|
|
|
|
TUESDAY 12 |
|
|
Crouch plays in friendly win
Liverpool target Peter Crouch played as Southampton prepared
for Championship life with a 2-1 win at Motherwell.
Striker Richie Foran's late goal was the best of the game
but earlier strikes from teenager Andrew Surman and
substitute Brett Ormerod earned Saints a victory.
Saints started with Crouch up front, even though the new
England cap is expected to move to Anfield sooner rather
than later.
(Sporting Life)
Gallas fee agreed?
In spite of reports in the mainstream media to the contrary,
Liverpool are believed to have made an offer for Chelsea
defender William Gallas. That bid is said to have been
accepted by the London club.
If Benitez can convince Gallas to swap London for Liverpool
it would certainly go down well with the Anfield faithful
which has been awaiting the arrival of a top class defender.
(talklfc.com)
Baros faces Euro snub
Milan Baros will not figure in Liverpool's plans tomorrow.
The striker's omission from the Liverpool team for the
Champions League qualifier with TNS will underline his
uncertain future at Anfield.
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez doesn't want the Czech star
cup-tied because it may scupper the player's chances of
securing a transfer before the start of the season.
The Anfield boss won't be confirming his line-up until
tomorrow, but he suggested Baros could be struggling to
force his way into the team.
"With Morientes now fully fit and available in Europe, there
are more options for us. We need to work out how many
players we have and which are the right players for this
game," he said.
(Liverpool Echo)
Rafa confirms possible exit
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has announced that he won't stop
in the way of Antonio Nunez if he finds another club.
Celta Vigo are keen on signing the former Real Madrid
reservist but so far they have failed to temp Liverpool into
striking a deal and with other clubs making inquiries
regarding the player's availability, Rafa is in no rush to
sell.
Rafa said: "I've spoken to Nunez and explained we've tried
to find a club for him, but at the moment we haven't had the
right offer. Celta Vigo are interested but there are
other options."
(Kop Talk)
Reds boss wary of TNS threat
Rafael Benitez has warned his Liverpool heroes to forget
about last season's Champions League triumph and concentrate
on not being caught cold by Welsh minnows TNS at the first
hurdle of their defence.
The Merseysiders will be back in action against the Welsh
Premier League's only full time club intent on getting past
six potentially tricky qualifying games to reach the
lucrative group stages again.
Benitez warned: "I have lots of memories of Istanbul, but we
cannot think about the past. You have to work for the future
and we must prepare properly for every game - like this one
- because if we are caught sleeping and dreaming about the
past we will be punished.
"I don't like to approach a game thinking in terms of David
against Goliath and that David normally wins.
"I prefer to talk about playing against a good team who have
won their league. We know we are favourites but we need to
be careful because in football you never know what
can happen."
(ITV Football)
Reds no closer on Figo front
Luis Figo is no closer to joining Liverpool after Real
Madrid reported a lack of progress on transfer talks which
now look close to collapse.
Madrid vice-president Emilio Butragueno stated that there
had been no fresh developments regarding the Reds' interest
in the Portuguese winger.
The Merseysiders thought they had negotiated the free
transfer move of Figo away from the Bernabeu, on a wage of
around £65,000 a week.
But Madrid have since insisted on a £2million fee, prompting
Liverpool to cool their interest, with Liverpool boss Rafael
Benitez conceding he has been forced to investigate
different options.
Serie A giants Internazionale are now thought to have
entered the race to sign the 32-year-old former FIFA World
Player of the Year, but Butragueno was adamant the matter
had not moved on.
He said: "There's nothing new regarding Figo. He is still a
Real Madrid player and unless something happens he will go
on tour with the rest of the squad to the United States and
Asia."
Figo, whose contract with Madrid expires at the end of next
season, has been training regularly with the rest of his
team-mates as he awaits developments.
(ITV Football)
Sissoko: I couldn't turn Rafa down
Mohamed Sissoko has revealed the prospect of teaming up once
again with Rafael Benitez helped persuade him to turn down
Everton in favour of a move to Liverpool.
The Mali midfielder is expected to finalise his move to
Anfield before the end of the week after completing a
medical.
"I understand that the Everton fans are angry but I am going
to be happier at Liverpool," said Sissoko. "I'm sure they
will give me a hard time in the derby match.
"I appreciated the Everton offer, they talked to Valencia
and then to me but I was not convinced about everything.
"And when Rafa Benitez appeared, it made my mind up. I could
never turn this offer down. If Rafa was not Liverpool boss
it might have been different."
