Reds target Premier League duo

Roy Hodgson has earmarked Newcastle United’s Steve Taylor as one of the players around whom he wants to rebuild Liverpool’s defence.

The new Anfield boss will also go back to Craven ­Cottage with a £7million bid land his impressive former central defender Hangeland, who has been regularly linked with Arsenal.

Hodgson believes his close relationship with the 29-year-old Norwegian could help lure him to Liverpool - and the fact that he brought Swiss international centre-back Philippe Senderos to Craven Cottage in one of his last acts as Fulham boss will also strengthen his hand. Hodgson is lining up a £5m bid for former England Under-21 skipper Taylor, who has just entered the final year of his contract at St James' Park.

LMA Manager of the Year Hodgson is a long-standing admirer of 24-year-old Taylor and is poised to test Newcastle's resolve to hang on to the much-coveted defender.

Sunday Mirror Sport can reveal that initial talks have taken place between Taylor's representatives, the Triple S agency, and Newcastle over a new contract and a three- to four-year deal is now on the table.

But Taylor will not commit himself until he knows what Newcastle's squad strengthening plans are for the Premier League campaign.

Taylor's future on Tyneside has been shrouded in doubt since he suffered a double fracture of the jaw after a training ground incident involving Magpies striker Andy Carroll late last season.

The differences between the pair have been resolved, but a host of top clubs including Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea have been eyeing Taylor and Hodgson also showed an interest in him during his spell at Fulham.

And, despite Newcastle's insistence that they want to keep Taylor, the odds on him heading for pastures new have significantly increased as top clubs try to sign players who have come through the English academy system as UEFA's home-grown quota system looms in August.

Leading managers such as Hodgson, Arsene Wenger, Martin O'Neill and Carlo Ancelotti are all keen to boost their English presence and that has made Taylor a hot property.

Championship winners Newcastle's public admission that they won't be lashing out on transfer fees is bound to affect Taylor's thinking as he weighs up his future.

To keep Taylor on Tyneside long-term, Hughton needs to offer an attractive new, long-term contract this summer and Newcastle's financial plight makes that almost mission impossible.

Newcastle have imposed a wage cap of about £30,000 a week and it is understood Taylor already earns that kind of money. Newcastle don't appear to have a lot of negotiating room.

Taylor returned from a holiday in the USA and the Bahamas last week and is scheduled to have a plate removed from his jaw this week.

Newcastle know Taylor could ignore any offer, sit tight, run down his contract and sign a pre-contract deal with Liverpool or any other club in January. It wouldn't be good business sense for Newcastle and owner Mike Ashley could decide it would make more sense to get a fee for a player who has been rated in the £8m-10m bracket than let him go for nothing.

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