Liverpool co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks have been hit by the transfer speculation bug.

The American co-owners released the following statement last night: "We made a significant investment in the playing squad during the summer and desperately want this team to succeed.

"There are some very important games coming up in the next couple of weeks and all of us need to focus on winning those games and getting the best out of the players we already have at the club.

"We will leave any talk of buying or selling players until we come across to Liverpool in December and sit down with the Manager then."