November 27
Liverpool's Fowler gamble
By Phil McNulty/BBC Sport Online
Liverpool's decision to accept Leeds United's £11m bid for Robbie Fowler is a calculated risk that will reverberate along every inch of the M62 between Anfield and Elland Road.
Manager Gerard Houllier may be recuperating at his Liverpool home after emergency heart surgery - but there is no doubt he will have had the final word on this massive decision.
And in deciding to sell Fowler, it is clear Houllier's hand is still a heavy influence in dictating the future direction of Liverpool Football Club.
It is a gamble that, in almost every way, flies in the face of Liverpool's transfer policies stretching back to the first chapter of their success story.
Fowler has had a chequered off-the-field history and an uneasy relationship with the Liverpool managerial hierarchy.
But Houllier has always resisted the temptation to sell Fowler, actually backing the player when others would have walked away, always aware of the special relationship he has with Liverpool's fans.
Houllier has always been aware of Fowler's special gift for goalscoring, attempting to coax the best out of him by giving him the vice-captain's role.
The potential implications of the deal also mean Liverpool would have considered every other option before finally deciding to sell Fowler - especially to Leeds.
They have never been in the business of offering assistance to their rivals, and Leeds United are arguably their biggest threat in the battle to wrestle the title away from Manchester United.
In agreeing a deal for Fowler, Liverpool may be providing Leeds with the cutting edge that returns the championship to Elland Road, extending Liverpool's own barren championship years.
There is also the not inconsiderable emotion - and in some cases anger - the deal will provoke among the Liverpool fans who have labelled Fowler "God".
Some on The Kop will regard the decision to sell Fowler to Leeds as only marginally more palatable than driving him to Old Trafford, a mixture of folly and sacrilege.
But Liverpool have to deal in realities - and a mixture of force of circumstance as well as painful past experience means this is a risk they have no option other than to take.
Fowler has been dogged by injuries in recent times, and Houllier's squad rotation policy has limited his opportunities.
He has shown the flashes of brilliance that still make him, in the opinion of many experts, England's most naturally gifted goalscorer, notably in the Uefa Cup Final against Alaves and also in scoring a hat-trick at Leicester City this season.
But he has been eclipsed by the partnership of Michael Owen and Emile Heskey, both for club and country.
Fowler, however, remains arguably Liverpool's most popular player, even ahead of the brilliant Owen.
The Anfield gallery regard the Toxteth-born striker as one of their own, a supporter in a red shirt fulfilling the dream.
And through all his traumas, including his omission from the Charity Shield this season and his subsequent apology to assistant manager Phil Thompson for a training ground bust-up, the love affair between player and supporters has never wavered.
Fowler rejected a move to Chelsea last Christmas after a £12m deal was agreed - and when Aston Villa showed an interest he made it clear to Liverpool's management he was only interested in being at Anfield.
But he has been pointedly excluded from the bigger games, including the FA Cup and Uefa Cup Finals, and knows he needs to be in constant action to keep in the front of England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's thoughts.
In Liverpool's case, a bitter tale from the past involving Steve McManaman - ironically Fowler's closest friend in football - may have finally forced their hand.
Liverpool, fearing McManaman would not renew his contract, agreed a £12m deal with Barcelona.
The move never materialized, and McManaman later confirmed Liverpool's worst fears by walking away to join Real Madrid on a Bosman free transfer.
Fowler and Liverpool have been in initial negotiations about a new deal for months, but he has shown no signs of putting pen to paper.
And with only 18 months left on his current deal, Liverpool will not run the risk of Fowler following McManaman's lead and walking away for free.
This will have shaped their high-risk strategy, opening the door for Leeds to land a player they have coveted for years.
Leeds' move also contains an element of risk for manager David O'Leary.
But if Fowler can re-ignite his career at Elland Road, they may yet regard it as their own version of the deal done many years ago in Yorkshire that allowed Eric Cantona to cross the Pennines to re-write Manchester United's history.
