Reds hot for Cole

Liverpool are offering Ryan Babel to West Ham in a last-ditch bid to sign Carlton Cole before the transfer window shuts.

Boss Roy Hodgson is ­prepared to sacrifice the Dutch star for hitman Cole and has proposed a straight-exchange deal to the Hammers.

Babel is aware the Anfield club will let him go, having snubbed a move to Steve McClaren's German club Wolfsburg as he waits for a transfer that suits him.

He wants to stay in the Premier League and is thinking over the Irons move.

Liverpool put Babel into the deal because they were ­reluctant to match West Ham's ­valuation of Cole.

The Hammers want £12million but may take less as the transfer ­deadline approaches.

The Anfield club have ­offered £6m plus extras for Cole but that was ­rejected.Babel was then brought into the deal. Hodgson
admitted last week: "If the right player comes along it would be good if we could bring in another striker."

The Liverpool ­interest in Cole is a setback for Stoke and Sunderland, who are both ­interested, ­because he would ­prefer a move to Merseyside.

Babel is now the key to the deal - and many others off the back of it in what could be a frantic couple of days.

Hodgson is also on the verge of clinching the ­signing of Fulham left-back Paul Konchesky.

Konchesky will end Liverpool's summer long search for a left-back when he completes his £4m switch from Craven Cottage.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.