Chelsea winger wanted as top two Liverpool targets are named

Jurgen Klopp may be unlikely to spend any money in January – but it seems the Liverpool manager is already shaping his plans for the summer with the Reds touted as top contenders to sign two star men.

Injuries to key defenders Joe Gomez, Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and Trent Alexander-Arnold have threatened to undermine the Reds’ bid for title glory, with the likes of James Milner at right-back and Fabinho in central defence, asked to fill in in recent matches.

However, with those injury woes now appearing to ease – and with reports on Wednesday also revealing that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is also back in training – a report earlier this week suggested Klopp is unlikely to make any new signings this month.

But Liverpool do have a number of stars likely to be moved on this summer, with John Aldridge on Tuesday backing Klopp to “clear the deadwood” out of his squad at the end of the current season.

And with the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Alberto Moreno and possibly Nathaniel Clyne all likely to move on, Klopp will be looking to add fresh faces to his squad in a bid to keep his troops on their toes ahead of a fresh assault at glory next season.

And according to reports, Klopp has already identified the two men he wants to bring in this summer, with German paper Bild reporting on Wednesday reporting that in-demand Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi has now emerged as a surprise target.

The teenager is widely expected to leave Stamford Bridge after Bayern Munich submitted four transfer bids to Chelsea – the last of which reached £35million, with the Bundesliga club even offering him Arjen Robben’s No.10 shirt.

But Bild claims Liverpool’s interest in the player is serious, with the representatives of the Merseysiders reportedly meeting with Hudson-Odoi and his brother Bradley, who is also his agent, at the start of January.

Chelsea have tabled a new deal worth £70,000-a-week to Hudson-Odoi, though the winger is more tempted by the promise of first-team football as opposed money.

Therefore, Bild reckons Hudson-Odoi is still tempted by Bayern, though a similar approach from Liverpool will make the teenager seriously think twice before moving to Bavaria.

Klopp’s second main transfer objective is a name familiar to Reds fans, with the Daily Express claiming that Klopp has decided that RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner is the man he wants to replace Sturridge in the Liverpool attack.

Germany striker Werner, long linked with Liverpool, is out of contract in 18 months time.

Bayern Munich are sniffing around, but the Express claims Liverpool’s good relationship with Leipzig can swing the deal in their favour.

The striker is likely to fetch around €40m (£36m) this summer given the amount of time left on his deal, and the fee is unlikely to put off the Reds.

RB Leipzig chief Ralf Rangnick, however, is quoted as saying he expects Werner to remain with the Bundesliga club for the next two or three years at least, though quite how they’d manage that remains to be seen.

Liverpool fans discussed the merits of signing Werner earlier this week, with most agreeing his qualities would suit the Reds.