DECEMBER 21
Parry: Benitez close to new contract,
but don't expect big LFC transfers

Liverpool Daily Post

Rafael Benitez is “very close” to sealing a new contract extension with Liverpool, according to chief executive Rick Parry.

The Spaniard has been Reds boss for four-and-a-half years - during which time he has won the Champions League - and has 18 months of his current deal still to run.

Benitez has told his club’s American owners he is looking for a contract which will allow him to be part of the “long-term future” of the Merseyside club and wants assurances over boardroom stability.

Liverpool top the Barclays Premier League heading into this afternoon’s clash with Arsenal at Emirates Stadium - a match which Benitez may be forced to miss as he recovers from surgery to remove kidney stones.

Nevertheless, an announcement on his future could be made shortly.

Parry told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme: “He is nearly there.

“The owners have made a commitment and said they wanted to extend and keep him. Clearly he wants to stay, so yes it will be done.

“We have had a few hold-ups this week with his unfortunate illness.

“That has slightly got in the way, but it won’t be very long now. I cannot be specific, but it is very close now.”

Benitez has often clashed with the owners over transfer policy, most notably during the on-off Gareth Barry saga last summer.

Parry hinted there may be little movement in terms of new arrivals at Anfield when the transfer window opens again next month.

“It is difficult to do smart business in January,” he said.

“Teams still in the Champions League certainly are not going to sell, and it takes time to settle players in.

“Ideally you do your business in the summer, so your players can have a whole pre-season with you rather than playing catch up. But we will see.

“I really do not think we will be doing a great deal of business in January. We have got the squad.”

With star striker Fernando Torres currently sidelined by a hamstring problem, much more responsibility for leading the line has been put on Robbie Keane.

The Republic of Ireland front man has not really yet hit top form since his £20.3million move from Tottenham.

Parry, though, maintains off-loading Keane is not on the agenda.

“He is a great player with a fantastic track record,” he said.

“Maybe it has taken him a little bit longer than both he and we would have anticipated for him to settle in, but I can still see that corner being turned with ease.

“I can’t see it . You can never say never in football, because you never know what the next month or year will hold.

“But as I see it, he will not be going anywhere. He is certainly a Liverpool player for the foreseeable future.”

DECEMBER 20
Benitez must turn wheeler-dealer as
Liverpool's American owners feel the pinch

By Rory Smith - The Daily Telegraph

Rafael Benitez will have to sell players to raise funds if he wishes to strengthen Liverpool's squad as the Anfield club prepare for their first real title challenge since 1990.

The club's owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, are unlikely to sanction any significant transfer spending unless Benitez can generate funds by trimming the fat from his squad.

Of more immediate concern to the American duo is the need to service the interest on the £350 million loan taken out this time last year with RBS and troubled US bank Wachovia.

That loan is due to be repaid on Jan 25, although Hicks and Gillett are likely to invoke a clause giving them a six-month extension on the deadline.

City sources believe the banks will accept the delay as long as the interest is being serviced, which will tie up the overwhelming majority of money generated by the club.

Both Hicks and Gillett have been hit hard by the global financial downturn. Hicks is trying to cut the wage bills at both of his US sporting interests, ice hockey's Dallas Stars and baseball team Texas Rangers, while sources in Canada believe Gillett could be tempted to cash in on the Montreal Canadiens.

Neither is in a position to dig deep and help Benitez bolster his playing resources. Rather, the Spaniard will be forced yet again to don his accustomed guise of inveterate wheeler-dealer.

Fringe players like Yossi Benayoun, Daniel Agger and Jermaine Pennant could be offloaded, while big-money summer signings Robbie Keane and Andrea Dossena could also leave after just six months at Anfield.

In their stead would come cover for Fernando Torres, who has seen his second season in England hampered by a succession of injuries.

It was revealed this week that Benitez is finally due to sign a contract extension after a financial package was agreed. The only sticking point now remains his demands for full control of transfer policy and recruitment to the club's Academy.

In straitened times on Merseyside, the latter may prove rather more significant than the former.

NOVEMBER 14
Something is rotten in
Liverpool FC's youth system

Comment by Ian Doyle - Daily Post

Enjoying their best-ever start to a Premier League season and closing in on yet another qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League, things appear to be going well for Liverpool.

But scratch beneath the surface and it’s clear something has to change.

Wednesday’s Carling Cup capitulation at Tottenham should have sent the alarm bells ringing throughout the club.

While Arsenal’s youngsters continue to thrill in the competition, Rafael Benitez is evidently finding it a struggle to discover a similar standard at home or abroad.

Benitez’s attempts to unearth a rare gem of his own from across the globe means there are nearly 30 players at the club under the age of 23. Few of those hopefuls realistically have any chance of forging a career at Anfield.

However, the alternative production line at the Academy in Kirkby is proving just as fruitless. After all, why did Benitez see fit to select only one recent homegrown graduate, reserve team skipper Stephen Darby, in the squad for Wednesday’s trip to White Hart Lane in a competition that is a long way down his list of priorities?

Of course, this situation hasn’t just happened overnight. Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier was regularly at loggerheads with the Academy over the lack of quality emerging.

Benitez has used the Carling Cup to give youth its chance at Anfield, most notably on his previous visit to Tottenham in the competition in December 2004 when eight homegrown players made an appearance.

But it’s telling that none are still at the club with only Stephen Warnock plying his trade in the top flight.

Carling Cup exits have proven a watershed during previous seasons under Benitez, particularly for the young hopefuls selected.

After losing at Crystal Palace in 2005, David Raven and Zak Whitbread never played for Liverpool again while Darren Potter made only one further appearance.

And the 6-3 Arsenal humbling in January 2007 saw a last outing for Lee Peltier, with Danny Guthrie only playing one more time and Gabriel Paletta three times.

Ominous signs, then, for the likes of David Ngog, Nabil El Zhar and Damien Plessis, who all played at White Hart Lane.

But the trio weren’t helped by the performances and attitude of some of their senior professionals on Wednesday.

Philipp Degen in particular demonstrated little appetite for the fight and the sight of him hobbling off with yet another injury may be the last time he is seen in a Liverpool shirt. Darby is surely a better long-term bet.

Liverpool’s Academy may be located six miles from Melwood but it could just as easily be in another country and not just because of the accents that echo around the corridors these days.

Co-operation between the two does not exist, simply cynicism of what each other is trying to achieve when they should be chasing the same goal.

Manchester City can churn out talent and Everton can churn out English talent that, even if they do not prove good enough, raise some money. Nothing is coming from Kirkby.

Liverpool’s board cannot keep on ignoring the situation by refusing to take sides for fear of upsetting people. Both sides need shaking up for the common good of the club and it amounts to a dereliction of duty that the status quo is being allowed to fester.

