Juventus To Make Liverpool Double Swoop?

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Serie A giants Juventus are planning a double swoop for unsettled Liverpool pair Ryan Babel and Daniel Agger, with La Vecchia Signora hoping to take advantage of the financial problems at the Premier League club to lure the duo away from Anfield, according to The Mirror.

21-year-old Babel’s agent revealed recently that the Dutch International had wanted a loan move back to former club Ajax, with the winger growing frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities at the Merseyside club this season. Reds manager Rafa Benitez blocked this move, but Babel still remains unhappy at Anfield due to having to settle for a place on the bench this season under the Spaniard.

Agger (left) has also become unsettled at Liverpool for much the same reasons as Babel, with the Danish International falling behind Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel in the pecking order for a place in the heart of the Reds defence. Agger has been handed an opportunity recently due to an injury to Skrtel, but it remains to be seen whether the Dane can hold on to his place when Skrtel returns for the Premiership side.

In addition to this 24-year-old Agger is locked in talks over a new deal at Anfield and is also believed to be a target for AC Milan, who are keen to bring Agger to the San Siro to replace ageing stars Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta.

Juve coach Claudio Ranieri has also been heavily linked with William Gallas at Arsenal, with the Gunners interested in his own central defender Giorgio Chiellini. Should Gallas arrive in Turin and Chiellini go in the opposite direction then Ranieri sees Agger as the ideal replacement for the Italian. While, Babel is wanted by Ranieri to replace Czech star Pavel Nedved, who is coming to the end of a distinguished career at Juventus.

With it understood that Liverpool have to sell before they can buy in January, Juventus hope to take advantage by making an offer for the unsettled pair, which could see the duo leave Liverpool, with Benitez needing to raise funds for his own transfer targets next month.

Agent: I Don't Know If Agger Will Stay At Liverpool

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Liverpool defender Daniel Agger, who is a target for European powerhouses AC Milan and Real Madrid in the January transfer window is edging closer to leaving Anfield after his agent Per Steffensen claimed that he didn’t know whether the Danish International would see out the remaining 18 months of his contract at the Merseyside club.

23-year-old Agger has always maintained that he is happy at the Premier League club, despite speculation linking the Danish central-defender with a move to the Bernabeu or the San Siro in January. However, while Agger has been a regular starter for Reds manager Rafa Benitez recently due to the injury to Martin Skrtel. It remains to be seen if he can hold on to his place, when Skrtel returns from injury, which the Slovakian defender is expected to do in a couple of weeks time.

Add to this reports that talks on a new deal for Agger at Liverpool have stalled and the Rossoneri vice-president Adriano Galliani declaring on Wednesday that a defender will be arriving at Milan in January, with Agger very much in their thoughts and the Danes future at Anfield looks less certain.

“We are going to sign a new defender in January, there's is no doubt about that," Galliani told Denmark's tipsbladet.dk.

“We have kept a frequent eye on Agger and his situation at Liverpool and have of course noticed the problems that Agger and Liverpool have on agreeing on a new contract.”

With Agger’s agent now refusing to comment on the situation regarding the former Brondby players new deal at Liverpool and conceding that he does not know if his client will remain at the Premiership club. A move away from Merseyside is looking ever more likely, with Milan the likely destination.

Steffensen said: “He still has 18 months left on his Liverpool contract, that is a fact.

“It’s not only up to Daniel. He has said he is happy at Liverpool but there are always two parties.

“I don't know if he will stay.”

Spurs & Arsenal Join Liverpool In Race For Danish Starlet?

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are set to join Liverpool in the race to sign FC Copenhagen defender Mathais Jorgensen, according to the Daily Star.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez has been tracking 18-year-old Jorgensen for some time now and was alerted to Jorgensen by Jakob Friis-Hansen, who had previously advised Benitez on Daniel Agger and Nicola Savic, with the pair already at Anfield.

“I have previously advised Liverpool over two Danes, with Daniel Agger and Nicola Savic, both of whom they purchased and are almost too happy with,” said Friis-Hansen to Sporten.dk in August.

“I gave them Mathias Jorgensen's name a long time ago and Liverpool are wild about him. They are keeping very good track of him.

“Liverpool see him as a very promising youngster, like I do, and clearly just like a player who will play for the Danish national team for many years to come.”

However, it now appears that Benitez will face stiff competition from Spurs and the Gunners, with all three Premier League sides keen to bring Jorgensen, who won his first senior cap for Denmark last week against Wales to the Premiership.

Real Madrid Target Agger Happy At Liverpool Chance

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Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has revealed his relief at being given a run in the Reds team due to the injury to Martin Skrtel, with the Danish International, who is reportedly a target for La Liga Champions Real Madrid, accepting that a starting place is not guaranteed for anyone at Anfield.

Reports earlier in the season had claimed that Agger was keen on a move away from the Premier League, after having limited first-team opportunities, with Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez preferring to partner Skrtel with former England International Jamie Carragher at the heart of the Reds defence.

However, due to the knee injury that Skrtel suffered against Manchester City on October 8th, which will keep the Slovakian International out until Christmas, Agger has been given a run in the Liverpool side and is glad to be back.

“It’s never easy to get into the team when you have a squad like we have at Liverpool,” said Agger.

“Things have been very hard for me after the best part of a year out and then missing out at the start of the season. I’m glad to put the last 12 months behind me.

“But being left out of the team after a long time out is just part of football. Now I want to show the fans what I can do again.

“It feels good to get back out there and I feel I’ve had some good games against Crewe in the Carling Cup and Wigan in the league.

“I found it hard coming back into the team for the Wigan match. I was very tired early in the second half and could really feel that I hadn’t for a long time.

“There’s being fit and then there is match fitness - there is a big difference between the two and you can only obtain match fitness by playing in many games.

“Although I want to impress everyone again, I know I have to just play my own game. If the way you play is good enough then you will be in the team and hopefully I can get a good run now.

“It feels good to be back.”