Liverpool have agreed in principal to sign Valencia defender Aly Cissokho on loan with a view to permanent deal, Press Association Sport understands.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has been looking for reinforcements at left-back as Jose Enrique is his only senior player in that position and has identified the Frenchman as a viable option.

Cissokho is expected to travel to Merseyside in the next week to undergo a medical and agree personal terms, although it is understood Liverpool do not believe that will be an issue.

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An agreement is in place for the club to sign Cissokho permanently should his season-long stay be successful.

Rodgers is keen to add a couple of players to his squad before the end of the transfer window and wants to further strengthen his attacking options.

Having failed to land both Shakhtar Donetsk's Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa, he has turned his attention to Anzhi Makhachkala forward Willian.

The Brazil international is one of a number of high-earning players the Russian club's owner Suleiman Kerimov is looking to offload.

Press Association Sport understands Liverpool have registered their interest in the 25-year-old but they are aware they will face stiff competition from a number of clubs.

Manchester City reportedly tried to sign Willian from Shakhtar Donetsk prior to his move to Anzhi, while Tottenham and Manchester United have also been linked.

The player has already indicated his preferred destination is England and he has given Liverpool hope by speaking in complimentary terms about the Anfield club.

"Kerimov told us that Anzhi won't make further investments...Russian players will join and foreign players would be free to go," Willian is quoted as saying on ESPN Brazil.

"He made it clear that if good bids arrive, close to what he paid for the players, that he would certainly help us go.

"There was the Manchester City bid that was turned down. Now I'm waiting for a new bid to arrive in the next days from a few clubs, like Liverpool.

"If it's really Liverpool, then it is surely a great club. I'm hopeful and very calm, just waiting for the best.

"England is my goal. I like the Premier League very much, I enjoy English football and certainly, if that happens, it will be very good for me and for my image.

"I know there have been some talks, but I don't know the values, the agent didn't tell me, he just said there were talks with some clubs, he didn't name them, but I think they are English."

PA

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