NOVEMBER 4
Kuyt and Agger
set for new deals

By Ian Doyle - Liverpool Daily Post

Liverpool have opened talks with Daniel Agger over a new contract and are poised to follow suit with Dirk Kuyt as Rafael Benitez continues planning for the future.

The duo, who have both entered the final two years of their current deals, are regarded by Benitez as key squad members and will appear in tonight’s Champions League group game against Atletico Madrid at Anfield.

Benitez revealed in September that Agger would be offered a new deal after reports from Denmark suggested the defender was unhappy at the club and hinted he could buy out his contract in the New Year under the Webster ruling.

The centre-back, signed for £5.8million from Brondby in January 2006, subsequently played down suggestions of a rift with the Liverpool manager and has regained a regular first-team place following an injury to Martin Skrtel.

Talks have now started between Liverpool and Agger’s representatives with Benitez stating an agreement was “very close”.

Kuyt, meanwhile, yesterday expressed a desire to extend his commitment to the club having arrived from Feyenoord for £9m in August 2006.

And Benitez is confident the futures of both Kuyt and Agger will be resolved in the next six weeks.

“There is no news yet with Kuyt, but he is another player that I would like to get done as soon as possible,” said the Liverpool manager. “They have to be done before the New Year.

“In each team you need people with quality, that work hard and with a good character. Kuyt has everything. He might not have a fine touch, but he scores goals, he is not bad in the air and is work-rate is amazing, so he has a lot of qualities. With these players, we have time, but we want to do it as soon as possible because it is better for them and better for the club.”

NOVEMBER 2
Dalglish: Reds ready

Sky Sports

Kenny Dalglish believes Liverpool have got what it takes to win the Premier League.

The man who won eight league titles as both a player and manager at Anfield says Rafa Benitez's side may have been knocked off top spot by Chelsea, but can still go all the way this season.

He admits that the Blues superior firepower is something Liverpool will have to compete with in the transfer window and that champions Manchester United are a "fantastic side", but is convinced the current Reds crop have it what it takes to end an 18-year wait for the league title.

Dalglish was at the helm the last time Liverpool ruled the land and told Goals on Sunday that this season it is a case of so far, so good.

"I would go for Liverpool, but Man United are a fantastic side," he told Goals on Sunday. "But it doesn't matter what number title Man United are going for, Liverpool can only look after themselves.

"If they have got ambitions of winning the championship - which they have - they have got to beat Man United and they have got to beat Chelsea. And they've done that.

"They've beaten them twice, so they've got a lot more points from the top two teams than they did last year.

"For me, I think they've got enough to hang on, but it's whether they can get over the line or not. I think it's going to be really tight.

"Chelsea are a fantastic team. They looked really ordinary against Liverpool but as we saw yesterday, they're a fantastic team and they've got a huge goal difference. Between them and Liverpool that could be vital at the end of the season. They do have a greater goalscoring threart than Liverpool."

Dalglish hailed Robbie Keane as a "big, big signing" in the summer and backed him and Fernando Torres to form the sort of partnership he and fellow Goals on Sunday guest Ian Rush enjoyed during the club's most succesful period.

Torres was missing as Liverpool lost their first league game of the season at Tottenham on Saturday and with Keane still struggling, their former boss expects Benitez to reinforce his frontline in the New Year.

But, he believes they have the defensive durabilty to finish the season as champions.

"I think they need to start looking at scoring goals and that's something for the January transfer window," he said.

"But the good thing about Liverpool this year - and it happened in the first half at Tottenham until they maybe took their foot off the gas a wee bit - is they're winning a lot more possession in the opposition's half. They're pressing them a lot higher up the pitch.

"When they do that Liverpool are a real threat and it really gets the crowd going when they close down in the other half of the pitch, especially at home. And they are good enough to do that.

"(Jamie) Carragher and (Daniel) Agger are good enough to go one-on-one at the back and they can close down higher up the pitch.

"Man United have been the better team, simple as that. But Rafa has won the European Cup, he's got to another final and lost that and Gerard Houllier won the UEFA Cup and something like five other trophies, so they have had relative success.

"But they've not won the championship and that's the thing they are all craving - and Rushy and I are the same!"

NOVEMBER 1
Benitez reflects
on 'Rafalution'

By Jimmy Rice - LFC Official Website

Rafa Benitez today reflected on the progression of his team over the last four years as Liverpool travel to the stadium where he took charge of his first Premier League game.

Of the 11 players who started against Spurs four years ago, just three are still at Anfield - Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Sami Hyypia.

Benitez has allowed 37 senior players to walk through the Kop exit in an attempt to make the Reds genuine title contenders – a goal which, thanks to victories over Manchester United and Chelsea, looks close to being achieved.

Now, as Liverpool look to maintain their three-point lead at the top against Tottenham this afternoon, Benitez admits the so-called Rafalution has taken longer than he initially expected.

He explained: "It's clear the squad is getting better every year, and that's why I'm signing players all the time.

"I didn't know there were just three players left from that first game. But it puts into perspective that we are improving.

"I think this is the best squad we've had during my time here, but hopefully in the next few years it can get better.

"To be contenders, you need quality, desire, passion, character - all those things together. That's the reason you need to change players.

"Little by little we are getting there. Agger has almost everything you would want; Mascherano, Skrtel, Reina, Alonso - these are all players that we've brought in who give us those qualities and can guarantee they will perform in the Premier League, as well as the other competitions."

But Benitez added: "When you arrive to a new league, you have a lot of confidence and you think that maybe in a few years you can change everything.

"But then you see the Premier League is very difficult. And when you know that you need to change your squad to be contenders, then it has had to be done little by little.

"You can see the difference between that team against Spurs and the one we have now. We have always been improving. Sometimes you think you can do it in a few years, but maybe we've needed more time because the other teams have been improving as well.

"When we were being successful in Europe, everybody was talking about the Premier League, so we tried to sign players who could be settled down straight away, such as Pennant, Bellamy and Crouch.

"We knew we needed to improve and we were always taking steps to do that."

The situation was somewhat different when Benitez took over at Valencia in 2001. The Mestalla outfit had reached successive Champions League finals and only some minor tinkering was required to replicate European success on a domestic scale.

"Hector Cuper (the previous Valencia manager) was doing a very good job, so we only needed to change three or four players," said Benitez.

"When you have a very good team, you don't need to sign too many players and just manage with the players that you have."

OCTOBER 1
Rafa has foundations in place

By Joseph Caron Dawe - Setanta Sports

Rafa Benitez believes his Liverpool squad is “getting close to where he wants it to be”, after seeing similarities in his current crop of players and the ones he managed in his former job at Valencia.

The Spaniard won the Spanish domestic title and Uefa Cup in his final season at El Mestalla before taking over at Anfield, and marked his first season at The Reds with Champions League glory.

