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SATURDAY 30 |
Malouda keen to seal Chelsea deal
France midfielder Florent Malouda insists he is determined
to move to Chelsea, despite Lyon rejecting a £12m bid for
him this week.
Malouda, 27, told French newspaper Le Progres: "It would be
better for everyone if my transfer to Chelsea is finalised
because I want to leave.
"I have made my choice. I have talked with the coach Jose
Mourinho.
"The directors know I want to leave and in these conditions
I can't see me playing for Lyon anymore."
Lyon have put a £17m price tag on the player and have
already lost another French international, Eric Abidal, to
Barcelona this week.
Malouda, who has also been linked to Liverpool, added: "Even
if another club is ready to offer more money, I am
determined (to go to Chelsea) and have been for a while."
(BBC Sport Online)
Torres to hold talks with Reds
Fernando Torres could be allowed to discuss personal terms
with Liverpool over a £27million move after he returns from
holiday next week.
The 23-year-old Spain striker's reported switch from
Atletico Madrid moved a step closer on Saturday when his
current club agreed a deal for Villarreal's Diego Forlan.
(TEAMtalk)
Fergie reluctant to sell Heinze to Liverpool
Liverpool are ready to try to hijack Real Madrid's £6m move
for United defender
Gabriel Heinze.
Manager Rafa Benitez is considering lodging a bid but is
aware that United may be reluctant to sell to one of their
main rivals for honours next season.
(Daily Mail)
Liverpool seal Barca raid
Liverpool have raided Barcelona to sign one of their prized
young talents in the shape of Dani Pacheco.
The 16-year-old, nicknamed The Killer by his team-mates, was
regarded as one of the best youngsters in the youth set-up
at Camp Nou and only arrived as a 13-year-old from Malaga.
However, he has shunned their offer of professional terms in
order to pen a three-year deal at Anfield.
Pacheco's signing is the latest in a string of youth deals
tied up by the Merseyside giants in recent weeks - with Alex
Kacaniklic, Marvin Purie, Mikel San Jose, Nikolai Mihailov,
Krisztian Nemeth and Andras Simon all penning deals to join
the club's academy ranks.
(Sky Sports)
Liverpool to land £26.5m Torres
Liverpool are on the brink of sealing a club record £26.5m
deal to sign Atletico Madrid's Fernando Torres.
BBC Sport understands a transfer has now been agreed between
Liverpool and Atletico, and only a late change of heart in
Spain will scupper the deal.
Liverpool's Luis Garcia is likely to go in the opposite
direction for £4.5m, but the Torres deal will not collapse
if he rejects the switch.
Torres is Liverpool's main priority, and there is hope that
he could put pen to paper within the next few days.
(BBC Sport Online)
Former Red handed international post
Former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders has been named as the
new Assistant Manager of Wales.
The 43-year-old who scored 25 goals in 61 games for
Liverpool after swapping Derby County for Anfield replaces
Salvador Iriarte in the Welsh set-up.
"I am really very proud and excited to be given this
opportunity," claimed the player who won 75 caps for his
country. I have been brought-in to help, but I also expect
to learn a great deal from working alongside John Toshack
and Roy Evans.
"I was always honoured to wear the Welsh jersey and I know I
will get the same feeling by being a part of the coaching
team and helping John build his side for the future."
(LFC Official Website) |
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FRIDAY 29 |
Hartlepool sign Liverpool's Antwi
Liverpool have allowed defender Godwin Antwi to join League
One outfit Hartlepool on a season-long loan.
The 19-year-old is a regular in the Reds' reserve side and
spent a successful two-month spell with Accrington last
season.
The Ghanaian played a part in helping Stanley to preserve
their Football League status.
Antwi is Pools' third signing of the summer, joining Arran
Lee-Barrett and Jamie McCunnie at Victoria Park.
(BBC Sport Online)
Benitez closes in on major signings
Rafael Benitez believes he is on the brink of the major
signings, including Fernando Torres, that he needs to boost
Liverpool's squad.
