Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish open to arrivals in January

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is keeping his options open when it comes to strengthening his squad in the transfer window.

The Reds boss has lost midfielder Lucas Leiva for the rest of the campaign while captain Steven Gerrard has made just five appearances this season, the last of which came in late October.

Dalglish insists the England international is progressing well in his recovery from an ankle problem, but no timescale has been put on his return and options in central midfield are slim at the moment.

With Jay Spearing serving the second of a three-match ban for his red card at Fulham last week, the likelihood is mainstay Charlie Adam will again be joined by Jordan Henderson for Sunday's match at Aston Villa, as the two were paired together for last weekend's win over QPR.

Jonjo Shelvey, following his recall from loan at npower Championship side Blackpool, is there as cover, but speculation has inevitably begun about what Dalglish will do next month.

However, the Scot refused to discuss even if he was considering buying anyone when the window opens.

"We have the option to add if we want to, but we also have another option that we don't have to," he said.

Dalglish, backed by owners Fenway Sports Group, has spent heavily in the two transfer windows since he took charge at Anfield for a second time last January.

Those personnel changes have seen performances improve even from the second half of last season.

But with one of the lowest goal-to-chance conversion ratios of all the top-flight clubs there have been suggestions in recent weeks that, with £35million striker Andy Carroll still not playing regularly, Dalglish needs a goalscorer.

Former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres' struggles at Chelsea, where he moved in January for a record £50million, has led to obvious - but unlikely - links being made with a return to Anfield.

Dalglish said last month he did not doubt FSG would provide more transfer funds if required.

But for the moment he is intent on keeping a lid on the rumours which lead to the inevitable long list of potential targets.

"We don't speculate on anybody - either our own players or somebody else's players," he added.

"It doesn't matter what we say, there is going to be speculation in the newspapers - but we won't be here to answer every question that's in newspapers.

"We'll do our business the way we've been brought up to do our business and that's privately behind closed doors."

PA