The Premier League has continued to evade him at Anfield however, and it is the one crown he and his side are now desperate to take.

And after four full seasons at the club, Benitez has called on his previous experience with Los Che to assess his Liverpool outfit’s readiness for domestic and European success, stating that the “foundations are now in place”.

"I remember the feeling I had at Valencia when we were getting close to where we wanted to be, and I am getting the same feeling now," said Benitez ahead of Wednesday's Champions League meeting with PSV Eindhoven.

"At Valencia I could see the team improving, with better balance and a better mentality, and the confidence improved each year. Now I am looking at Liverpool in the same way.

"It is more difficult to achieve what we did at Valencia in another country and with the massive difference there is here in terms of the investment of some clubs.

"But I can see the similarities now and I think that over the next few years we won't need to spend as much money because we have good players, of a good age, on long-term contracts."

Benitez has been a high roller in the transfer market over the past two summers, with Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane costing in excess of £20 million each.

However, the 48-year-old is confident he has now assembled a side which will not need much more financial backing, and is sure the “foundations” are firmly in place for success.

"Maybe we won't need to spend as much as we have done in recent years to get what we want. We are getting closer every year,” he continued.

"We have been signing players with quality who are settled down at the club.

"It is my belief that the foundations are in place now. The squad has better balance and we have more confidence in ourselves in Europe and in The Premier League."

SEPTEMBER 4
Rafa worried by cash-rich City

TEAMtalk

Rafa Benitez welcomed new boy Albert Riera to Liverpool - then admitted the player's former employers could be title rivals this season.

The Spanish winger spent six months on loan with Manchester City in his previous spell in English football and although it was an unmemorable stint for player and club, the prospects of both have flourished this week.

Riera, 26, has signed a four-year deal with the Reds - where the company of Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Jose Reina will surely do his international prospects no harm - while City have agreed a takeover with the mega-rich Abu Dhabi United Group.

And although Benitez believes his new signing from Espanyol may finally solve his longstanding problems on the left wing, he accepts that the grand designs of City's new investors could make his quest for title success even more difficult.

For Benitez, the stunning capture of Robinho for a British record transfer fee could have set in motion a chain of events that will blow the accepted 'big four' wide open.

"You cannot just win the title by spending money but Chelsea won for two years spending big, big money. Afterwards Manchester United won spending lots of money too," he said.

"If we are talking about spending money then maybe Manchester City will win the title this year.

"It is not just a question of money but if you have more money it is easier. If you don't have too much money, you must do the job as best you can.

"If we are talking now, maybe they (City) need time but if we talk in January maybe they will buy five players...then you never know.

"But it is not just a question of 'I will invest more and I will win'. You cannot guarantee anything."

One consequence of the City takeover Benitez can see taking immediate effect is a hike in transfer fees involving English clubs.

A similar thing happened when Roman Abramovich took over at Chelsea as the billionaire flooded the market with cash - and early talk of a City bid in excess of £120million for Cristiano Ronaldo is unlikely to prevent history repeating itself this time.

"Prices could rise," said Benitez, who is believed to have paid around £8million for Riera.

"That could be a problem. You cannot change these things but you try and get the players you want as cheap as possible, even when prices go higher."

Reflecting on his own newest recruit, Benitez - who denied knowledge of a deadline day offer of £50million for Torres - predicted a bright Liverpool future.

"We were talking about wingers and he is winger with Premier League experience," he said.

"That is a good thing because maybe he can settle down quickly.

"He was here (in England) three years ago but since then he has been capped by the national team and has the experience of playing in a UEFA Cup final."

He added: "He's the kind of player all managers like and the supporters will be very happy.

"He is good in the air, has a good delivery and a good left foot, he is also strong and he can be really good for us."

Riera, who was also a reported target for Liverpool's Merseyside rivals Everton, insisted Anfield was the only place for him.

"I am very happy to be here, it was my first choice," he confirmed.

"I only wanted to come here for a lot of reasons - the history of the club, the Champions League, the team-mates, the supporters.

"A lot of things make this the perfect club for me now."

SEPTEMBER 3
Could Barry be at
Liverpool FC in January?

By Ian Doyle - Daily Post

For all Liverpool’s wheelings and dealings during the transfer window, this summer will forever be remembered for the one player who didn’t go anywhere.

The Champions League semi-final defeat to Chelsea had barely began to sink in when Rafael Benitez started planning for the new season in earnest with a £10m bid for Gareth Barry.

It would spark a protracted, rancorous, tedious and ultimately futile attempt to bring the Aston Villa midfielder to Anfield.

For whatever reason – and the rights and wrongs of the transfer chase remain fiercely debated and defended at both clubs – the Barry saga cast a long, embarrassing shadow over Liverpool’s summer.

And it also threatened to shatter the uneasy peace that had held among the Anfield corridors of power after a tumultuous previous campaign.

Such was Benitez’s frustration at the club’s owners’ failure to back his pursuit of £18m Barry, he had to be talked out of quitting. Instead, the Spaniard headed for yet more clear-the-air talks with chief executive Rick Parry.

With Xabi Alonso’s future intrinsically linked to that of Barry, it was all very messy and very unnecessary. But don’t be surprised if the chase resumes nearer the January transfer window, when Barry will be available at a greatly reduced price.

Benitez’s other summer priorities were a pair of full-backs, a striker, some wingers and a goalkeeper to provide a realistic challenge to first-choice Pepe Reina between the sticks.

The Anfield manager can feel satisfied – at least in principle – with movements both in and out of the club.

Brazilian keeper Diego Cavalieri arrived from Palmeiras and was encouragingly composed and authoritative during pre-season, with a debut against Crewe Alexandra in the Carling Cup lined up for later this month.

Andrea Dossena, a big-money £7m signing from Udinese, and free transfer Philipp Degen will provide competition on either side of defence, an area Benitez has long since pinpointed for improvement.

Evidence thus far suggests Italy international Dossena will need time to settle at left-back, although he will surely prosper once the team hits its stride after an unsure start to the campaign.

Degen, meanwhile, has already lived up to his injury-prone reputation by succumbing to a groin problem that has prevented him from making his bow. Clearly, it’s unlikely the Switzerland international will prove as dependable as the departed Steve Finnan.

Young striker David Ngog could prove an inspired signing if the Frenchman lives up to the promise of his earlier career.

The main interest, though, has come in the form of the two major attacking players Benitez has brought to the club.

Robbie Keane is the centrepiece of Benitez’s summer rebuild. Second only to Fernando Torres as the most expensive player in Liverpool’s history, the former Tottenham Hotspur man will be expected to strike up a partnership with the Spaniard and fire the goals that can ensure a creditable Premier League title challenge.

To do that, the duo will need the required service, particularly from the wide areas where Liverpool have been desperately crying out for creativity since the start of the campaign.

