Goal.com

14 Dec 2012 07:20:00

The England international turned down a move to Craven Cottage in the summer but Martin Jol is ready to take advantage of the midfielder's diminished status under Brendan Rodgers

Fulham are preparing to make another move to sign Jordan Henderson in January after failing to land him in the summer, Goal.com understands.

The Liverpool midfielder has only been on the fringes of Brendan Rodgers’ team since the Northern Irishman took charge.

Fulham were offered Henderson in part-exchange for Clint Dempsey during the summer but the England international rejected the move and decided to fight for his place at Anfield.

Fulham are ready to test Liverpool’s resolve, and Henderson’s desire to play regular first-team football, in the forthcoming window.

Martin Jol wants to add greater youth and dynamism to a midfield that was decimated by the departures of Mousa Dembele, Clint Dempsey, Danny Murphy and Dickson Etuhu in the summer.

Fulham are expected to be busy in the January window as they attempt to beef up a squad that Jol feels is light in certain areas, particularly central midfield and on the attacking flanks.

As revealed by Goal.com, Ghana international Derek Boateng was at the club’s Motspur Park headquarters last week to negotiate a January transfer.  

It is believed there a several hurdles to jump in order to complete a deal even though the midfield anchorman is out of favour at Ukrainian club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.

Jol is also keen to sign Arsenal outcast Andrey Arshavin, although the Russian would need to take a salary cut to move to Craven Cottage, where no player is paid more than €61,000-a-week by the club.

Henderson joined Liverpool from Sunderland for an initial €18m in the summer of 2011 but he has struggled to justify the fee.

He was a regular under Kenny Dalglish, starting 41 matches last season, and was a late call-up to England’s Euro 2012 squad.

Despite Lucas Leiva being absent through injury for most of the current campaign, Henderson has started just two of Liverpool’s 16 league games, playing most of his football in the Europa League when the big guns have been rested.

“He’s understanding what his role is, and the importance that he has within the group,” Rodgers said last weekend. “And he’s done very well.

“He’s a terrific lad, and the most important thing with him is he wants to learn. He works very, very hard at his game and he’s been coming on in games and starting games for us and doing very well.”

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