Rafael Benitez claims Tottenham are "desperate" to sell Jermain Defoe.
The Liverpool boss, speaking on the eve of the 203rd Merseyside derby at Anfield, made his stunning revelation just 24 hours after Spurs boss Martin Jol denied any interest in signing Reds striker Djibril Cisse.
Cisse's agent reported this week there was a failed transfer-window deadline-day move from Spurs to sign the Frenchman - adding negotiations may resume in the summer, with the possibility of a swap deal with Defoe.
Benitez has shed a new light on the situation, though, saying: "They (Spurs) are desperate to sell Jermain Defoe, and Cisse is in the middle.
"But he is our player - and at the moment I am happy with my strikers. They talk about Cisse, they are desperate to sell."
Benitez's four strikers - Robbie Fowler, Fernando Morientes, Cisse and Peter Crouch - were under intense scrutiny before the Reds' avalanche of 15 goals in the past week.
Benitez expects a much tougher challenge against Everton tomorrow than Liverpool have had either in recent matches or when they last met the Toffees at Goodison Park in December.
"This will be a more difficult derby than the one we had at their ground in December. They had problems then and are much better now," said Benitez.
"I was surprised by their form at the beginning of the season, but now it is more normal. It shows what a good manager David Moyes is to have got the team out of that situation.
"What has happened shows the character of the manager. They were at the bottom of the table, and people were talking of relegation. But to see how they are playing now and where they are, it says so much about him and the character of his players."
Liverpool have a major doubt over full-back Djimi Traore with a thigh injury, but Benitez revealed he has no problem playing Mohamed Sissoko for the second time in a week after his dramatic recovery from eye problems.
