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• Another forward would be icing on cake, says manager
• David Ngog and Ryan Babel will be sufficient if we fail

Roy Hodgson said he would not be pressured into a panic signing by Liverpool’s need for a new striker as he prepares to spend the final day of the transfer window scouring the market for support for Fernando Torres.

Liverpool are exploring several striking options as the transfer deadline approaches and hope to address their weakness at left‑back with the £3.5m signing of Paul Konchesky from Fulham. The 29-year-old has agreed personal terms on a move to Anfield but the transfer has been delayed while Lauri Dalla Valle, the 18-year-old Finnish forward who is a proposed makeweight in the deal, undergoes a medical at Craven Cottage.

Konchesky’s arrival would leave Hodgson requiring a striker to fulfil his transfer wishes for this window, having replaced Javier Mascherano and Alberto Aquilani with Raul Meireles and Christian Poulsen in midfield. Mascherano completed his £20m move to Barcelona last night.

Liverpool’s search has hit complications with PSV Eindhoven’s £13m valuation of Ola Toivonen prohibitive, Bayern Munich insisting Mario Gómez is not available and Hodgson not convinced by Carlton Cole following recent assessments of the West Ham United player. Alternative candidates include Ricky van Wolfswinkel, the Utrecht striker who scored a hat-trick against Celtic in the Europa League play-off last week, and Eidur Gudjohnsen, although the Iceland international is in talks with Stoke City.

Gómez’s agent, Uli Ferber, claimed there was interest in a move to Anfield yesterday when he told Kicker: “When a club like Liverpool enquires, their interest cannot be pushed off the table.” But Bayern, who spent a German record ¤35m (£29m) to sign the 25-year-old from Stuttgart last year, appeared to close that option last night. The club’s sporting director, Christian Nerlinger, responded: “Bayern Munich are not a superstore for other clubs to come and help themselves to players. No player will be leaving and they will certainly not be leaving on loan.”

Hodgson claims to be satisfied with his transfer business so far but, while Torres’s fitness continues to be a matter of concern for the Liverpool manager, the 62-year-old is adamant he will not waste what money is available at Anfield.

“The additions to the squad of Meireles, hopefully Paul Konchesky and possibly another player won’t do us any harm at all,” said Hodgson. “With Meireles coming in and Poulsen I think we have solved the problems that Mascherano and Aquilani leaving have given us because we’ve lost some quality midfield players in Yossi Benayoun, Albert Riera, Aquilani and Mascherano. Meireles and Poulsen are two quality players who will boost our squad and who are much-needed otherwise we would have been short in that area.

“If we could get us a striker who could really take the pressure off Torres from time to time that would be very useful. I think it could be the icing on the cake but I’m anxious not to bring in people who I don’t think are good enough. Just spending money to bring someone in to say we have another player could be a mistake.”

Hodgson also believes the encouraging form of David Ngog, plus Ryan Babel’s desire to remain at Liverpool, will provide sufficient back-up should Liverpool be frustrated in the market today. “Babel has never been given a real chance up front to show what he can do and Ngog is a player who is making progress. I would have to be sure anyone we bring in is clearly better than those two players so they could take a step back. You are not going to bring people to Liverpool who are not playing at the right level.”

The Liverpool manager does not expect to lose any more players before the deadline closes although Lucas Leiva, touted as a possible makeweight in a deal for a striker and of interest to Tony Pulis at Stoke, has admitted his long-term position at Anfield is uncertain. “I don’t know what the situation is,” said the Brazilian midfielder.

“I’m still playing. At the moment, I haven’t had any offers. I don’t know if the club wants to sell me. I just have to wait. I’m going away with the national team (on Thursday) and I can’t say any more than that.

“I spoke with the manager (in pre-season) and he told me I was in his plans. If the club want to sell me, what can I do? I just have to wait and see what will happen. But I want to be playing. I am trying to do my best here. If the club have some offers for me, they will let me know. At the moment I have no idea.”

LiverpoolRoy HodgsonTransfer windowAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk

• Midfielder’s four-year deal has buy-out clause of €90m
• Mascherano takes No14 shirt once worn by Thierry Henry

Javier Mascherano has finalised his move from Liverpool to Barcelona after signing a four-year deal, the Spanish champions confirmed this evening.

The 26-year-old midfielder’s contract has a buy-out clause of €90m and he will take the No14 shirt, which was previously worn by Thierry Henry.

“The truth is it’s a dream, it’s a great joy,” Mascherano told Barca TV after a five-hour medical. “It is a great club with great players and I will try to adapt as quickly as I possibly can.”

The Argentina captain and former West Ham midfielder left Anfield after three years on Merseyside.

BarcelonaLiverpoolTransfer windowKaty Murrellsguardian.co.uk

• Training would suit his fitness, says Roy Hodgson
• Player keen to be involved with Spain

Liverpool’s appeal for Fernando Torres to be spared international duty is likely to be ignored with the striker keen to play for Spain and expected to start next week’s friendly against Argentina.

Roy Hodgson yesterday called on the Spain manager, Vicente Del Bosque, to omit Torres from the Euro 2012 qualifier in Liechtenstein on Friday and the friendly in Buenos Aires next Tuesday. The Liverpool striker joined his international team-mates on Sunday evening, having been named in the squad last week. After losing his regular starting place in the Spain team in South Africa, where he was hindered by a knee problem, it is believed Torres does not want to jeopardise his involvement under Del Bosque further by making himself unavailable for selection.

Hodgson believes a two-week training programme on Merseyside would suit Torres’s long-term fitness rather than preparing for matches with Spain. But he admits Liverpool are powerless to prevent their record signing featuring in the double-header. “We can’t say he’s unfit to play because he’s just played 85 minutes against West Bromwich Albion,” said Hodgson. “We can only ask the question, propose that this is the best option for the player but we don’t have the right to pull him out.

“The more work our sports science people can do with him, to build him up, give him basically the good pre-season that all players need, the better it will be for his long-term future. If we’re unable to do that because he’s asked to play so many matches in this early part of the season it’s going to effect us negatively.”

Fernando TorresRoy HodgsonLiverpoolSpainAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk