Brendan Rodgers
Reuters

Liverpool are planning a January move for highly rated Dutch striker Luc Castaignos, according to the Metro.

The Reds have suffered a major blow in the form of Daniel Sturridge who is out for up to eight weeks with an ankle injury. Brendan Rodgers' side are short up front with only Luis Suarez up front and Iago Aspas failing to pull the strings following his summer switch from Celta Vigo.

The striker wa.s nearly transferred to Liverpool in the summer of 2011, before moving to Inter Milan where he struggled to cope with the physicality of the Serie A. He moved back to the Netherlands where he has enjoyed a rich vein of form and has been scoring goals for fun in the Eredivisie.

Arsenal and Chelsea were also reported to be interested in the striker but Liverpool are currently the only club to keep their interest alive. The 21-year-old will be a good back-up for the front duo of Sturridge and Suarez and keep the scoreline ticking on the occasion of an injury to either of the two players. The Merseyside club are willing to spend up to £6m for his signature as they look to up the tempo in the latter half of the season.

Meanwhile, Rodgers' side suffered a shock defeat at the hands of newly promoted Hull City with the Tigers mauling the second placed team in the league 3-1. The former Swansea manager revealed that Sturridge was disappointed by having failed to make the game and has urged his players to step up to the task as they approach a busy period in December.

"He'll be disappointed. It's a very busy period we're coming into and we're a squad that needs as many of our good players as possible. It's not ideal. It was an ankle sprain [in training]. He just slipped on the surface. We thought initially it was his toe and he went straight in with the medics before the end of training getting a scan. Then it came back that that's what it was [ankle]. It's a big blow for us," Rodgers told Liverpool's Official Website.

"We've got other players available that will hopefully come in and stake their claim now. Our front area of the pitch has been reasonably settled, but this will give someone else an opportunity if they come in," he added.