SUNDAY 24
	Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks to sell Rangers to Ryan Liverpool Football Club co-owner Tom Hicks has agreed to sell his controlling interest in major league baseball side Texas Rangers. The Hicks Sports Group, owners since 1998, is selling to a group headed by legendary former Rangers pitcher Nolan Ryan and lawyer Chuck Greenberg. The final sale price is thought to be in excess of $500m (£310.3m). But the deal must first be approved by Major League Baseball (MLB) and Hicks Sports Group's creditors. MLB rules require that the agreement must be reviewed by its ownership committee and approved by 75% of the 30 team owners. The Rangers - who were owned by a group led by former US President George W. Bush in the early 1990s before he became governor of Texas - hope that the deal may be completed before the new MLB season starts on 5 April. "It's a complex business deal that positions the franchise positively for the future," Hicks said in a statement. (BBC Sport Online) Liverpool owners key to Birmingham move for Babel Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is ready to accept a new bid from Birmingham City for Ryan Babel. The Mail on Sunday says Birmingham have made a new £9million bid for Babel. Now Benitez is looking for guarantees from owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett that he can bring in a replacement before he lets Babel leave. Birmingham had an £8m bid - £6m of it up front - turned down by Liverpool but are adamant this latest move represents their best offer. Benitez has only been allowed to bring in Maxi Rodriguez on a free, despite raising £6m through the sales of Andriy Voronin and Andrea Dossena. He wants Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones but he will cost £10m. (tribalfootball.com)
	SATURDAY 23
	Young Reds lose to Wolves A goal eight minutes from time saw Wolves gain revenge for their FA Youth Cup defeat as they beat Liverpool Under-18s 2-1 at the Kirkby Academy on Saturday morning. Lauri Dalla Valle thought he had earned Rodolfo Borrell's side a share of the spoils with a first half equaliser, but Andre Landall's finish from a right-wing cross saw the side from the Black Country take the three points. Liverpool's Academy side had already beaten Wolves at Anfield 2-0 in the FA Youth Cup 3rd round which was sweet revenge for losing 2-1 in the Academy league a couple of week's earlier. Liverpool had four corners in stoppage time but try as they might they couldn't force an equaliser their efforts deserved. Liverpool team: Deale Chamberlain, John Flanagan, Jack Robinson, Andre Wisdom, Stephen Sama, Craig Roddan, Christopher Buchtmann, Conor Coady, Lauri Dalla Valle, Tom Ince, Michael Ngoo (Krisztian Adorjan 85). Subs not used: Michael Ihiekwe, Chris Oldfield, Alex Cooper, Kristjan Emilsson. (LFC Official Website) Italians eye Reds starlet Skysports.com understands Liverpool starlet Damien Plessis could be set for a move away from Anfield before the close of the transfer window. A mystery Italian club are thought to be keen on signing the highly-rated 21-year-old. (Sky Sports) Clearing the air has been a boost for Liverpool FC All the stories that came out regarding a dressing room bust up during half-time against Reading have been a good thing. Whether it was trivial or whatever, something has gone on. I’ve seen it loads of times at various clubs. For me, it’s positive when things come to a head. It shows people care. Johnny King had a cracking saying at Tranmere; ‘Don’t let things fester under the carpet.’ He’d say if you keep on brushing things under the carpet they start to stink. Things need to be out in the open, so whatever it was at Liverpool, and whoever was involved, there has been a reaction and the air has been cleared. (John Aldridge - Liverpool Echo) Venables: Sell Gerrard to save Liverpool Terry Venables believes Liverpool should consider selling Steven Gerrard. In his column for The Sun, Venables wrote: "I fear the only way he may now be able to save the club he joined as a nine-year-old lad is by... and whisper it quietly in the red half of Merseyside... leaving Anfield. "I realise this will not be the consensus on the Kop, where their captain is rightly revered for the accomplishments and the loyalty he has shown his hometown club in the 12 years since he made his first-team debut. "And I am not advocating that he should jump what, this season, has turned out to be a sinking ship. "I just recognise selling Gerrard may be a viable way to get Liverpool out of the mess in which they currently find themselves. Out of the Premier League title race, out of the Champions League, out of the FA Cup and out of the Carling Cup, Rafa Benitez's team are currently sixth in the table and face a desperate scrap even to finish in the top four this time around. "A squad which does not score enough goals and relies too heavily on its two talismen, Gerrard and Fernando Torres, is in clear need of an overhaul. You might think it bizarre, then, to consider getting rid of one the best players of this or any other team. "And I agree that, not so long ago, the idea of selling Gerrard would have been unthinkable. But these are drastic times at Anfield - and drastic times call for drastic measures." (tribalfootball.com)