Indeed, if Fowler does agree to join Leeds, it will provide another gripping sub-plot to a title race that is already the most interesting in years.
November 27
Reds accept
Leeds' Fowler bid
By Peter O`Rourke/Planet Football
Liverpool have confirmed that they have accepted an undisclosed fee from Leeds United for fans' favourite Robbie Fowler.
Both clubs have refused to reveal the fee for the 26-year-old ace, but it is believed to be in the region of £11 million.
"A fee has been agreed between the two clubs," confirmed a Liverpool spokesman.
"Leeds have been given permission to speak to the player.
"The deal has not been done, though. It's now up to Robbie to discuss personal terms
The England international's future at Anfield has been the subject of intense speculation for the past few months and it seems that The Reds have decided to cash in on the striker.
Fowler's future on Merseyside looked uncertain earlier this season when he was dropped from the squad for the Charity Shield and the opening Premiership game of the season after a fall-out with assistant coach Phil Thompson.
The England international won back his place in the squad after apologising over the incident, but he has failed to hold down a regular spot in the side because of the form of first choice pair Michael Owen and Emile Heskey.
Liverpool had hoped to keep the prolific striker by offering him a new contract, but they have always insisted that they will not keep any player who does not sign a long-term deal.
Fowler has one-year to run on his present deal and the club would not want to lose him for nothing like they did when Steve McManaman left to join Real Madrid in 1999.
The imminent arrival of Czech striker Milan Baros from Banik Ostrava means that The Reds will have four top strikers at the club and they feel they can lose the popular Fowler even though it may cause some shock amongst Anfield followers.
Blackburn had declared their interest in the striker on Tuesday but Leeds, despite playing down reports linking them with Fowler, have moved quickly to agree a fee for the hit-man.
Leeds boss David O'Leary has always insisted that his squad needed strengthening if he was to challenge for honours and Fowler will help add to his options.
Should he complete his move to Yorkshire, Fowler will become the second big arrival at the club in the last month following the £7 million capture of Seth Johnson from Derby.
Fowler is expected to travel to Elland Road later this week to discuss terms with Leeds and should he agree to the move he could make his debut at Fulham this weekend.
The player has always indicated that he was keen to stay at his hometown club but he may decide that, with the World Cup looming, regular football may offer him a better chance of making Sven Goran Eriksson's team.
November 27
How would Reds replace Robbie?
Liverpool Echo
At this stage, there's little to indicate Robbie Fowler will sign a new contract.
Optimists can cling to the fact he'd prefer to stay at Anfield and Liverpool will offer him a deal. Whether the terms of a contract are acceptable is another matter.
If Fowler is sold, Liverpool will go buying at the top end of the transfer market. David Trezeguet was the man who they wanted last summer.
Strikers of his class remain high on Gerard Houllier's wish list. Any money raised from the sale of Fowler would be spent on the highest quality.
The transfer window for the Champions League opens on December 15.
Liverpool could sign a replacement for Europe, providing they haven't already played in UEFA competition this season.
November 27
Thompson: We want Robbie to stay
LFC Official Website
Assistant boss Phil Thompson today reiterated Liverpool's desire to keep Robbie Fowler at Anfield.
Fowler is again the subject of transfer speculation with Leeds United reportedly ready to make a £10 million bid, but Thompson is hopeful the club can persuade Fowler to sign a new contract at Anfield.
Thompson said today: "At this time we are in discussions with Robbie and his agent. We want him to stay at the club and further talks are imminent.
"There may be rumours of clubs making bids but as far as I am aware we haven't received any. I think and I hope Robbie wants to stay at Liverpool."
Liverpool have made it clear in the past that they are prepared to sell any player who won't commit himself to a new contract.
As it stands at the moment Fowler could walk away a free agent at the end of next season - a situation Liverpool are desperate to avoid.
November 27
How long will Fowler stay a Red?
