Liverpool news and rumour roundup: Update on future of Chelsea star, AVB not wanted by former star and Balotelli replacement

Tuesday’s biggest stories for the Reds.

Liverpool on alert as Winston Reid demands West Ham United pay rise

According to the Mirror we could be signing a much needed centre-back in the January transfer window as Reid edges closer to an exit from the Boleyn Ground.

The New Zealand international has entered the final year of his current contract with the Hammers and has demanded £60,000-a-week in order to stay.

With new signing Dejan Lovren having failed to impress and Mamadou Sakho struggling for fitness the 26-year-old could be a viable target.

Danny Murphy says Andre Villas-Boas is not good enough for Anfield job

After our poor start to the campaign the inevitable rumours of Brendan Rodgers’ sacking have already started to emerge and some top names have been linked as his replacement.

One of those is current Zenit St Petersburg manager Villas-Boas, who has previously been sacked from Premier League posts at Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur and that is why Murphy thinks the Portuguese would be a bad appointment.

“It’s ridiculous. He failed at Chelsea, he failed at Tottenham. Why would you take him at Liverpool?” the former Fulham man told talkSPORT.

Benfica tell the Reds it will cost £4m to sign Maxi Pereira

With Glen Johnson in his final year on Merseyside and unlikely to be offered a new deal, new right-backs are being sought out, according to the Mirror.

Pereira’s contract also expires next summer, but if Rodgers wants to sign the 30-year-old in January then it will cost the Northern Irishman £4m.

The Uruguay international is also said to have been targeted by Besiktas and Trabzonspor.

Diafra Sakho wanted as a replacement for the failing Mario Balotelli

It’s hardly been a great start to Balotelli’s career at Anfield and after scoring no league goals to date the Metro says Rodgers already wants to replace the Italian.

As unlikely as it seems Sakho is being identified as that man with the 24-year-old having netted eight times in the English top tier since his own summer move from Metz.

West Ham are unlikely to want to part with the striker though after their strong start to the season.

Jose Mourinho issues hands-off warning for Petr Cech

With Simon Mignolet having been another player in poor form for us this term and Brad Jones the only backup, a new goalkeeper is widely considered to be needed.

As unlikely as it seems Cech has been linked with a move to Merseyside having lost his place in the Blues starting XI to Thibaut Courtois, but Mourinho does not want to sell.

“When you have on the bench a super goalkeeper like Petr Cech this is the most important thing,” the 51-year-old told Eurosport.