(LFC Official Website)
How chat with Xabi convinced Spaniard
Jose Reina has revealed how a chat with Xabi Alonso
convinced him Anfield was the best place for him to fulfil
his World Cup dream.
The two Spaniards have become close friends on international
duty in recent months and the Liverpool playmaker's advice
was swiftly sought by his compatriot when he learned of
Rafael Benitez's interest.
And Alonso, who enjoyed a superb opening season on
Mersey-side after his own move from La Liga last summer,
left Liverpool's new goalkeeper in no doubt as to where his
future should lie.
"I'm quite close to Xabi," the 22-year-old said yesterday.
"We became good friends in the national side.
"I was asking him loads of things about the place and he was
talling me everything about it and it was all really
positive.
"It made me really keen to come here - I was dying to come
here in fact - and it's all true what he said about the
place."
(Daily Post) |
|
|
TUESDAY 11 |
|
|
Rafa: I'd like to sign Crouch
Rafael Benitez has revealed that Liverpool are currently
talking to Southampton about the possibility of bringing
Peter Crouch to Anfield this week.
Liverpool have been linked with the Southampton giant all
summer and today Benitez insisted that the England striker
is at the top of his wish-list.
"I want to sign Peter Crouch," Rafa told liverpoolfc.tv. "I
like this player and he would be a good addition to our
squad. At this moment Rick Parry is talking to Southampton
and hopefully something can be agreed. I would like Peter to
come to Switzerland with us on our training camp."
(LFC Official Website)
Pompey snap up Vignal
Former Liverpool full back Gregory Vignal has agreed to join
Portsmouth on a free transfer.
Vignal was released by The Reds at the end of last season
after almost five years on Merseyside but he failed to make
a significant impression.
He spent last term on loan at Rangers and has also
undertaken spells at Rennes and Espanyol and has now managed
to clinch a deal to stay in The Premiership.
The 23-year-old has concurred on a two-year contract with
Pompey and has also passed a medical at Fratton Park.
(Sky Sports)
Rafa's Real warning
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez today said that he's becoming
tired of Real Madrid pissing him around over the proposed
transfer of Luis Figo to Anfield.
Figo is due in on Merseyside within the next couple of days
to undergo a medical but unless the Spanish giants lower
their demands, Rafa will call the deal off.
"That deal is becoming more difficult every day so I'm now
looking at other possibilities in that position," said the
boss.
(Kop Talk)
Morientes is like a new boy
Fernando Morientes is like a new signing, according to
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez.
The Spanish striker struggled to settle after arriving from
Real Madrid in January, but the manager is confident he can
prove himself this season.
"He's almost like a new signing," siad Benitez. "Last season
he wasn't training for three or four months, so it was
difficult when he came in because the pace here is higher
than it is in Spain. Here it is more physical too.
"People say all the time that football is the same in all
the countries, but it's not true. Some players need four,
five or six months to adjust.
"He can play in the Champions League which is good news for
us and I hope he can score more goals for us in the league."
(LFC Online)
Reds midfielder still keen on switch away
Liverpool midfielder Salif Diao is still keen on a move away
from Anfield and is hoping that his agent can agree a deal
with Sunderland.
The Senegal international doesn't figure in Rafa's plans so
he's naturally keen to find himself a new club as quickly as
possible. Diao does have a couple offfers from France but
he'd prefer to remain in England.
Diao's agent Charles Collymore said: "Salif would relish a
move to the North East because of the passion for football
in the area."
(Kop Talk)
Mission impossible faces TNS minnows
TNS manager Ken McKenna watched Liverpool strut their stuff
against Wrexham on Saturday and, as the two sides prepare to
meet in the Champions League on Wednesday, admitted: "This
could be the biggest mismatch in football."
The Llansantffraid-based village side face mission
impossible on Wednesday night when they visit the home of
the European Cup holders in the Champions League first
qualifying round, but despite the Reds' largely impressive
show against the Dragons, McKenna believes his side will
hold their own.
"A lot of the lads were here today to see what Liverpool
could do," he said..
"I don't know what my players will do on Wednesday, some may
freeze, others won't, but we have to go out and play."
(Daily Post)
Rafa: Momo could be the new Vieira
Rafael Benitez has spoken glowingly about prospective new
signing Mohamed Sissoko - a player he believes could be the
new Patrick Vieira.
