Reds chasing Hammer and other transfer rumours

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is keeping tabs on West Ham’s Carlton Cole in a bid to solve his striker crisis. With Fernando Torres a constant injury worry and back-ups David Ngog and Ryan Babel proving disappointing, the Reds boss is set to move for the England striker in the January transfer window. According to reports, the club will raise the necessary money to buy Cole by shipping Javier Mascherano off to Barcelona for £36m. Elsewhere, Roman Pavlyuchenko's Tottenham hell could soon be over with Zenit St Petersburg prepared to pay £10m for the Russian; Manchester United are tracking Danish central defender Simon Kjaer who plays for Italian side Palermo; and Manchester City want Benfica forward Angel Di Maria as a replacement for Robinho.