The Anfield chief was guarded on Friday on the belief that
Liverpool and Atletico Madrid had struck a deal in principle
to bring striker Torres to Merseyside.
But sources close to the club insist that only personal
terms with the Spanish international now need to be
concluded when he returns from holiday next week.
Although the Madrid club officially played down talk of an
imminent move today, a spokesman insisted that no deal had
been agreed "but things might change," privately they have
accepted that the 23-year-old wants to leave.
Benitez did nothing to deny that a deal is close when he
said: "All I can say is that Fernando Torres is one of the
players we have looked at."
But after the first week of pre-season training, Benitez
clearly believes that his top target is within his grasp.
He said: "You must always be excited at the start of a new
season. You must also have confidence in your team and
hopefully we will soon bring in the new players that we want
to make the squad better."
(TEAMtalk)
Cisse on verge of Marseille deal
Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse is set to sign a permanent
deal with Marseille despite a late approach from West Ham.
Bolton and Portsmouth were also interested in signing the
25-year-old, who cost Liverpool £14m in July 2004.
But Cisse, who spent last season on loan at Marseille, is
keen to join the French club on a permanent basis.
"Marseille is definitely the choice for Djibril," Cisse's
agent Ranko Stojic told BBC Sport. "I think the deal will
happen on Friday or Saturday."
"The Marseille option is the best choice for Djibril because
of the Champions League," said Stojic.
"West Ham, Bolton and Portsmouth I understand are very, very
good clubs but Djibril wants to play in the to level of
European competition next season."
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez made it clear that Cisse would
only be allowed to leave Anfield on a permanent basis.
"Mr Benitez has been very, very correct," added Stojic.
(BBC Sport Online)
Atletico play down Torres deal talk
Atletico Madrid have played down claims Fernando Torres has
already agreed a move to Liverpool but the club accepted
"things can change".
Reports on Friday morning suggested a deal had been struck
to take the 23-year-old Spain striker to Anfield - a move
which has been mooted for several weeks.
However, the Madrid club insist no agreement has been
reached.
A club spokesperson said: "At the moment, there is nothing
happening. There are no negotiations taking place, although
things can change.
"The player is on holiday at the moment and will report back
to training on July 9 for the Intertoto match (at the end of
July).
"At the moment, any talk of a move is just speculation and
we are still hopeful that Fernando will be with us next
season."
(TEAMtalk)
Two new players added to Academy ranks
Academy manager John Owens has revealed that two new
overseas players will be joining the under-18 squad for the
2007/08 season.
German striker Marvin Pourie from Borussia Dortmund and
Swedish winger Alex Kacaniklic from Helsinborgs will arrive
on Merseyside in time for the start of pre-season training
at the Kirkby-based complex on July 16.
In addition, five local lads from last season's under-16
squad have also been handed full-time scholarships.
(LFC Official Website)
Masch plays as Argies open with a win
Javier Mascherano completed the full 90 minutes as Argentina
kicked off their Copa America campaign with a 4-1 victory
over USA.
The pre-tournament favourites fell behind to an early
penalty but hit back with goals from Crespo (2), Aimar and
Tevez.
In the same group Paraguay thumped Columbia 5-0, with Bayern
Munich's Roque Santa Cruz netting an impressive hat-trick.
Argentina's next game is against Columbia in the early hours
of Monday morning.
(LFC Official Website)
Liverpool get Torres, Garcia moves on
Liverpool and Atletico Madrid have agreed a deal to take
Fernando Torres to Anfield. Liverpool will pay fractionally
less than the £27 million buy-out clause Torres has at the
Vicente Calderon, leaving the 23-year-old striker to
finalise personal terms before the move goes ahead.
Neither side anticipates major difficulties in closing the
deal, with Liverpool understanding that any percentage of
the transfer fee due to Torres must be paid by Atletico.
Luis Garcia is set to go in the other direction for almost
£4 million but although his move facilitates negotiations on
Torres and would bring down the cash price, the deals are
not interdependent.
(Ireland.com) |
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THURSDAY 28 |
Sissoko signs four-year deal
Mohamed Sissoko has become the latest player to pledge his
future to Liverpool after signing a new four-year contract.
