Hodgson targets four signings

The man who turned Fulham's fortunes around is now set to begin a new era at Anfield but rather than leaving all the familiar faces behind, he is rumored to be very interested in keeping at least two of them around.

According to the Daily Mail, Hodgson will bring Fulham duo Brede Hangeland and Danny Murphy with him to Merseyside. While Hangeland will be testing his defensive skills for one of the top prestigious clubs for the first time in his career, Murphy appears to be set for a second stint with the Reds.

Hodgson is also said to be pursuing a defensive midfielder to replace Barcelona-bound Javier Mascherano. Former Arsenal veteran Gilberto Silva is being lined up for a return to the Premier League following his impressive form for both Panathinaikos and Brazil. Since Gilberto's services wouldn't cost an awful lot due to the financial crisis in Greece, Liverpool should also be able to complete the signing of Rafael van der Vaart from Real Madrid.

The Dutch midfielder has been used sparingly by the La Liga outfit and as Jose Mourinho prepares to ring in some changes of his own at the Bernabeu, the path will finally become clear for van der Vaart to complete a long-awaited move to England.

With Serbian Milan Jovanovic already confirmed as a Reds player for the next season, the future only looks brighter for a Liverpool side that has experienced nothing but disappointment in the last twelve months.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.