Liverpool Football Club appear to be in the box-seat to sign Joe Cole.

The 28-year-old is available on a free transfer following the end of his contract at Chelsea, and was expected to remain in London with either Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur.

However, bookmakers have this weekend stopped taking bets that Cole will instead head to Anfield, although Reds boss Roy Hodgson is refusing to confirm a deal is in place for the midfielder.

“I'm not a betting man so that doesn't actually play a big part that betting is suspended," he told Sky Sports News. "I don't even know enough about betting to know what that means.

"As far as I know, Joe Cole is still a player looking for a club. I know we've been connected with him, but I don't have anything to report on the subject.

"I haven't had any discussions with him, but I had a brief chat a while back. If you want to know about transfer targets, and how things are progressing, you'll have to ask (managing director) Christian Purslow because he's the man looking after those discussions, not me."

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