Hodgson targets star duo

Roy Hodgson has placed Christian Poulsen and Steven Defour high on his wanted list as Javier Mascherano inevitable departure moved a step closer.

Having informed Hodgson that he wants to leave the club earlier this week, Mascherano has been axed from the squad which flew out to Germany today for tomorrow's friendly with Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Preliminary discussions have taken place with Inter over a potential transfer to the San Siro and it is understood that the Italian giants have poised to table a £20million bid.

The fact he has been left out of a travelling party that includes Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson merely increases the thought that he has played his last game for the Reds.

Plans are already at an advanced stage to find Mascherano's replacement and the energetic Defour, who starred for Liege when they played Liverpool in a Champions League qualifier two years ago, has much in his favour.

With Liege having no European campaign this season, Defour, 22, - a Belgian international who has been capped 24 times by his country - is anxious to move and sources in Belgium have confirmed he would be available for a fee in the region of 12m euros.
A Liverpool delegation went to watch Defour last night as Liege kicked off their domestic campaign against Zulte Waregem and Hodgson is now debating his next move for a player who has moved into the latter stages of his current contract.

But Hodgson has other targets, among them the Denmark international Poulsen, 30, who played for the Reds boss at FC Copenhagen.

Though the player's representative Joern Bennesen was unavailable last night,

Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta said: "Liverpool have shown interest in Poulsen. But the fact that he did not play in (against Shamrock Rovers) on Thursday is only due to a technical decision.'

One man who definitely won't be leaving Anfield any time soon is Thursday night's two-goal hero David Ngog, who has been persistently inked with a move to West Bromwich Albion all summer. Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo openly admitted recently that he wanted to take Ngog on a season-long loan to the Hawthorns but Hodgson has moved to squash all speculation by stressing he is not on the list of players that Liverpool are looking to offload.

"Nobody at the club has ever told me that we are looking to move him on and I certainly have never heard West Brom's name mentioned," said Hodgson.

Meanwhile, Liverpool youngster Dani Pacheco was won the Golden Boot at the European U19 Championships although his Spain side lost the final 2-1 to hosts France in Caen last night with Reds teammate Chris Mavinga in opposition.

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