	FRIDAY 22
	Bruce blasts 'disrespectful' Reds Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has launched an angry broadside at Liverpool over their pursuit of in-demand frontman Kenwyne Jones. Bruce insisted there has been no contact between the two clubs despite repeated speculation on Merseyside that the Trinidad & Tobago international is to join the Reds on loan before making a permanent switch during the summer. He said: "I find it hugely disrespectful, the antics of Liverpool. I have huge respect for Liverpool and the way they have done their business and they way they have conducted themselves. "But I have to say, this constant badgering of Kenwyne Jones when we as a club haven't heard anything, and then I keep reading this nonsense that I'm going to allow him to go on loan because it's a tax advantage for both clubs is the biggest load of rubbish I have read for weeks. "As if I'm got to let our big, big player, one of our big, big assets, go on loan - I find it hugely disrespectful and I can't understand where Liverpool are coming from." (TEAMtalk) Aquilani: I'll repay Reds Alberto Aquilani today insisted he has much more to offer Liverpool as the midfielder revealed he is edging ever closer to full fitness. An ankle injury meant the Italian was unable to make his Reds debut until late October after arriving at Anfield from Roma last summer, while the No.4's first start came in December. However, with a total of 12 run outs now under his belt and fitness levels improving with every game, Aquilani is confident fans will soon see the best of him. "I knew that I wouldn't be able to play straight away because of the ankle injury I had when I signed," he said. "At the moment I am still regaining my fitness after a long time away from football and it will take me time to get back to a level I am happy with - but I don't think I'm that far away. "The manager has explained to me in detail what he wants me to do for the team. "When every player is fit, including me, I think it will bring the best out of me, and the fans will see the real player. "I am happy at Liverpool and am already completely settled. "It is clear it is a family club and I am grateful for the way I have been treated - and I now want to repay that kindness." (LFC Official Website) Youth Cup date change Supporters should note Liverpool will now take on Watford in the FA Youth Cup 5th round at Anfield on Monday, February 8. Kick-off will be at 7pm and this replaces the original date of Friday, February 12. (LFC Official Website) Gerrard set for return to full training Steven Gerrard is poised to hand Rafa Benitez a huge fitness boost with an imminent returning to full training. Liverpool’s captain missed Wednesday night’s 2-0 win over Tottenham, as well as the draw at Stoke, after tweaking his hamstring in the FA Cup defeat against Reading. It was initially feared Gerrard would spend a minimum of two weeks on the sidelines but he has responded well to treatment and his rehabilitation has gone without a hitch. Benitez and his medical staff will continue to monitor his situation but, provided all goes to plan, Gerrard could be back on the training pitches at some point over the weekend. With no FA Cup commitment tomorrow, The Reds are not due back in action until next Tuesday night when they face a trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Though it is unlikely Gerrard will be pitched into that contest, if things continue to go smoothly, it would open up the prospect of him being involved when Bolton visit next Saturday. (Liverpool Echo) Fowler: Xabi sale has hurt Liverpool boosted as Gerrard returns to training Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler is surprised by his old club's struggles this season. The North Queensland Fury captain admits he tipped Liverpool for the title this season. Fowler told the Daily Mail: "At the start of the season I tipped them strongly to win the league after what they did the previous year. I honestly thought they’d get better and it hasn’t happened. "The big thing has been losing Xabi Alonso, I just thought he was a great player. Jamie (Carragher), Steven (Gerrard) and (Fernando) Torres are great players, but the team needs Alonso more than them and he has been hugely missed. "They’ve not really replaced him. They’ve brought in Aquilani but you’ve got to ask whether they’re better than last year, and if you look at results the answer is no. "I’ve looked out for the results at Man City since playing for them although I had a couple of bad years there when I wasn’t enjoying my football. I was starting to do better and score a few and enjoy myself more when Liverpool came back for me. "They will always be my club. Playing for them was everything, growing up there and then scoring goals for them. I always say to people who are at clubs they genuinely love that they must make sure they enjoy it because it doesn’t last forever. Some time your number is up and you have to move on. When it happened to me I wasn’t really ready for it." (tribalfootball.com) Thor Zakariassen ©