Rodgers new favourite for Liverpool

Liverpool are close to agreeing a deal with Brendan Rodgers to become the new manager at Anfield, according to reports.

The Mirror claims Reds owner John W Henry is ready to have talks with the Swansea City boss and could even have him in place by the end of the week.

It is now a two weeks since Kenny Dalglish was sacked for a poor Premier League season, where they could only manage an eighth place finish.

Dalglish led the team to a Carling Cup victory over Championship side Cardiff City and an FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea, but this was deemed not good enough and the Liverpool legend became the most high profile of a number of sackings by Fenway Sports Group.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez was favourite for the job when he flew out to Miami for talks with Henry, but the report claims his misgivings over working under a director of football – expected to be Louis van Gaal – have led Liverpool’s owners to favour a move for Rodgers.

The Northern Irishman was in talks with Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins yesterday afternoon, though the Welsh club insist there has been no approach made by officials of the Merseyside club.