However, Liverpool would face serious competition from Manchester United for Defour's signature, with Sir Alex Ferguson a known admirer of the player.

Hodgson is also monitoring Denmark international defensive midfielder Christian Poulsen.

Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta claims Liverpool are interested in the 30-year-old, whose absence from the side that faced Shamrock Rovers in Thursday's Europa League qualifier has fuelled speculation of an imminent move.

And Marotta said: “Liverpool have shown interest in Poulsen, but the fact that he did not play in this game is only due to a technical decision.”

Meanwhile, Joe Cole will make his first appearance in a Liverpool shirt in tomorrow's friendly in Moenchengladbach, which is being held to celebrate the German club's 110th anniversary.

Cole, who was signed on a free transfer last week following his release from Chelsea, is among the latest batch of World Cup representatives to return to action.

Fellow England internationals Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson will also fly to Germany. “Yes they will be involved,” said Hodgson. “It's a friendly game so I can control the amount of time they play. “In competitive games we only have three substitutes to use, so it's very dangerous to put players on the field who don't have 90 minutes in their legs.”

New signing Danny Wilson, who travelled with the party to Macedonia to take part in training, is also in line to make his Liverpool bow while Argentine winger Maxi Rodriguez may also appear.

And with Spanish duo Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina and Holland pair Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel back at Melwood next week, Hodgson will finally be given the opportunity to work with a full-strength squad.