Sissoko is expected to complete his move to Anfield this
week and having signed him from Auxerre for Valencia two
years ago Benitez knows all about the immense potential of
the Mali international.
"Sissoko was a player that grew a lot with us and he's a
fantastic boy," says the Reds boss. "He was called the new
Vieira a few years ago. He played many times when he was 18,
19 and I think he has the energy that we need in the middle.
"He has incredible ability for his age. He is 20, I saw
Vieira when he was 18-years old and he was no better than
Sissoko. Sissoko runs more than Vieira. In a couple of years
he will be more dynamic than Vieira and a better player."
(LFC Official Website)
I'm not a car thief, says Liverpool's
Dutch star
A mix-up over documents led to Liverpool FC's newest player
being arrested on suspicion of stealing a car.
Police arrested Holland international Bolo Zenden, who
arrived at Anfield on Monday, because the Dutch plates of
his imported car appeared suspicious.
Officers stopped the 28-year-old midfielder, who has signed
a £35,000-a-week deal with Liverpool, while he was driving
his Porsche around the city centre on Tuesday night.
After inspecting his documentation, police read Zenden his
rights.
And, despite the former Middlesbrough player's pleas that he
had done nothing wrong, police took him down to the station
where he was later released on bail.
A Merseyside Police spokeswoman said: "All we can confirm is
that a 28-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday evening in
the Liverpool city centre area, on suspicion of theft of a
motor vehicle.
"He was bailed pending further inquiries."
(Daily Post)
Benitez is quick to rule out talk of rift
Rafael Benitez has sought to draw a line under the Steven
Gerrard transfer saga by dismissing talk of a rift with his
captain.
Benitez has now rubbished those claims, however, although he
has admitted he will be looking to improve relations with
Gerrard now the midfielder's long-term future is finally
resolved.
"They were lying," the manager said of the bust-up
speculation. "They were trying to find a problem between
him, me and the club."
(Daily Post)
Reds step up Upson chase
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is reportedly set to launch
a £5m move for Birmingham defender Matthew Upson as he seeks
a long-term replacement for Sami Hyypia.
The 26-year-old still has three years left on his current
contract and manager Steve Bruce is desperate to keep the
former Arsenal defender.
However a source close to the player told the Daily Mirror:
"Matt had a great season but knows it will be tough to get
into the England side unless he plays for a club involved
in Europe."
(TEAMtalk) |
|
|
SUNDAY 10 |
|
|
Gerrard looks to the future
Steven Gerrard has set his sights on Premiership glory after
winning back his place in the hearts of Liverpool fans.
The Reds skipper helped the European champions to a 4-3
friendly victory at Wrexham on Saturday to end the most
turbulent week of his life on a high.
"It was great to get the shirt back on and hopefully in the
coming season I can hit top form and deliver a trophy," he
said.
"Hopefully I can go on and win that medal that I'm craving
for, which is the Premiership, because that's the one I'm
missing.
"Hopefully it will be this year, but if not it will happen
in the four years that I've signed for."
(Sporting Life)
Kirkland pleased with comeback
Chris Kirkland was delighted to finally return to action as
a West Brom XI beat Cheltenham Town 2-0 in Saturday's
pre-season friendly.
The Liverpool goalkeeper is set to seal a season-long loan
switch to The Hawthorns later this month if he can prove his
fitness to Albion manager Bryan Robson, and he came though
Saturday's match with flying colours.
"I've still got a lot of work to do in training but
hopefully I can play a few more games and get my sharpness
back.
"Pre-season's all about getting your fitness levels up and
the basics back but we're pleased with the 2-0 win.
"Five or six weeks off is a long time and it takes a while
to get your touch and vision back so that's what these games
are for."
(4thegame.com)
Pompey move for Vignal
Portsmouth are reportedly in talks to sign French full back
Gregory Vignal.
Vignal has been told he is free to leave Liverpool after
spending last season on loan with Scottish champions
Rangers.
The left back rejected a permanent contract at Ibrox and has
claimed Newcastle United, Marseille and Stuttgart are
interested in his services.
(Sky Sports)
Reds enquire about Gallas
Liverpool are lining up an audacious bid to lure William
Gallas from Chelsea.
The French central defender enjoyed a fine season last time
around but was vocal in expressing his unhappiness at being
forced to play out of position at left back for much of the
campaign.
Arsenal were reported to be tracking the France
international, but his agent Pierre Frelot has now revealed
that it is Liverpool and Barcelona who are currently chasing
his client.
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
|
|
Thor Zakariassen
© |
|
