While a natural wide player, a defender and a striking partner for Fernando Torres have generally been considered the most significant areas of need for Liverpool this transfer window, the team is apparently pursuing a central midfielder, Mark Van Bommel, to pair with Steven Gerrard.
The 33-year-old captain of the Dutch national team has been told by his club, Bayern Munich, that he will be allowed to leave the club for an offer of £2.5 million or higher, and both Liverpool and AC Milan have reportedly come forward with such, according to the Sunday Times.
Van Bommel has previously expressed his desire to play in the Premier League, but AC Milan's Champions League qualification could also be a factor.
An injury crisis at Bayern could also derail the acquisition.
With Maxi Rodriguez, Lucas, Jay Spearing, Jonjo Shelvey, Christian Poulsen, Joe Cole and Raul Meireles, Liverpool has no shortage of potential partners for Gerrard in central midfield, but only Meireles has yet to make an impression thus far this season. Van Bommel was at the top of his game this past summer in South Africa for the Oranje, who lost in the World Cup Finals to Spain.
Van Bommel has been unsettled at Bayern since he was refused a two-year contract earlier this season, and he and manager Louis van Gaal have reportedly fallen out.
