Liverpool plan to swap flop Ryan Babel for Spurs misfit Roman Pavlyuchenko ?
Roman ruin: Pavlyuchenko has fallen down the pecking order at Tottenham
Liverpool have targeted Tottenham misfit Roman Pavlyuchenko in a surprise January move which could see Ryan Babel head in the opposite direction.
Manager Rafa Benitez knows he desperately needs back-up for Fernando Torres and has grown increasingly tired of Babel's displays and murmurings of discontent.
He is a long-time admirer of Pavlyuchenko and believes he can restore the striker to the scoring form that helped Russia reach the Euro 2008 semi-finals and prompted Tottenham to splash out £13.8million just over 15 months ago.
However, due to Liverpool's dire financial situation, Tottenham hold all the cards in any possible deal. They know Liverpool have a minimal budget and must wheel and deal to get transfers done.
Babel, an £11.5m signing from Ajax two years ago, represents Liverpool's biggest bargaining tool and at 22 he has a great re-sale value. However, Tottenham want optimum price for Pavlyuchenko and may even ask for Babel plus cash.
Manager Harry Redknapp has other targets in mind and has been told he must sell before he can buy. He is keen on bringing in another goalkeeper and centre half and has lined up a deal for Brazil midfielder Sandro from Internacional, who could cost up to £8m.
Redknapp knows Babel has potential but may feel it is better for Tottenham to bring in straight cash for Pavlyuchenko from other suitors so he can plough the money into his priority purchases.
Pavlyuchenko, who has grown increasingly frustrated with his plight at Tottenham and has attended several meetings to discuss his future, will no doubt be delighted about Liverpool's interest.
He is fourth in the pecking order of strikers at White Hart Lane behind Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Robbie Keane and has made it clear he wants away.
Only this week his agent, Oleg Artemov, said: 'We are not happy about his situation at Tottenham, so we'll do everything to ensure he can change club in January. There were contacts with Roma, but for now only by telephone. Spartak Moscow, Arsenal and Zenit St Petersburg are also interested in the player - anything can happen.'
Sounding off: Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has grown increasingly tired of Ryan Babel's murmurings of discontent
Benitez had considered a move for Pavlyuchenko earlier in the year but again did not have the necessary resources at the time. He believes the former Spartak Moscow star can play in the lone striker role or as a link man between Torres and the Liverpool midfield if called upon.
He is reluctant to strip his threadbare squad further but recognises that Babel represents a sacrifice worth making for the benefit of the squad.
The only saving grace for Benitez would be a successful Liverpool rights issue as the club attempt to raise £100m in time for the January window - then the Spaniard would be able to call his own shots in the transfer market.
Despite glimpses of Babel's potential, he has failed to mature into the player Benitez hoped he would become and has hinted he believes a fresh start would help earn a place in Holland's World Cup squad.
For now, he is taking a diplomatic stance. Babel said: 'I feel confident that I'm good enough to play a lot of games for Liverpool. I keep saying this. Hopefully, I'll get chances to show this. For every player it's nice to go to the World Cup and it's very important to do that in your career.
'As far as I'm concerned, the way to do that is to fight for my place at Anfield, definitely.'