By Paul Walker/PA Sport
Picture the scene. Robbie Fowler, Premiership trophy in hand, and with a winner's medal to match.
But he is running round Elland Road - not his beloved Anfield - in May in a white shirt after Leeds United's final home game of the season.
That is the sort of nightmare situation that every Liverpool fan will have gone through as the Yorkshire club's interest in signing Kop idol Fowler has surfaced again.
But the fact that is that he is likely to be sold one day by his only professional club, is something that Liverpool's fans are going to have to get used to. It is surely when rather than if Fowler leaves now.
whether Liverpool are prepared to sell one of the country's best strikers to a club many see as their major rivals for the title is AN arguable point.
Sources at Leeds make it plain they want Fowler but that there is no chance that they will meet the reported £15million asking price.
But those same sources also make it clear that no bid is on the table, none is likely in the next few days and a move could still be some way down the line.
You can forget the other options of Blackburn and Lazio - they do not come into the picture. But surely Liverpool, when they sell, would rather Fowler did not turn up on their doorstep ready to haunt them.
Suggestions that Liverpool would be prepared to do business at between £8million and £10million are surely fanciful. Selling that deal to the Kop would be a political minefield at Anfield.
With Michael Owen's fitness again - if not always - in doubt and a crucial Champions League game away to Roma next Wednesday to contend with, an imminent move is unlikely.
Mind you, in football you can never say never. Things do happen - remember Newcastle selling Andy Cole to Manchester United when they were genuine title rivals. But such deals do not happen often.
When were the last deals between Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal? They are few and far between because you do not sell your best players to your rivals.
With Fowler's contract up in 18 months, the fear is that he will copy his mate Steve McManaman and sit out his deal and leave on a Bosman transfer for nothing.
Fowler in the summer confirmed new contract talks had started, but that seems to have gone cold of late following the bust-up with Phil Thompson.
But surely Liverpool can wait. They would get £10million for Fowler in the summer. Somebody would pay that - it is even less than Chelsea paid for Frank Lampard.
So Anfield fans would prefer to see Liverpool take the gamble, keep Fowler for the rest of the season and then address the situation as it exists then.
Winning the title is so important to Liverpool after so long that, after getting back into the Champions League with all its riches, it is surely worth taking a few million loss to keep Fowler, stop him going to Leeds - just yet - and avoiding that scene come May of the Scouse hitman putting one over on his previous employers.
November 27
Report: O'Leary to replace Smith with Fowler
Ananova
David O'Leary has reportedly warned Alan Smith that he could be replaced by Robbie Fowler at Leeds if he does not clean up his act.
Smith was sent off for the third time in his club career in the draw with Aston Villa on Sunday.
O'Leary then carpeted Smith and asked him to explain his clash with Alpay, according to The Mirror.
The newspaper asserts that any future breach of conduct by Smith could see Fowler brought in from Liverpool to replace him.
November 27
Blackburn keep an eye on Fowler
Ananova
Blackburn would be interested in signing Robbie Fowler, according to assistant boss Tony Parkes - but only if the price is right.
Parkes revealed Rovers have shown "a bit of interest" in Fowler.
But would be unable to pay top money for the striker - who played under Rovers boss Graeme Souness during his time at Liverpool.
"We are always interested in good players. He'd cost a lot of money but Blackburn would be interested in Robbie Fowler," Parkes told Sky Sports News.
"I don't think we've gone too far down the road. As you know Graeme worked with Robbie at Liverpool and gave him his debut. I don't think we've gone down the road too far - we've shown a bit of interest.
"If there's any interest from our club that may be going to increase a little bit more now Leeds are interested.
"I don't think it's so much a pipe dream but if they want £15million or £18million for him it is.
"Blackburn have surprised a lot of clubs and a lot of players with the players we've brought to the club."
November 26
Leeds eye £15m Fowler
BBC
Leeds United are leading a reported £15m transfer chase for Liverpool's Robbie Fowler - with Lazio and Blackburn Rovers also waiting in the wings.
