Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has been given plenty of time to find a replacement for the retiring Jamie Carragher and it seems he has already identified the perfect replacement in Swansea defender Ashley Williams.

The powerful centre-back may have spent the vast majority of his career playing in the lower leagues but he has excelled since making the step up to the Premier League and has been a near ever present in the Swansea side since they gained promotion in 2011.

Ashley Williams
Ashley Williams will be hoping to lift the Capital One Cup after leading Swansea to the final [Reuters] REUTERS

Last season his outstanding performances, while working under Brendan Rodgers, helped Swansea secure an impressive 11<sup>th place finish and his continued excellence this season has once again helped the Welsh side remain in the top half of the league.

He has made 20 league appearances this season and was left on the bench for the 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Liverpool as manager Michael Laudrup made the decision to rest a number of first team players ahead of the Capital One Cup final.

Now the Daily Express has reported that Rodgers is hoping to persuade Williams to join him at Liverpool in the summer after learning that he will not be able to call upon veteran defender Carragher after this season.

The Liverpool vice-captain made the announcement that he will retire from playing at the end of the season, leaving Rodgers short of cover as he has been unwilling to play Sebastian Coates in the Premier League.

With Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel both making numerous high profile mistakes this season it seems Rodgers is ready to turn to a defender he knows extremely well.

Swansea will certainly not want to lose Williams and will be in a strong position as the defender only put pen-to-paper on a new three-year deal in October last year.

Laudrup will be desperate to keep hold of his captain and will hope that he can lead them to success in the League Cup which will guarantee them European football next season.

With Liverpool struggling in the league they will have to hope that Rodgers can persuade the defender to quit the Welsh club, as Joe Allen decided to do last summer.