Brendan Rodgers
Rodgers hopes to make Hughes his latest signing at Liverpool.

Liverpool have matched Derby County's £12m valuation of Will Hughes ahead of the securing a deal in the January transfer window, according to The Express.

The England Under-21 midfielder is among the hottest properties in the Championship and is set to become the fifth most expensive player in the division's history should he complete a move in the New Year.

Hughes has started all of Derby's league games this season, with the Rams currently ninth after 15 games this season but many of the club's hierarchy are consigned to the 18 year old leaving the club in the near future, with a host of sides interested in his services.

Arsenal and Manchester United have both been credited with an interest, but come the January transfer window latest reports suggest Hughes will join Liverpool and become part of Brendan Rodgers' revolution at Anfield.

Rodgers signed eight new players in the summer but has been urged by former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson to seek a long-term replacement for captain Steven Gerrard, 33, who celebrated his testimonial in the summer.

And the Liverpool boss will seemingly answer those calls by confirming a move for Hughes in January. While Hughes occupies a withdrawn midfield role for Derby his pace and mobility means the fulcrum of his career is likely to see him operate further forward.

Gerrard has made over 600 appearances across 16 seasons at Liverpool an hasd become one of the club's greatest ever players but Hughes has shown all the attributes since his professional debut in 2011 to suggest he could be the heir to the England captain's throne.

Upon being appointed as the new manager at Pride Park, Steve McClaren admitted that Hughes's departure from Derby was only a matter of time.

"Our job is to make sure he makes it," he said last month.

"Eventually he will be too good. What we need behind that is players coming through to replace him."