A successful end to a summer-long pursuit of Espanyol’s Albert Riera will hopefully provide potency down a left flank shorn of John Arne Riise, Harry Kewell and work-permit victim Sebastian Leto.

But the lack of similar threat down the right and the doubts concerning the balance in central midfield may well need to be addressed in January. Gareth Barry, anyone?

SEPTEMBER 1
Rafa thrilled with Riera swoop

By Paul Eaton - LFC Official Website

Liverpool have confirmed the deadline day signing of Spanish winger Albert Riera from Espanyol.

The Reds have beaten off competition from Premiership opposition to secure the 26-year old on a four year contract.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is thrilled to have landed the former Espanyol man and is confident his new recruit will have no problems in adapting to life in Premiership football.

"Riera has the qualities we were looking for," said Benitez. "He's a left footer who normally plays on the left wing, he's good in the air, strong, powerful and a good crosser of the ball.

"He's the kind of player we have been talking about. He can beat players and get good deliveries into the area for our strikers.

"We've known about him for a long time, since he was at Mallorca and then through his career with Bordeaux, Manchester City and Espanyol.

"He can talk English and of course he knows the Premier League, which is a big bonus. Usually foreign players need time when they go to a new country, but Riera already knows the league and the style of football

"He also had offers from other English clubs but he said no to them because he wanted to come and play for us. That means a lot to me because it shows the commitment he has to play for Liverpool."

Riera will wear squad number 11 at Anfield.

AUGUST 19
High price of ignoring Rafa

By Ian Rush - Liverpool Echo

It's an old football saying – back him or sack him – and it’s one Liverpool should be adopting with Rafa Benitez
right now.

I share Rafa’s belief that Gareth Barry would be an excellent addition to Liverpool’s present squad. Equally I accept that he’s not worth £18m.

But if the money is available in the club coffers and the manager wants to spend it, he should be given those resources.

That’s how successful football clubs work.

Except it doesn’t seem to be working that way at Anfield right now.

If the manager is allowed to buy the players he wants, you can then judge the manager on how those signings perform.

If Rafa signs Gareth Barry, and Liverpool don’t progress into at least the top two, then the manager wouldn’t have any excuses for a lack of progress. At the moment the Reds boss would be justified in saying he is not being allowed to do the job to the best of his ability.

On the evidence of the first two matches there is still clearly plenty of room for improvement in the Reds’ starting line-up – although I’m a firm believer of the philosophy that you just need to win your first match of the season no matter how you perform.

To go away on day one is always tough, especially a passionate place like Sunderland, and the priority must always be to collect three points.

Xabi Alonso received the post-match plaudits at the Stadium of Light, but as always it was the big players, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, who produced.

Torres’ strike was magnificent, while Gerrard performed like a real captain, constantly driving his side on throughout.

I was also pleased to see Alonso make the kind of impact he did when he came on at half-time.

He has had injury problems over the past two seasons and also suffered a loss of confidence, but there’s no doubt he is a quality player.

I would like to see both Gareth Barry come in and Xabi Alonso stay.

In the end, though, it comes down to the manager’s judgement being backed by other people at the club and then judge him on his performance.

If you don’t do that, you can’t really complain if he fails to take the club forward.

AUGUST 17
Barry bid leaves Alonso future in doubt

By Rory Dollard - PA Sport

Liverpool's summer-long pursuit of Gareth Barry remains top priority for manager Rafael Benitez, but Xabi Alonso's standing in the Anfield pecking order looks less certain.

Alonso was originally tipped to make a £16million move to Juventus in the close season but when that fell through, Liverpool's Premier League rivals Arsenal moved into pole position for the Spain international's signature.

But with Barry still very much an Aston Villa player - he played and scored in their UEFA Cup qualifier in Iceland last week to rule him out of the Champions League group stages - Alonso remains on Merseyside.

Indeed, despite falling somewhat out of favour with Benitez, it was Alonso's second-half introduction in place of the ineffective Damien Plessis at Sunderland yesterday that roused a lethargic Liverpool to a 1-0 victory in their league opener.

Compatriot Fernando Torres will rightly take the headlines for his fierce, swerving drive in the 82nd minute, but it was Alonso who fed him the ball to cap a galvanising cameo which dragged the Reds back into the game.

Benitez insisted the midfielder started among the substitutes because of a niggling injury, but left the door firmly open for any potential suitors.

"Xabi has had a dead leg so we had to protect him," said Benitez.

"At the end of the game Plessis was injured too so we had to change. We knew Xabi was only maybe 80% of his ability so it was to protect him.

"Xabi is our player and he is playing well. If he continues to play well I will be really pleased. But it doesn't matter if you have one good player and you need another one, you have to keep the balance of the team."

Elaborating on the possibility of letting the European Championship winner go, Benitez added: "I explained to him why I needed money for signing other players.

"He can understand if you have (Javier) Mascherano, Lucas, Steven Gerrard and then Plessis, you have four other midfielders and maybe you can sell one player."

Benitez admitted that cashing in on Alonso would leave the club in a better position to invest in an unnamed left-footed Englishman - and it scarcely takes a detective to finger Barry as the target.

Despite the 26-year-old Spain star's pedigree, it seems Barry's versatility and nationality, with UEFA still looking to enforce a minimum number of homegrown players on European clubs, are of the utmost importance.

"When I was first talking with Xabi (about a transfer) we needed money. After these months it is not a question of money. We would have to have a massive offer because Alonso is a great player.

"But if we sell one or two players we have enough money to bring in one more good player.

"Don't forget we will need eight British players - and the left-footer we were talking about can play in three positions too."

Ironically, the former Valencia coach had only just finished fending off questions about his own future on Merseyside when Alonso's was called into question.

Newspaper reports over the weekend claimed he had been on the verge of resigning as Anfield boss in his frustration over the Barry deal and the ongoing boardroom problems involving co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett and chief executive Rick Parry.

He moved to reaffirm his "100% commitment" to the club but his revelation yesterday that he been in contact - and agreement - with Hicks alone, suggested all is not running smoothly behind the scenes.

"I have the support of at least one of the owners," he commented. "I sent emails to all of them, but he [Hicks] was clear we had the money."

AUGUST 15
Rafa: Barry saga not my fault

Sky Sports

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has hit back at critics who hold him responsible for the ongoing Gareth Barry transfer saga.

Benitez has been blamed for causing speculation as Liverpool attempt to prise £18million-rated Barry away from Aston Villa.

However, the Liverpool boss insists he has had no contact with Villa since discussing the midfielder's possible transfer with his opposite number, Martin O'Neill, in April.

"I will try to be very clear over the (Barry) situation. Everyone has been talking and it seems that the blame is put on me," said Benitez.

"I get blamed for everything, for global warming to high petrol prices.

