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Tottenham Hotspur's Roman Pavlyuchenko and Aaron Lennon - Source: Reuters -
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Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is eyeing a January swoop for Tottenham outcast Roman Pavlyuchenko.
According to reports in British newspaper, The Daily Mirror, Spurs' Russian striker Pavlyuchenko is planning showdown talks with Harry Redknapp after the international break where he will 'insist' on being released from his pain at White Hart Lane.
The Russian, whose impressive performances during Euro 2008 brought him to the attention of the English Premier League, has been made somewhat of an outcast at the London club, something he fears may lead to him losing a place in Guus Hiddink's World Cup squad, should the side make it through the play-offs and into the finals.
After a rocky start to his time at Spurs, under former boss Juande Ramos, Pav is now regarded as Redknapp's fourth-choice striker behind Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch.
He has made just six starts in all competitions this season, scoring one goal, and as a result has missed out on a starting place in Russia's starting eleven for this weekend's first leg play-off/
But Pavlyuchenko is determined to keep his World Cup spot, and when asked if he was planning to leave in January, the striker said: "Yes, because it's impossible for me to stay in the present situation.
"I've been sitting on the bench for half a year now and because of that I've lost my place on the national team."
But is now being reported that under-fire Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez may come to the rescue of the 27-year-old by trying to get the player on loan, with a view to a permanent deal in the summer when he is expected to have more transfer funds.
There are also rumours that Benitez is thinking about approaching his former club Real Madrid to talk about taking Dutch forward Rafael van der Vaart who has confirmed he will be leaving the Bernabeu in January.
It is also thought Benitez will look to finance the wages of any loan signing by offloading Italian defender Andrea Dossena, who is close to concluding a deal with Napoli to take him back home when the transfer window opens.
