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SATURDAY 24 |
Reds duo on target for Holland
Dirk Kuyt staked his claim for inclusion in Holland squad
for Euro 2008 with the opening goal in a comfortable 3-0 win
over Ukraine on Saturday.
The Liverpool striker has been included in Marco van
Basten's 26-man preliminary party but, having been left out
of the squad for the friendlies at the start of the year, is
still fighting to seal his place on the plane to Austria and
Switzerland.
He did his chances no harm though with a fine header midway
through the first half before fellow frontman Klaas-Jan
Huntelaar doubled
the Dutch lead.
Another Liverpool man, Ryan Babel, rounded off the victory
after
the break.
(Sporting Life)
Juve admit Xabi interest
Juventus have confirmed an interest in signing Liverpool
midfielder
Xabi Alonso.
The Spain international has been strongly linked with a move
to the Italian giants since the end of the Premier League
season.
Reports earlier this week claimed that the two clubs had
been holding talks, with Liverpool rumoured to be demanding
£14million for
the cultured midfielder.
Alonso recently told skysports.com that he wants to stay at
Anfield after he was also linked with a return to Spain with
Real Madrid.
But Juve's sporting director Alessio Secco has revealed that
the club are keen to sign the 26-year-old after Mathieu
Flamini joined Milan.
Juve are also confident that Alonso will prove to be a
better option than Flamini, who has chosen to quit Arsenal
for Milan on a free transfer.
Secco told Tuttusport: "Xabi is better than Flamini.
"He's (Flamini) a good player, but with the salary he wanted
he would have unbalanced our situation.
"The Spaniard, instead, has characteristics that are closer
to what
we want."
(Sky Sports)
Benitez to keep on spending
Rafa Benitez admits Liverpool must keep on spending if they
are to mount a realistic title tilt next season.
Although Liverpool finished nearer to champions Manchester
United this season than the previous campaign, Benitez will
be well aware his side never looked likely to challenge for
top spot.
Benitez and his captain Steven Gerrard have both called for
a busy summer of spending at Anfield and in highlighting
Chelsea's £16.2million capture of Porto right-back Jose
Bosingwa, the Reds boss accepts the chequebook needs to come
out.
(Sporting Life) |
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FRIDAY 23 |
Marino: Dossena for Liverpool
Udinese Coach Pasquale Marino has confessed that star
defender Andrea Dossena is highly likely to be wearing a
Liverpool shirt next season.
The 26-year-old left-back enjoyed a superb season with the
Friulani and is seen as one of Italy’s rising stars.
Dossena was a target for Juventus earlier in the year, but
now it seems that his future lies in the Premier League.
“I think that a deal with Liverpool for Dossena is on the
way,” Marino admitted to Radio Kiss Kiss.
“Everything is going smoothly. The requirements are in place
and
the player has given his consent because he wants to test
himself at
an important club after the season he has had.
“Our director general was in England partly because of that
just
two days ago.”
(Channel 4)
Benitez pinpoints loss of Agger
Rafa Benitez feels the loss of Daniel Agger to injury had a
crucial effect on Liverpool's Premier League aspirations
this season.
The Reds boss is concerned at the number of goals his team
conceded from set pieces and will be hoping the Danish
defender comes back from his injury lay-off better than
ever.
On reflection, the Spanish coach feels his squad is in a
better shape than this time last year although he is still
keen to make additions during
the close season.
"The squad is better and we have a better team," Benitez
told LFC TV in an exclusive interview.
"Especially in the last three months, the understanding
between
the players was really good, we were winning games and
scoring goals.
(Setanta Sports)
Xabi committed to Liverpool
Xabi Alonso, reportedly discussing a move to Juventus, says
he will remain a Liverpool player in the future.
The Spain international, currently resting ahead of the
European championships, has rued the fact that he
experienced a difficult season, as his time on the pitch was
reduced compared to the past few seasons.
Rafa Benitez’s protégé does not seem to remain a key figure
at Anfield but he still believes his fate is with The Reds.
“My future is at Liverpool,” he told El Mundo. “It has been
a difficult season for me.
“I picked up a foot injury that forced me off for a month
and a half.
“And then it happened again. It cost me two more months to
recover.
“I had to wait. At the end, I have reached a good moment of
fitness, playing a lot and at a good level.”
(Setanta Sports)
Italy worried about Torres
Italy are worried about facing Fernando Torres at Euro 2008.
Italy could meet Spain in the quarter finals of Euro 2008
and Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro admits the Liverpool
striker is the player they fear.
"Fernando Torres has made an incredible improvement. Last
year I saw him as a bit of a softie but then he went to the
Premier League, where you can't be a softie, and he
exploded," said the defender.
(LFC Online) |
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THURSDAY 22 |
Reds announce Villarreal friendly
Liverpool have confirmed that they will travel to Spain to
face Villarreal in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday, July
30.
