox striking role, a role that Arsene Wenger is unwilling to offer the former Southampton man, despite the 23 year old's excellent finishing this term that has helped make the England international the club's top scorer with ten goals in 17 appearances in all competitions this season, of which only eight were as a starter.
Liverpool may feel that the speedy attacker could work well alongside Luis Suarez and again would be able to meet salary demands due to the relatively low fee they may have to offer in order to snap up the contract rebel.
Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea)
Liverpool pin hopes on £12m Sturridge and £6m Ince after hitting Walcott hitch
Liverpool are confident of finalising a £6million deal for Blackpool's Tom Ince and will look to add Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge for a further £12m.
SOURCE: Daily Mail
Daniel Sturridge has barely had a look in this season and come January it will be clear if Rafa Benitez is likely to offer the England man the regular first team football Roberto Di Matteo wasn't willing to hand the former Man City man.
Chelsea may be willing to sell the 23 year old if he doesn't fit in with the club's long term plans and the funds from any sale could be put towards further January additions that may better suit the West London club.
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