Wenger Linked With Lascelles Bid But Liverpool Also Scouting Defender

With the January transfer window now open for business clubs will be working hard to try and strengthen their squad for the second half of the season, so we’ll keep you up-to-date with all the latest news, gossip and rumours. Today, Arsenal and Liverpool are linked with Jamaal Lascelles.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is weighing-up a bid for Jamaal Lascelles but could face competition from Liverpool, who are also scouting the highly-rated Nottingham Forest defender, according to the Mirror.

Lascelles has been with Forest since he was a youngster and came through the youth ranks before breaking into the first team set up, making his debut during a 2-0 defeat to Burnley in January 2012.

Arsenal have long been linked with the 20-year-old centre-back and were reported to have had a bid rejected by the Championship side back in 2011.

The Mirror claim today that the Gunners have now renewed their interest with Arsene Wenger sending chief scout Steve Rowley to watch the defender in action at the weekend as Forest were held to a 1-1 draw by Bolton, with the Frenchman said to be ready to try his luck again with a new bid.

However, it seems Wenger isn’t the only one on the case with the newspaper suggesting that Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is also a huge fan and has sent his scouts to keep a close eye on the youngster as well this season.

It sounds as though the two Premier League giants could be set to go head-to-head for the signing of one of England’s most highly-rated young talents, and Forest will do well to keep hold of him until the end of the season.

Understandably, the club are keen for Lascelles to stick around in order to help their promotion push during the second half of the season but they may be forced to cash in if Arsenal or Liverpool table an offer they deem too good to refuse.

Arsenal currently have the best defensive record in the Premiership and have a rock solid central defensive partnership in Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, so if the north Londoners end up signing Lascelles he is almost certainly going to be viewed as a long-term investment and isn’t likely to be considered a first team player for the foreseeable future.

Likewise at Liverpool, the youngster would face stiff competition from the likes of Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho, Daniel Agger and Kolo Toure for a first team place, so once again he’ll more than likely have to wait his turn to break into the first team set up at Anfield.

With that said, if Arsenal or Liverpool do manage to agree a deal for his signature, perhaps it would suit all parties if Lascelles was then loaned back to Forest for the remainder of the season before linking up with his new club in the summer?

Obviously this is still all speculation at this point but we’ll keep you informed of any further developments.

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