Fowler has been unable to forge a regular first-team place under Liverpool's squad rotation system.
And with talks on a new contract showing no signs of reaching a successful conclusion, the parting of the ways may be near.
Leeds have long been linked with Fowler as manager David O'Leary still insists he needs to strengthen his squad.
Fowler has only had limited opportunities this season, and Liverpool may take the decision to sell the England striker rather than allow the clock to tick down and risk a Steve McManaman-style Bosman free transfer departure.
Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier, expected to be back at Anfield in mid-January after emergency heart surgery, will make the final decision on his future.
Fowler's future has been shrouded in uncertainty for months, and earlier this season he was forced to make a public apology after a training ground row with assistant manager Phil Thompson.
But he remains one of the country's top scorers - as he proved with a hat-trick at Leicester City - and a cult figure among Liverpool fans.
Leeds, however, may have company in the transfer chase if Liverpool do decide to cash in.
Italian giants Lazio have been linked with Michael Owen, but it is believed Fowler is also a target.
The outsiders could yet be Blackburn Rovers, with manager Graeme Souness a massive Fowler admirer and his early mentor in his spell as Liverpool manager.
Souness was linked with a move for Fowler earlier this season, but insisted he did not have the cash to make a move.
But he has since sold Marcus Bent to Ipswich Town for £3m and is also considering sending summer buy Corrado Grabbi back to Italy and rake in a possible £6m deal.
And if he can gather the funds, he will make a firm move for Fowler.
November 11
Lazio linked with Fowler
BBC
Lazio will make a £10m bid for Robbie Fowler before the end of the year, according to a report.
The Sunday Express claimed the Italian giants have been monitoring Fowler's troubled season at Liverpool.
He endured a well publicised spat with Anfield assistant manager Phil Thompson and, the report insists, has now concluded that his future lies away from Merseyside.
Fowler - whose contract has 19 months to run - has been linked with a transfer away from his boyhood club for the past two seasons.
Chelsea displayed an interest but it has been suggested that Fowler is unwilling to move to London.
He is said to prefer the idea of Leeds United but David O'Leary might not share the player's enthusiasm for a deal - especially at the price Liverpool want.
That might leave the path open for Lazio who, according to the Sunday Express, have already sought out a recommendation from their former manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.
The England boss apparently wants Fowler to find regular first team football ahead of next summer's World Cup finals.
At Anfield the striker is down the pecking order for a place in the side, with Michael Owen and Emile Heskey the preferred partnership and Jari Litmanen an established back-up.
October 22
Thompson hits out at Fowler rumours
LFC Official Website
Phil Thompson has hit back at weekend speculation linking Robbie Fowler with a move to Leeds United.
On the back of his hat-trick at Leicester on Saturday, Thompson was dismayed to discover the press instead focused their stories around a supposed move away from Anfield - stories he insists 'have no substance whatsoever'.
Thompson said: "I was disappointed to read all these stories yesterday. There is no substance whatsoever in what was written.
"The question I have to ask is why? Why write this now? Robbie has done great for us, he scored a hat-trick and he is trying to focus on his game. Everyone can see he is going in the right direction.
"Then you read these kind of stories and it's as though people deliberately want to undermine what he has done. It doesn't seem to matter how well he does, there are always people out there who want to come out with something negative.
"The Leeds story started with a couple of lines in the newspaper and then the next thing you know every TV and phone-in show is talking about it as if it's true. But we're bigger than this and every Liverpool supporter can see through it."
October 21
Sell him? Are you sure?
By Paul Smith/icLiverpool
Robbie Fowler's future at Anfield was still in doubt last night - despite a stunning hat-trick against Leicester.
Liverpool are prepared to accept as little as £10million for the England striker, but on this form they would be mad to let him go.
Officially, Liverpool are playing down reports of Fowler's imminent departure, but it's likely a deal could be concluded within weeks unless a deadlock in contract talks can be resolved.