The Mali midfielder, 22, had been linked with a summer move
away from Anfield but has joined captain Steven Gerrard,
Jamie Carragher, Xabi Alonso and Jose Reina in penning a
long-term deal.
After signing the paperwork that will tie him to the club
until 2011, Sissoko told the club's official website,
www.liverpoolfc.tv: "It was never in my thoughts to leave
Liverpool.
"I read about the speculation linking me with other clubs
but I am already at a big big club and it's an honour for me
to be able to call myself a Liverpool player."
(PA Sport)
Benitez knows way to San Jose
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has captured a second top
European teenager inside two days, signing Mikel San Jose
from Athletic Bilbao.
Just a day after Levski Sofia announced that Bulgarian
international goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov would be joining
Liverpool on a three-year deal, Bilbao confirmed that young
defender San Jose was also bound for Anfield.
While Benitez and Liverpool are still locked in talks over
their plans to sign Atletico Madrid's striker Fernando
Torres, it is also clear the Spaniard remains committed to
bolstering younger players at the club.
San Jose, 18, will move for a fee of around £270,000. Bilbao
were aiming to use the youngster in their second team next
season, but a club statement said: "For us it is bad news,
but Mikel has decided on the choice of Liverpool and it was
impossible for us to fight against a European giant."
San Jose added: "It was a surprise for me but I have decided
to accept the chance at Liverpool.
"I am very excited but now I know that I have to work more
each day to get in
the first team."
(TEAMtalk)
Gonzalez off to a winning start
Mark Gonzalez played his part as Chile came from behind to
open their 2007 Copa America campaign with a 3-2 win over
Ecuador.
The Liverpool winger played the full 90 minutes at the
Cachamay Stadium, in Puerto Ordaz on Wednesday night.
Chile trailed 2-1at the interval but claimed maximum points
with two goals in a dramatic final ten minutes.
In the same group Mexico pulled off a shock 2-0 victory
against Brazil, Chile's next opponents in Maturin on Sunday.
Javier Mascherano's Argentina, meanwhile, get their
tournament underway in the early hours of Friday morning
(BST) against USA in Maracaibo.
(LFC Official Website)
Atletico agree deals for star duo
Atletico Madrid have reportedly agreed a deal to sign
Villarreal's South American pair Diego Forlan and Juan Roman
Riquelme.
Spanish daily AS claims a fee of up to 30million euros
(£21million) has been agreed between the two clubs, and if
that's the case it will only increase speculation that
Fernando Torres is about to leave the Vicente Calderon.
(TEAMtalk)
Athletico fans protest
Athletico Madrid fans have protested about the possible sale
of Fernando Torres to Liverpool.
Torres is captain of Athletico and highly popular amongst
their supporters. His possible sale to the Reds has not gone
down well with the fans who yesterday staged a protest in a
Madrid square.
That will put pressure on the Athletico board and any sale
will be delayed until Torres goes public and declares he
himself wants to leave. Torres won't return from holiday
until July 10th so a move is unlikely before then.
(LFC Online)
Garcia open to Torres swap
Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia has hinted he would be
interested in a possible swap deal with Fernando Torres.
The Reds are stepping up their interest in Atletico Madrid
ace Torres as they look to bring in a high-profile signing.
Atletico have indicated that they could be prepared to do a
deal for fans favourite Torres with the club lining up a bid
for Diego Forlan as a possible replacement.
Torres is believed to be considering his future at Vicente
Calderon after another disappointing season last term.
Reds boss Rafa Benitez is a big fan of Torres and sees him
as a key addition to his squad as he looks to build a side
capable of challenging for the Premier League title.
Liverpool are hoping to persuade Atletico to do business by
offering Garcia in part exchange.
Garcia, who missed the most of last season through injury,
admits he would be interested in a move to Atletico.
"Liverpool are in my thoughts at the moment, but one day I
would like to come back, and not to Barcelona, but to
Atletico Madrid, who are always in my thoughts," Garcia told
Spanish television.
(Sky Sports)
Thor Zakariassen
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