Rumour Mill: Reds to swap Babel for Spurs’ Pavlyuchenko

Liverpool will offer Dutch international winger Ryan Babel in a bid to sign Tottenham Hotspur attacker Roman Pavlyuchenko in the January transfer window, according to reports today.

It is understood that Reds boss Rafa Benitez has finally lost his patience with Babel who is having yet another uninspiring season at the club and is ready to offload the 22-year-old.

Spurs signed Pavlyuchenko for £13.8million last September, but now sits as Tottenham’s fourth choice striker behind Jermaine Defoe, and ironically former Reds Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch.

The 27-year-old has scored 15 times in 31 appearances for Russia, who did not qualify for next year’s World Cup.

He scored against Liverpool as Spurs beat the Reds 2-1 in November 2008 to end Benitez’s men’s unbeaten start to the season.

For more on this transfer rumour and other reported ins and outs this coming January, visit the Rumour Mill.