Fowler and his advisers have pulled out of talks with the club and Liverpool, who were initially looking for at least £15million to off-load the England striker, were preparing to lower their demands to avoid the threat of Fowler walking out for nothing.
Fowler's future has been the subject of increasing speculation for more than a year.
More recently, he has fallen out with Thompson and been labelled an under-achiever by manager Gerard Houllier.
While Fowler insists he wants to remain on Merseyside, Liverpool's decision to sound out possible buyers is the clearest indication yet that his days are numbered despite his outstanding performance yesterday.
October 21
Liverpool want to sell
Fowler
Daily Soccer
Liverpool FC have unofficially put their striker Robbie Fowler for sale, valuing him in 10 million pounds.
Reportedly Chelsea FC, Leeds United AFC and Aston Villa FC are interested in 26-year- old player.
Fowler scored a hat-trick in the Reds' Saturday's 4-1 win at Leicester FC.
He has been playing for Liverpool since 1992, making 207 premiership appearances and scoring 117 goals.
September 28
Fowler to fight for place
Sky Sports
Robbie Fowler insists he will knuckle down and fight for his Liverpool place after being left on the sidelines again by Gerard Houllier.
With Michael Owen out of action for three weeks with a hamstring injury, it was thought Fowler would be given the chance to restablish himself again.
But the Liverpool hitman was ignored by boss Houllier against Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday in favour of Finn Jari Litmanen.
Fowler vowed: "I know what has been said about me lately and it is not particularly nice. But to a certain extent, there could be a bit of method in all the madness.
"Everyone takes criticism differently. Maybe the manager thinks I can take it this way. If that is the case, so be it. Perhaps it is the kick up the backside I needed.
"I believe my confidence will soon come flooding back again. I felt I did alright against Kiev and now I am just going to keep my head down, stay quiet and hope I can go on to better things."
He added: "I would always be the first to admit it when I do not play well, but equally I would always be the first to defend my attitude towards football in general and Liverpool in particular."
Speaking about the game against Spurs, where Houllier told him he played poorly, Fowler added: "I want to stress that after an incident during the Tottenham match. It was reported that a few supporters had a bit of a go at me thinking I was sulking when I was substituted by Emile Heskey.
"I'd be the first to hold my hand up and admit I wasn't having the greatest game ever, but it wasn't a case of sulking at all. I just felt frustrated because I wanted the team to do well."
September 26
Fairclough: Robbie won't fall foul of Houllier
Ananova
Robbie Fowler needs that "little piece of magic" to turn round a career that is heading for the buffers according to former Liverpool striker David Fairclough.
 Fowler has had to contend with questions about his fitness and mental approach ahead of the Champions League game with Dynamo Kiev.
The player is reportedly at the crossroads of his Anfield career after the latest attack by his manager Gerard Houllier.
But Fairclough claims all the troubled striker needs a little luck on his side to end the frustrations that are dogging his game.
He said: "I feel Robbie just needs that twist of luck, and the spark will come. Just like he did for England with that fine goal against the Albanians.
"It was a great goal and it went right for him that night. He needs something like that to happen for him in a Liverpool shirt and he will then start to relax and the form will come back.
"I don't think he wants to leave. When I talk to people who advise him all I hear is that he just wants to be back in the team.
"In the end form will decide everything. His place in the side, everything. Because Liverpool have waited so long to be in the Champions League I can't see Robbie wanting to give that up."
Fairclough added: "I'm a Robbie Fowler fan and I know everyone at Anfield is, he's a Scouser and one of their own and I believe there is room for him in the side.
"He just needs that little piece of magic and he will be off and running again."
The timing of Houllier's comments raised a few eyebrows, and Fairclough said: "I would hope that Robbie was told first the things that have been said about him; I know that will have happened.
"I also know that he will react in a positive manner, because he wants to play for Liverpool and I know he desperately
wants to do well for the club.
"I believe it's a way of the manager delivering a kick up the backside."
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