Liverpool poised to step up chase for Poulsen

Liverpool are poised to step up their attempts to land Juventus midfielder Christian Poulsen.

Though the Reds are awaiting the next move from Inter Milan in their pursuit of Javier Mascherano, they pressing on with plans for life without the Argentinean.

Once Inter strike a deal with Manchester City for the sale of Mario Balotelli, they will be better placed to push through their bid to take Mascherano to the San Siro.

The Reds are looking at a number of options to replace Mascherano and Poulsen, the Denmark international, and Standard Liege's Steven Defour head Roy Hodgson's list.

But it is looking more likely that Poulsen - a player who is well known to Hodgson - is the frontrunner after sources in Denmark revealed further discussions have taken place between the Reds and Juve.

Poulsen's adviser Joern Bonnesen has not spoken with Liverpool directly - nor has Poulsen - but it understood he could end up at Anfield for a fee in the region of 6million euros.

Bonnesen has also let it be known that his client would love to work with Hodgson - who was his former manager at FC Copenhagen - again if the opportunity arose.

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