The Morocco international has been associated with some of Europe's biggest clubs, including Arsenal, Inter Milan and Juventus, but the Mirror reports that Liverpool have beaten their rivals to the punch by offering Chamakh a pre-contract agreement that they expect the player to sign.
Chamakh is out of contract at the end of the season at which time he can command a signing-on fee. The Mirror claims this could be as much as £12m. Added to this a contract of around £60,000 a week, over the course of a five-year deal, and the total sum could hit £25m.
Rafael Ben?z left frustrated after money men scupper Liverpool bid for Matthew UpsonMeanwhile, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is well aware of the importance of the FA Cup to the club's season and will send out a strong team to contest tonight's third round replay at home to Reading.
The Spaniard has been embarrassed twice before in the competition, by Burnley and Barnsley, and does not want Reading to complete the hat-trick of Championship sides producing an upset against him.
Liverpool laboured to a 1-1 draw in the tie at the Madejski Stadium 11 days ago, but with a top-four place the limit of their ambitions in the Premier League the FA Cup represents their best chance of silverware.
"We know the FA Cup is a massive competition, so we want to progress and go forward as much as we can," said Benitez, who won the FA Cup in 2006 against West Ham at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
"Our priority now is one game at a time, so the first one is the most important.
"The FA Cup is a very good option for us to win something this year, so we have to approach the game thinking about winning.
"It would be very special to get to Wembley. We've been to Cardiff, but now we have to think about winning the first game."
Source: Telegraph
Source: Telegraph