Liverpool Track Tunisian Defender as Carragher Replacement - Report

Liverpool are monitoring FC Toulouse defender Aymen Abdennour and the Mail believes the Reds could approach the versatile Tunisian international, who can play in the centre and on the left.

The Premier League club are expected to have scouts at Toulouse's Ligue 1 game at Olympique Marseille on Saturday afternoon. Abdennour has been valued at £6m.

Brendan Rodgers is scouting for a replacement for 35-year-old ex-England international Jamie Carragher, who retires in the summer. The club were linked to Swansea City captain Ashley Williams but internal disagreements over the player's £12m valuation appear to have ruled out the Northern Irishman approaching his former player.

And in what is likely to be more bad news for Rodgers, the already struggling Liverpool may find themselves in the middle of a major defensive crisis in the summer, with Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger both linked with summer departures.

As of now, a shortlist for central defensive options is understood to include out-of-favour Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott, Reading player Alex Pearce and FC Twente star Douglas Franco.

Sturridge on Borini

Meanwhile, the Reds' January striker signing, Daniel Sturridge, has backed fellow forward Fabio Borini to find form next season. The 22-year-old Italian international signed in the summer but broke his leg early in the year and has been struggling to establish himself in the side since recovering.

Of course, the former AS Roma's star was not helped Uruguay international Luis Suarez in exceptional form but with the former Ajax striker banned for 10 games after biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, this may well be Borini's time to impress.

"I get on very well with Fabio. We played together at Chelsea, mainly in the reserves, and then we were in and around the fringes of the first team about the time he left when Drogba and Anelka were at their peak. It was great to see him get his first Premier League goal [against Newcastle United] and I congratulated him on that. He's a very nice guy who works very hard," Sturridge told his club's Web site.

"I understand the difficulties of injury because I've had a few myself since I've been here and I can only imagine what it feels like for him having lengthy setbacks. Hopefully he'll have an injury-free run next season and he'll be able to show the fans and everyone else what he can do," the England international concluded.