CHERRIES are reportedly battling Cardiff City to sign Liverpool defender Nathaniel Clyne.

The Daily Mail claimed Eddie Howe had earmarked Clyne "as the man to ease his injury crisis" with Adam Smith and Simon Francis sidelined.

Cherries have "moved to take the right-back on loan until the end of the season", according to the newspaper.

But the report adds that Cardiff manager Neil Warnock "wants to take Clyne" to the Welsh capital having worked with him at Crystal Palace.

Clyne joined Liverpool from Southampton in 2015 and was a regular in the starting line-up in his first two seasons at Anfield.

But he was then overtaken in the pecking order while out injured by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Joe Gomez and James Milner can cover in that position and the Mail says Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is willing to let Clyne leave this month.