The clash against Manuel Pellegrini's side, who finished
second in La Liga behind champions Real Madrid, has been
arranged under the terms of
the deal that saw three times Golden Glove winner Pepe Reina
move from El Madrigal to Anfield in the summer of 2005.
The kick-off time for the friendly clash is still to be
confirmed.
(LFC Official Website)
Rafa won't budge on Carson fee
Rafa Benitez has told Aston Villa he will not budge on his
asking price for Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson.
The two clubs agreed on a set fee for which Villa could buy
Carson at the end of his loan spell, but the Midlands club
are only interested at
a reduced price.
Carson himself has asked Benitez to drop the price to aid
his move, but the Spaniard is not in charitable mood.
Benitez is hitting a similar wall when the roles are
reversed for the transfer of Gareth Barry, and it seems he
is ready to show Villa that Liverpool will not be held to
ransom.
“It is a matter between the clubs,” he said in The Liverpool
Echo. “We agreed the fee with Aston Villa last year.
“The fee has been there for one season so to talk about the
fee now
is not correct.
“We agreed with Martin O’Neill and that was the situation.”
(Setanta Sports)
Riera considers Espanyol exit
Albert Riera has given encouragement to his Premier League
suitors by outlining his disillusionment at the treatment of
Espanyol's team by
the club’s supporters.
Riera, a target for both Liverpool and Blackburn, criticised
fans who at Espanyol’s final game of the season on Sunday
unfurled banners questioning the players’ commitment
following an abject end to the season which saw Espanyol
fail to win any of their last 10 matches.
Riera said: “I don’t want to be at a club where the
supporters have no love for the players, or where it depends
on whether the team qualifies for Europe or not."
The Spain international, still reeling from his omission by
Luis Aragones for this summer’s European Championship, spent
a spell on loan at Manchester City at the end of the 2005-06
campaign and has been tipped for a return to England.
However Espanyol’s sporting director Paco Herrera maintains
that Riera would only be allowed to leave if a bidding club
meets the €20 million
(£16 million) release clause in the 26-year-old’s contract.
Herrera said: “If he says he is going to go then he has more
information than his club - he must know that there is an
interested club who will pay the amount of money needed."
(Setanta Sports)
Kuyt confident of Euro place
Dirk Kuyt is confident of being named in Holland's 23 man
squad for
Euro 2008.
The Liverpool striker was named in Marco Van Basten's
provisional
26 man squad but the Dutch boss will axe three players on
Monday as teams are only allowed to name 23 players for the
tournament. Kuyt is confident of avoiding the axe.
"If I show the same here as I did in the recent months at
Liverpool, I don't have to worry," he said.
"I think I will be a part of the squad. I am convinced that
I can be important to my country. Few players can be
compared to me style-wise."
(LFC Online)
Reds can block Olympics departure
Liverpool can prevent Javier Mascherano going to the
Olympics.
Mascherano is one of three players over the age of 23 that
Argentina want to include in their Olympics squad. However,
under FIFA rules clubs are entitled to prevent over-age
players from taking part. AC Milan have already indicated
they will prevent Kaka from going to Beijing with Brazil.
Although Liverpool can prevent Mascherano going to Beijing,
they cannot prevent Lucas from going if selected as he is
under 23.
(LFC Online)
Rangers friendly planned
Liverpool are set to play Glasgow Rangers in a pre-season
friendly.
The Reds have arranged a pre-season friendly with the UEFA
Cup finalists for the last week in July. Liverpool will play
Rangers at Ibrox on Saturday, July 26th.
(LFC Online)
Paul Ince junior joins Anfield academy
A famous Liverpool and England name is on the Anfield club’s
new role of Academy youngsters with Thomas Ince following in
his father’s footsteps.
Ince junior, 16, has been taken on by the club as a
first-year Academy trainee, but unlike his father, who was
an England captain as a midfielder, Thomas is a striker.
Paul, 40, is now manager of MK Dons and took them to
promotion from Coca-Cola League Two this season, after
previously taking charge of Macclesfield when his playing
career came to an end.
Ince played for West Ham and Manchester United before moving
to Inter Milan, and cited the fact that he wanted Thomas to
attend school in England as the reason for his return from
Italy to join Liverpool in 1997.
The Ince family have always kept their home in Wirral, where
Thomas has worked his way successfully through the
Liverpool’s schoolboy teams
to the point that he has now started his career as a
professional.
Liverpool have released three players from last season’s
academy – defender Mattone Awang, winger Ben Parsonage and
striker
Michael Collins.
Swedish midfielder Astrit Ajdarevic, part of the FA Youth
Cup winning side of 2007, is looking for a new club while
still being under contract
at the club.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Thor Zakariassen
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