"But in this case I want to be very clear. Since I talked to Martin O'Neill about the situation in April, I have not talked to anyone at Aston Villa."

Benitez has hinted he remains keen on Barry, despite the England international now being cup-tied in the UEFA Champions League having played for Villa in the Uefa Cup.

And the Spaniard believes that discussions, which he is adamant have taken place through Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry, have gone well.

"All the talks have been between our chief executive Rick Parry, the owner and the chief executive of Aston Villa," added Benitez. "And those talks have all been pretty good.

"So if anyone wants to talk about Barry in the future they must talk with the owner, Rick Parry or the chief executive of Aston Villa. And as I have said, those talks I understand have been good.

"I was not involved in the talks about Barry, I was not involved in the talks about (Xabi) Alonso and Arsenal. If you want to talk about these players you must talk to the chief executive of our club who was handling the discussions.

"If you want to talk about players, then you talk to Rick Parry. If you want to talk about football, then you talk with me."

AUGUST 10
Parry: Barry price 'too high'

BreakingNews.ie

Gareth Barry’s proposed move to Liverpool has been thrown into further doubt after chief executive Rick Parry admitted: “The price quoted is too high.”

The Aston Villa midfielder has been poised for a switch to Anfield all summer but the Reds have been unwilling to match the asking price of £18m.

Last month Villa set Liverpool a deadline to submit an acceptable offer but none was forthcoming and the midlanders then announced the deal was off.

However, a few days later manager Martin O’Neill conceded Barry’s heart was still set on the move, leaving the way open for Liverpool.

But the expected transfer has still not happened amid speculation Liverpool’s American owners are not willing to fork out the money following Robbie Keane’s £20.3m move from Tottenham.

In a statement, Parry insisted George Gillett and Tom Hicks are backing Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez.

“There has been a lot of comment regarding our position with regards to Gareth Barry,” Parry said on www.liverpoolfc.tv

“This is not about questioning the manager’s judgment or the ability of a particular player. The owners have clearly demonstrated throughout the year they are willing to back Rafa in the transfer market and will continue to do so.

“It is obviously the selling club’s prerogative to put whatever price they want on the player, but on this occasion Liverpool think the price quoted is too high.”

AUGUST 6
Gerrard injury scuppers Alonso sale

TEAMtalk

Steven Gerrard's thigh injury will almost certainly scupper any thoughts Liverpool had of selling Xabi Alonso to raise money for Gareth Barry.

The Anfield skipper returned from Oslo having picked up the injury in the 4-1 win over Valerenga and had a scan and further medical tests on Wednesday.

Boss Rafael Benitez believes it is 'touch and go' whether Gerrard will be fit for next Wednesday's Champions League third qualifying round, first leg fixture away to Standard Liege.

If Gerrard is not fit for that match then Alonso will have to play, considering that fellow midfielders Javier Mascherano and Lucas are away at the Olympics.

And once Alonso becomes cup-tied in the Champions League his value will drop significantly.

Alonso, valued at over £16million by Benitez, would only ever consider a move to another of the Champions League elite. Otherwise he would be dropping down a level, and the chance to play in the UEFA Cup would not interest him.

And with the Barry deal seemingly no nearer completion, despite the green light from Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill at the weekend, Benitez may soon have to look at other means of raising the cash.

It was thought that the club's American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett would come up with a short-term loan to allow Benitez to complete the Barry deal and then sell players.

And observers had been expecting the deal to be completed by now, bearing in mind that it was supposed to have been almost tied up last week before O'Neill's self-imposed deadline, withdrawn by the Villa boss at the weekend.

Any chance of Barry being unveiled at Friday's home friendly with Lazio seems long gone, which puts a further question mark on the Americans' ability to raise the cash.

And Benitez has clearly been impressed by Alonso's pre-season form - he has scored two in two now - while Yossi Benayoun's desire to stay at Anfield is obvious, too.

Benitez praised Alonso's performance in Oslo, saying: "Xabi scored a good goal after scoring a penalty against Rangers on Saturday so this is very positive.

"He is showing that he is a good professional but then we already knew this and I am very pleased with his commitment on the pitch."

Benitez is unlikely to try to order back from China his Olympic trio of Mascherano, Lucas and Ryan Babel, despite the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to allow clubs to pull their players out of the Games.

Liverpool declined to comment officially today on the surprise ruling that allows clubs to withdraw their players after Barcelona, Werder Bremen and Schalke appealed.

But Benitez does not want to upset his three players who are about to start the tournament later this week, particularly Mascherano, who wants to win a second gold medal with Argentina.

To recall them now would certainly leave Benitez with three very unhappy players, all of whom have made it clear they want to be in China.

So he will soldier on with the players he has fit for next week's trip to Liege.

And if the money is not forthcoming from the American owners to push the Barry deal through, Benitez is expected to look elsewhere for finance rather than sell Alonso or Benayoun.

The Barry deal would require him to find half of the £18million now, the rest payable in a year.

So the likes of Jermaine Pennant and Andriy Voronin are likely to be sold to raise around £9million, but that would mean the deal is unlikely to be completed until the end of the transfer window.

Meanwhile the Reds have confirmed Sebastian Leto has signed a one-year loan agreement with Greek outfit Olympiacos and not a two-year deal as has been widely reported.

The 21-year-old midfielder, who joined the Reds from Lanus in 2007, had his work permit application refused last week and the club were forced to loan him out.

Leto's contract with Olympiacos runs until June 30, 2009 - meaning it is effectively a one season deal - contrary to reports which suggested a two-year contract had been agreed.

AUGUST 1
Torres confident for new season

By Nick Smith - Daily Post

Fernando Torres is ready to shrug off fears of a ‘second season syndrome’ – by continuing to be a winner.

The 24-year-old came back to pre-season training with Liverpool this week as a European champion following Spain’s triumph in Austria and Switzerland earlier in the summer.

Torres – who could be paired with his old club Atletico Madrid in today’s Champions League third qualifying round draw – is confident that experience will help him carry on the good work of his debut season in English football.

His 24 Premier League goals made him the foreign player with the most strikes in a first season in England’s top flight, beating Ruud van Nistelrooy’s 2002 mark of 23.

But he has no qualms about living up to the expectation, saying: "My aim is to score more than last season, that is what I am working towards.

"I, at least, have to aim to equal last year’s figure because it is very important to bring goals to the team.

"Getting my mind back on Liverpool after the European Championships will not be a problem. All of us Spaniards came back happy, full of confidence, and with a real desire to stay at the top and keep on winning.

"We want people to continue talking about us. We now have another chance to leave a mark with the Premier League and the Champions League. I am coming into this season with all the desire and hope in the world.

Torres stated all of his country’s Euro 2008 games apart from the dead rubber group match with Greece and his winner in the final against Germany brought Spain their first major trophy for 44 years.

