There are rumblings in England that Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole is set on a move north to join contenders Liverpool.

The England international could land in Anfield in place of his England colleague Gareth Barry, if the Reds cannot secure the services of the Aston Villa captain.

There were reports swirling that Villa were in the midst of tabling a deal for Cole, but it now seems that Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is on the trail for Cole as well. Given Liverpool's involvement in the Champions League, Cole may be enticed to move north to Merseyside.

Another reason for the move is a statement from a source that Cole has become unsure of his future at Stamford Bridge after the arrival of Deco and the bid for Real Madrid ace Robinho. Cole has approached his new boss Luiz Felipe Scolari to seek some assurance as to his role in the team; and whether he is in the boss' plans for this season, in the light that he has had very few opportunities in the preseason so far.

The attacking midfielder is also vying for a spot in the middle of the park with rivals such as Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Florent Malouda, Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel when Chelsea start their hunt for a Premier League title against Portsmouth this weekend.

What's not in Cole's favour is Scolari's relentless pursuit of compatriot Robinho. The Brazilian sensation is keen on a transfer to link up with his former Samba coach and the feeling is mutual with Scolari. Chelsea have had a US$40 million bid tossed out by Real but will continue to negotiate for the transfer of the creative attacker.

Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Benitez is looking for someone who can add width to his midfield, and the transfer saga of Gareth Barry (with the refusal of the Tom Hicks and George Gillett to back their manager) could force Rafa to turn to Cole as the alternative solution.

espnstar.com