Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is willing to offer £15 million for Bolton Wanderers defender Gary Cahill.

The People says Benitez wants to beat off rivals Tottenham for the classy defender, who has been in and out of Fabio Capello's World Cup squad and is back playing after a horror blood-clot problem.

The Anfield outfit have told Bolton of their interest and will make it formal in the coming weeks if Benitez is allowed to make a splash in the transfer market by the club's owners and their new financial advisers.