An equally agonising wait for the Premier League continues to hang over his club side. as Liverpool go into the forthcoming campaign making their 19th attempt to win their 19th title.

"Like every season the expectation is huge," added Torres, who made a 20-minute return to action as a substitute in Villarreal.

"People are talking about us winning the Premier League again because we have been some way off for the last few years. It’s 19 years since we won it.

"We also have to be among the best teams in the Champions League again. We are a very competitive side over two legs and I’m certain that we can go a long way."

Torres has also welcomed the £20million capture of Robbie Keane from Tottenham, who he feels has the experience to help Liverpool make that double assault on the domestic and European front.

But he admits he isn’t sure if he is saying hello to a new strike partner despite manager Rafael Benitez’s assertion that he wants them to play together during the remainder of the pre-season programme.

"Robbie Keane really wanted to come to us and I think he is going to bring us an enormous amount – hard work, goals and experience," Torres said.

"He will bring the level of the team up a notch and I’m sure he is going to be very important this season. Keane has a proven record and he has great mobility and versatility.

"But the tactical lay-out of the team and whether or not we are going to play two up-front is down to Rafa. When he signed Keane he had a very clear idea of where he wanted to play him."

Robbies dream come true... (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)
 

JULY 29
Keane: Joining Liverpool FC 
feels like Christmas

By Tony Barrett - Liverpool Echo

Merseyside may currently be enjoying its first taste of summer as the sun beats down and temperatures soar but, as far as Robbie Keane is concerned, it feels like Christmas Eve.

Liverpool's new £20m signing from Spurs cannot hide his delight or his excitement at joining the club he supported as a boy. And the thought of running out in front of a packed Anfield wearing the red jersey he always dreamed of donning as a child growing up in Dublin is the greatest gift he could ever imagine.

"It's absolutely fantastic, a real dream come true for me," he said.

"I've been a Liverpool fan all my life, going back to when I was a kid growing up in Dublin, and I always had a Liverpool shirt on my back. So, to be here now as a Liverpool player is incredible and I couldn't be happier.

"It's hard to describe how I'm feeling. The only way I could try to describe it is to compare it to when you're a little kid on Christmas Eve and you know you're about to get your presents.

"It's that excited feeling. You can't wait to open your presents the next day and you're buzzing inside.

"That's what it feels like for me now. I just can't wait to pull that red jersey on and run out at Anfield in front of the fans."

Keane's home debut is likely to come in the friendly against Lazio on August 8, and when he runs out onto the pitch via the players’ tunnel Ireland's record goalscorer will be proudly wearing the number 7 shirt made famous by Kenny Dalglish, Kevin Keegan and Peter Beardsley.

Despite having worn number 10 at Spurs and for his country, Keane didn't have to think twice when he was offered the opportunity to take number 7.

He knows that with the honour comes the dual burden of history and expectation, but he has enough faith in his own talent to believe that he can make an impact on his own terms, not by those set by his illustrious predecessors.

He said: "John Barnes, Ian Rush and John Aldridge were my heroes as a kid and then when I was 15 or 16 it was the likes of Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman.

"I think Barnesy was probably the reason why I ended up wearing the number 10 shirt for most of my career.

"I've always liked that number but I'm going to be number 7 here and I know what a special shirt that is and what it means to everyone associated with the club. So I just hope I can do it justice.

"Being a Liverpool fan, I know all about the status that goes with the number 7 and to come here and be given the opportunity to wear that shirt is great for me.

"I'm not going to worry about pressure or anything like that, though. I'm not the kind of person who lets things like that get to me. I am the way I am and I would never try to compare myself with someone like Peter Beardsley or Kenny Dalglish.

"They were fantastic players and they are legends at this club, but hopefully I can do well in my own right and do justice to the shirt and myself."

The 28-year-old last night put pen to paper on a four-year contract with Liverpool, having found the temptation of playing for the club he has supported all his life too much to turn down, even though he remains grateful to Spurs for the way he was treated by them during his six-year spell at White Hart Lane.

And before anyone suggests Keane is another Reds signing who discovered his Kopite roots on seeing a contract placed before him on LFC headed notepaper, his devotion to Liverpool has long since been chronicled in his biography in which he talked about being "not just a fan, but a fanatic".

It is that powerful emotion which means his heart is already swelling with pride and explains why his desperation to do well for the club is already apparent to anyone who has come across him in the last 24 hours.

"It's just Liverpool as a club," he said. "Being a fan makes it even more special because there aren't too many players who can say they are lucky enough to play for the team that they support.

"There are so many people out there who love this club, who would love to have the kind of opportunity that I have and I'm very grateful for that.

"All my family are absolutely massive Liverpool fans. My brother's been getting hounded with mates ringing him all the time to find out what jersey I'm going to be wearing and stuff like that.

"The majority of people in Dublin are Liverpool fans, especially the area where I grew up. All my mates are Liverpool fans and all my family are Liverpool fans, so it's going absolutely mental back there.

"I'm sure I'll be getting battered for tickets, especially seeing as it's not so far from there with the ferry or the flights over every day."

Not that anyone should get the wrong impression that now Keane has joined Liverpool he will feel his life's work is now complete – nothing could be further from the truth.

He is desperate to repay the faith that has been shown in him by Rafa Benitez and he is hellbent on proving that he is worthy of a place in the Liverpool team.

Keane believes he can form a lethal partnership with Fernando Torres, but knows he will have to show the Reds boss that he is up to the task of partnering a striker whom he rates as one of the best in the world.

"I think the way Fernando plays and the way I play we will suit each other," he said.

"It's kind of like the way it worked with Berbatov and myself with a big lad and a smaller lad alongside him.

"Fernando is really good in the air and I try to come off and drop into the hole so we'll complement each other.

"It's easy saying that, though. It's all about doing it and I'm sure we will both work hard together to make it work.

"I've spoken to the manager briefly, not in any major detail or anything, but from my point of view it's up to me to prove that I can play every week.

"By no means am I naive enough to think I'm going to walk into Liverpool Football Club and play straight away.

"You have to earn that right and I'm willing to do that. I always give 100% every week. That will never change."

If and when he has cemented his place in the side, Keane's next challenge will be to help his new club to trophy glory. His desire to be a winner is so evident that his conversational tone actually becomes more aggressive when asked what he would like to achieve with Liverpool.

"I'm ambitious and I want to win things," he insisted. "I'm no different to anyone else in that respect and after getting a taste of it with Tottenham last year when we won the Carling Cup I'm desperate for more.

"I hate losing and Liverpool undoubtedly have the ingredients to win trophies. I want to be a part of that."

Should Keane help Liverpool towards the kind of success he dreams of as a player and as a fan it will feel like Christmas every day.

