Liverpool: Brendan Rodgers targets Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson as Glen Johnson replacement

Liverpool are reportedly weighing up a move for Arsenal full back Carl Jenkinson, who is currently on a season long loan at West Ham United.

According to the Daily Mail, Brendan Rodgers has identified the England U21 star as the ideal replacement for Glen Johnson, who is set to leave following the expiry of his contract at the end of the current campaign.

Jenkinson, who joined Arsenal from Charlton in 2012, fell down the pecking order following the arrival of Mathieu Debuchy from Newcastle United in the summer of 2014. Moreover, Arsene Wenger decided to let him go on-loan to the east London club after he decided to promote teenage right-back Hector Bellerin to the first-team.

The English defender has been impressive under Sam Allardyce at Upton Park this season and has made the right-back slot his own making 25 appearances for the Hammers thus far this campaign.

The Reds boss is keen to bring in defensive reinforcements to make up for the loss of Glen Johnson and will make a move for the Arsenal defender, whose prospects of starting for Arsenal look slim following the emergence of Bellerin and the availability of Debuchy and Calum Chambers as a backup.

However, the Northern Irishman will face competition for the former Charlton defender as West Ham are keen on making his loan deal a permanent one after his impressive performances this season.

Meanwhile, earlier in the season, Jenkinson had revealed that he had to make a loan move this season, as he was fed up of sitting on the bench at the Emirates Stadium.

"I didn't want to have another season sitting on the bench," Jenkinson said, as quoted by the Mirror.

"It was starting to drive me up the wall a little bit, I wanted to get out and play football, and I've realised that I'm happiest when I'm playing regular football."

"I wanted to go to a team where I was going to learn and improve and I think I'm definitely doing that here at West Ham," the 23-year-old defender added.