JULY 29
Benitez plots potent partnership

Sky Sports

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez believes new signing Robbie Keane will prove the perfect partner for Fernando Torres.

Benitez is attempting to build a squad capable of ending the Reds' 18-year wait for a league title and on Monday he captured Keane from Tottenham for a fee which could rise to £20.3million.

Keane is expected to play as a second striker to former Atletico Madrid forward Torres, who netted 24 Premier League goals in his debut campaign in England.

And Benitez is hopeful Keane, who hit 15 top-flight goals last term, and Torres will forge a potent pairing.

"We were looking for a player who can be clever and can be prudent and could play alongside Torres," Benitez told Sky Sports News.

"He (Keane) can play with Torres or (Dirk) Kuyt or the other strikers, and also on the right.

"We knew that he was a very good signing in terms of the commitment, the quality and the intelligence of the player.

"He is a player who can give us a lot of goals. We were looking for the work-rate he can give us, the game intelligence and also the goals."

Speculation has suggested that the arrival of Keane will end Liverpool's summer-long pursuit of £18million-rated Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry.

However, when asked about his interest in Barry, Benitez declined to comment on the subject, saying: "We need to enjoy the situation today with Keane here."

JULY 11
Crouch sale signals Reds' intent

By Ben Blackmore - Setanta Sports

Every manager has a signature signing. An unheralded player that comes out of left-field, a capture that attracts one suspicious glance for every seal of approval.

Some managers have more than one. Arsene Wenger had Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry, Sir Alex Ferguson had Peter Schmeichel and Roy Keane. “The Big Breakfast” had Denise van Outen.

Rafa Benitez’s, in his short four-year reign, has arguably been Peter Crouch.

Granted, not for one moment can Crouch be compared to the legends mentioned above (you’d much rather wake up to Van Outen than big Pete) but he nevertheless represents Benitez’s biggest gamble – and it paid off.

The Liverpool manager has made bigger and better signings…Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso, Ryan Babel et al.

But never was he so questioned as when he decided to splash out £7 million on the most unfashionable man in football (football-wise, by the looks of his girlfriend Crouchie certainly has a way with the ladies).

It was a gamble that undoubtedly paid off for Benitez at a time when Liverpool needed a playing style. They needed a hold-up man, a focal point of attack. Crouch gave them that – and returned a £4 million profit at the end of it.

His arrival instantly landed the FA Cup - the nod down for Gerrard’s first equaliser in the final typical of the excellent relationship the duo shared.

The next season saw him finish as the club’s top scorer, netting 18 of the 42 goals he amassed at Anfield – scoring at a one-in-three ratio that would have been significantly better if he had not spent the majority of his final season on the bench.

Herein lies the point though.

Benitez, unlike his predecessor Gerard Houllier, leaves sentiment at the door. He knows a ‘very good’ player is no longer enough. Liverpool need ‘excellent’ or better to reclaim the title. Crouch’s departure sends out a huge statement.

This is a player who is deemed a massive signing for Portsmouth – a team who won the FA Cup and finished eighth last season. This is a player who has 14 international goals in 28 games for England.

It’s a big call to let somebody of that calibre go. But Liverpool fans should rejoice in Benitez’s show of ambition, and draw confidence from his intolerance of the merely satisfactory.

Houllier once took Liverpool to the point of a genuine title challenge half a decade ago, but then failed to realise when faithful servants – such as his own signature signing Emile Heskey - had to be moved on.

Benitez does not lack a cutting edge. Momo Sissoko lasted only two seasons, Josemi and Fernando Morientes one-and-a-half, Antonio Nunez and Jan Kromkamp just one.

There are those detractors that would argue he has a blind spot when it comes to Dirk Kuyt, but seven goals in 10 Champions League games is statistical fact to back up the fact that the Dutchman has a role to play within the squad.

Now Crouch, the signature signing, has gone after only three seasons – creating room for the signing that could prove to be Benitez’s legacy.

Robbie Keane has all the hallmarks of such a player, a man no top club in England has ever gambled on before.

Whether Keane dons Liverpool Red and writes his name into Anfield folklore remains to be seen. But for now, Liverpool fans should delight in the fact they have a manager who no longer considers ‘very good’ to be good enough.

JULY 11
Carson heads for Reds exit

By Tony Barrett - Liverpool Echo

Scott Carson is set to depart Anfield as Rafa Benitez attempts to raise the funds he needs to make an offer for top target Robbie Keane.

The England international keeper is likely to follow Danny Guthrie through the exit door after Liverpool accepted an offer from Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle for the midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Bolton.

Guthrie will now hold talks with Keegan and if personal terms can be agreed the deal will give the 21-year-old the first team football he craves but was unable to secure at Anfield.

Liverpool have two offers on the table from rival Premiership clubs for Carson, who is keen to quit the Reds after spending last season on loan at Aston Villa, and Benitez is happy to do business.

New £3m signing Diego Cavalieri will provide back- up to Pepe Reina in the coming season, making Carson surplus to requirements.

Carson joined Liverpool from Leeds for £750,000 in January 2005 after being earmarked as a potential England keeper of the future.

He has since gone on to win international honours for his country but has found his progress at Anfield thwarted by the presence of Reina, who has developed into one of Europe’s most highly rated keepers.

Villa paid a fee in the region of £2m to loan Carson last season, but Martin O’Neill has not followed up his initial interest in making the deal permanent and the 22-year-old will now move elsewhere.

Without having a substantial transfer kitty at his disposal, Benitez knows he must sell a number of fringe players if he is to be able to come up with the kind of offer which would tempt Spurs to do business for Keane.

Spurs boss Juande Ramos is not looking to sell his captain, who is a hero to the White Hart Lane fans, but with Keane looking to make a move to the club he supported as a boy he may have no option but to do a deal if Benitez makes a sizeable offer.

Benitez, though, is not willing to offer the £20m Ramos is believed to be holding out for and has other targets in mind should Keane’s price tag prove prohibitive.

The Reds boss is looking for a traditional “number seven” to provide a link between his midfield and front man Fernando Torres and believes Keane has the game intelligence to fill such a role.

“Keane is clearly a player that has game intelligence,” said Benitez.

“We're looking for players with the right quality and I think we'll find some in the next few days, although not necessarily the names that everybody knows.”

Peter Crouch, who partnered Torres on occasion last season, will today complete his £11m move to Portsmouth.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s reserve team ranks have been supplemented by the signing of another youngster from abroad.

Vincent Lucas Weijl, a 17-year-old forward who came through the academy at AZ Alkmaar, has signed a three year contract.

JULY 11
Reds capture keeper Cavalieri

TEAMtalk

Liverpool have clinched the signing of goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri from Palmeiras, with the Brazilian signing a four-year contract at Anfield.

The 25-year-old will begin life at Anfield as understudy to Jose Reina.

Cavalieri becomes the third Brazilian at the club alongside Lucas and Fabio Aurelio and is manager Rafael Benitez's third major signing of the summer following the arrivals of full-backs Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena.

Cavalieri, who also holds an Italian passport, fully accepted he would play second fiddle to Spain international Reina after joining the Reds.

"I know it won't be easy to get into the team," he told the club's website.

"I watched some Liverpool games in both the Premier League and Champions League last year and I know Pepe (Reina) is a very good goalkeeper. But everyone has to fight for their place and I'm sure we will have a healthy rivalry.

"I know I will have to be patient and work very hard to achieve my aims - but it is always like that when you come from another country.

"You have to adapt inside and outside of the pitch and get used to the way things work. But with hard work you get there.

"My confidence has got me where I am today and maybe people are aware of what I did at Palmeiras in Brazil.

"I am sure that one day I can get the number one position but that will only come with hard work."

Despite the prospect of spending much of the coming season on the bench, Cavalieri, who is thought to have cost the club around £3million, hailed a "dream" move to Merseyside.

"The name Liverpool is known all around the world. It's an honour to wear this shirt," he added.

"It was a dream for me to come to Europe, though I was taken aback by how quickly everything happened. It's all been sorted out in one week.

"But I have been given a very good welcome from my team-mates and the manager, so I'm very happy to be here. I just hope I can respond to all this.

"Rafa and I spoke for a long time on the day I arrived. He explained to me how the football is here and the differences from Brazil. He also talked to me about the responsibilities of representing a club like Liverpool."

JULY 11
Benitez adds a new
defensive dimension

By Tony Barrett - Liverpool Echo

Long before last season had come to a trophy-less end, Rafa Benitez had identified the two positions he wanted improving most urgently.

Despite having a defence which again kept the most Premiership clean sheets for the third successive season, the Reds boss was keen to bring in a new right back and a new left back.

The duo he wanted were Philipp Degen, a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund, and Andrea Dossena, a £6m acquisition from Udinese, and yesterday the fruits of Benitez’s labour in the transfer market were displayed at a Melwood press conference where both players were formally unveiled.

As far as the Spaniard is concerned, Degen and Dossena personify the next phase of his Anfield revolution as he looks to bring more attacking flair to a team which has built much of its success on defensive solidity.

If Euro 2008 showed anything, it was that attacking full backs are no longer just desirable, they are an absolute necessity and Benitez has moved swiftly to add a new dimension to his squad in keeping with that philosophy.

Degen and Dossena will both be given licence to get forward and the early indications from pre-season training are that the Swiss in particular does not need any second invitation to bomb on.

His Italian counterpart, meanwhile, arrives with a reputation of being a left back who loves to attack, but Benitez has already informed him that this must not be to the detriment of the balance of the team.

“The talks I have had with Benitez have mostly been about tactics,” he said. “He has explained that he wants a four-man defence but that the most important thing is that the balance on the pitch is never broken. There must be balance between the left and right-backs.”

There is certainly a ying and yang balance to Degen and Dossena in terms of personality, if early impressions are anything to go by.

While Degen is chatty, light hearted and effusive, Dossena is more taciturn and steely with a stare which will no doubt frighten any lily livered wingers who cross his path.

Liverpool’s scouting reports on both players were glowing but, as ever, the only test that matters will be how well they adapt to the unique rigours of English football.

Both are in no doubt they have what it takes, with Dossena even going as far as arguing that he is a “half Italian, half English” kind of player.

He said: “Even from training I realise English football is different. It's all about possession and the ball seems to move quicker.

“There is also a great determination among the players in training, but these are all qualities that are characteristic of me too. In this way, I feel half English, half Italian.”

Benitez is clearly delighted to have captured a pair of players for the two positions he believed needed so urgently and he firmly believes Degen and Dossena will add a new dimension to his team for the new season.

“I think everyone was thinking the same as us, that we needed to improve in the wide areas,” he said. “We have the spine of the team with Torres, Gerrard, Mascherano and all these players that we know.

“In the wide areas maybe we needed something different so we were looking for full-backs with an offensive mentality.

“Dossena likes to play football, and Degen is the same, he goes forward with quality.

“So we now have two players who can go forward and they will compete for their positions and hopefully it will be good for the team.

“Sometimes it is not about how much money you spend but getting the players you need.

“We needed full-backs with different qualities and these two players could be good for us.

“Afterwards maybe you can sign big names and maybe people will be happy, but the priority is to sign the players that you want and need – in this case two full-backs who can give something more to the team.”

“I think all foreign players need time to adjust and it depends on the mentality,” he continued. “Both players are very good professionals and that was one of the things we were looking for – a strong mentality and they can compete as well, so I think they will be okay.”

JULY 10
Rafa confirms: We’re skint

By Matt Ladson - This is Anfield

Speaking at the unveiling of new full backs Andrea Dossena and Philipp Degen, Rafa Benitez has told the media what many Liverpool fans have long feared - that there is no money available to him this summer.

Instead, all purchases will have to be funded by player sales, something Benitez described as having to use a “little bit of imagination to progress in the market.”

It is a ridiculous situation that Benitez - and Liverpool as a club - finds themselves in, with owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett firmly being the reason for the lack of funds to take Liverpool where they promised.

If Liverpool are to progress and make a serious challenge for the title, they need to be adding to the quality in the squad, rather than swapping the quality. For instance, keeping Alonso and adding Gareth Barry. Not funding one with another. That is not how we should be working.

Benitez said “We know the situation regarding what we can spend, and we are trying to find solutions if we do not have enough money.

“And we will still try to sign players that will make us better. But if you do not have too much money, and that is clear, we will have to have a little bit of imagination to progress in the market.”

The key quote being “and that is clear” - clear that our two American owners are not investing a dollar into the club, despite promises to do so earlier this summer.

Yesterday Benitez had been quoted as having an interest in signing David Villa, but today has told that isn’t an option, hinting the lack of funds as the reason there. Instead Benitez must look to sell players to raise money to bid for Robbie Keane.

The sale of Xabi Alonso would bring in around £15m, while Peter Crouch will join Portsmouth for £10m on Friday - but with Gareth Barry expected to cost £17m, Benitez is left short still and will need to offload Scott Carson and Jermaine Pennant at least to raise the money for Keane.

Benitez did offer some hope by promising a new striker, or two: “We will have another main striker before the season starts, maybe two. The fans must trust us, we are working hard during the summer with a lot of people in different countries working for us.”

He also confirmed the arrival of back-up goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri for £3m from Palmeiras.

With Hicks and Gillett introducing a controversial new membership scheme this summer, and a rather hypocritical slogan to advertise the new shirt (’It’s not a badge, it’s a family crest’), Liverpool fans’ strength of hatred towards them will long continue.

Thor Zakariassen ©