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FRIDAY 31 |
Duo sign new Anfield deals
Liverpool have confirmed both Stephen Darby and Jay Spearing
have put pen to paper on new Anfield deals.
Darby and Spearing agreed to commit their futures to the
club earlier this month, and the formalities of the deals
have now been completed with both players having signed new
contracts which will keep them on Merseyside until at least
June 2012.
Speaking a few weeks ago after agreeing the terms of the
deal, Spearing said: "It wasn't a difficult decision to
make. As soon as Rafa said he wanted to offer me a new deal,
I wanted to put pen to paper.
"This is what I've been working for over the past three
years. Since I signed my first contract with the club, all
I've wanted is a new deal and the fact the boss has the
confidence to offer me one makes it extra special."
Darby was equally as thrilled at the prospect of continuing
his career with the Reds.
"It's something I've worked hard for and it's nice to see
that hard work being rewarded," he said.
"As a boy I dreamed of playing for Liverpool, so as soon as
they offered the contract there was only one thought in my
mind and that was
to sign it.
"Last season I was fortunate enough to play for the
first-team twice. Now I want to build on that, work hard in
training and hopefully get a few more opportunities."
(LFC Official Website)
Davey confirms Hammill bid
Barnsley boss Simon Davey is awaiting a response from
Liverpool after making an offer for winger Adam Hammill.
The 21-year-old enjoyed a productive three-month loan spell
at Oakwell last season and the Tykes are now keen to secure
his services on a permanent deal.
Barnsley have now tabled a bid for Hammill and Davey is
hoping that their bid meets the Anfield outfit's valuation.
He told Barnsley Player: "We have been in conversation with
Liverpool again this morning. I am yet to find out the
outcome of that but we have made a bid for Adam today.
"We have put a bid in for a permanent deal. Hopefully that
will be a successful one and we can get Adam into the
football club as soon
as possible.
"There have been positive noises coming from Anfield and I
do not think that we are that far apart in our valuations so
hopefully we can come to an agreement."
(Sky Sports)
Valencia: Silva simply not for sale
Valencia have warned Manchester United and Liverpool that
David Silva is not for sale and insist they have not had any
offers for the winger.
The Spain wideman has been courted by the north-west rivals
this summer with reports suggesting both could be ready to
test Valencia's resolve with a £30million bid.
However, Los Che president Manuel Llorente is adamant
Valencia will not consider selling Silva and is waiting for
the transfer window to close to end rumours over his future.
"The club is not interested in selling this player,"
Llorente said.
"We have not received any formal offers and it is not in our
plans to consider David's exit.
"There is still one month left until the transfer window
closes, but our decision on this subject will not change."
Silva is also untroubled by the speculation surrounding his
situation at the Mestalla and is happy to stay with the
Primera Liga club.
"Now, I view my future very calmly," said Silva.
"I am happy in Valencia and I would really prefer to
concentrate on my work. These questions are for my agents."
(TEAMtalk)
Finnan seals Pompey switch
Former Liverpool full-back Steve Finnan has completed a move
to Portsmouth.
The 33-year-old has signed an initial one-year deal at
Fratton Park with the option of a further extension after he
was released from his contract with La Liga club Espanyol
earlier this week.
Portsmouth boss Paul Hart said: "It whetted my appetite to
think that we could get a player of Steve's calibre here.
"He's really looking forward to coming here and we're
looking forward to seeing him play."
The Republic of Ireland international made 217 appearances
for Liverpool following his transfer from Fulham in the
summer of 2003.
He started the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul,
before helping the Reds to an FA Cup triumph a year later.
(LFC Official Website)
Aquilani agrees Liverpool terms
According to Rome-based daily Il Messaggero, Italian
international midfielder Alberto Aquilani is ready to turn
his back on his hometown club Roma and commit his long-term
future to Premier League giants Liverpool.
(Goal.com)
Alonso saga nears end
Xabi Alonso's formal transfer request will bring to a head
the summer-long saga over his future at Liverpool.
The midfielder's request has put the ball firmly in Real
Madrid's court, but sources in Spain suggest the Spanish
side have lowered their original offer of £24m because of
Alonso's demand.
Reds manager Rafael Benitez is believed to still be wanting
£30m plus for the player to fund his transfer activity.
(Teletext) |
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THURSDAY 30 |
Turner focused on Tigers
Hull City defender Michael Turner is refusing to let his
head be turned by reported interest from rival Premier
League clubs.
Following a fine debut campaign in England's top flight last
term, the 25-year-old central defender has reportedly caught
the eye of both Liverpool and Tottenham.
Although Harry Redknapp has since denied any interest in the
player, speculation linking Turner with the KC Stadium exit
door continues
to linger.
But the former Charlton trainee is refusing to get drawn
into the speculation and is instead focused solely on
working on his fitness to ensure he is ready for the start
of the season.
"I am just concentrating on my training at the moment as I
want to get fit for the first game of the season," Turner
said.
"I have heard about one or two things that have been in the
paper but I am not really thinking about it to be honest. I
am just concentrating
on getting fit."
(Sky Sports)
Arbeloa relishing Real challenge
Alvaro Arbeloa has said he is delighted with his summer
switch
to Real Madrid.
The 26-year-old defender admitted a strong desire to return
to the club as soon as he learned of their interest.
is opportunity and get out onto the pitch to train, to play
and enjoy it."
Arbeloa hopes that his experience with Liverpool will stand
him in good stead for Real Madrid in their quest for
European glory.
He added: "Liverpool are a club with an impressive history,
with lots of success.
"In England they are the team with the most titles...So I've
already experienced that pressure and I hope that will help
me now with this challenge, which is clearly the biggest in
my career."
(TEAMtalk)
Alonso 'asks for Liverpool departure'
Xabi Alonso is reported to have handed in an official
transfer request at Liverpool as he seeks to secure a switch
to Real Madrid.
The Reds have not confirmed the latest move in the saga of
the midfielder's potential departure to Real, but sources
close to club insist that the 28-year-old has formally asked
to leave, according to a report in the Liverpool Echo.
Previously he had only held meetings with Rafael Benitez and
verbally told the Anfield boss of his desire to quit.
This latest move will pave the way to his departure, with
Real on the brink of making a £28million compromise bid for
the Spain international.
Alonso is due back for training on Thursday from a short
holiday at his San Sebastian home.
But Benitez had told Alonso that he wanted the uncertainty
around the player's future to be sorted out before the
weekend one way or another.
Madrid's initial bid was for £24million with club president
Florentino Perez claiming that the player was over-priced.
Benitez has stuck out for over £30million for the player,
and it seems that a revised bid with both sides saving face
will break the weeks of deadlock.
(TEAMtalk)
Men charged over Dalglish grenade
Two men have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder
after a live hand grenade was found outside Kenny Dalglish's
home.
Bomb disposal experts removed it from the football legend's
garden wall in Southport, Merseyside, on Sunday night.
Simon Lewis Ignacio, 28, of Lee Park Avenue, Belle Vale, and
Carl Higgins, 29, of Helston Green, were remanded in custody
by South Sefton magistrates.
They are due to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on 6 August.
A police spokesman said the discovery of the hand grenade
was not connected to Mr Dalglish.
He has recently returned to work at Anfield to take up a
senior role at Liverpool's football academy.
Nobody was injured in the incident and it is not known if
anybody was at the Dalglish home at the time.
(BBC Sport Online)
Cattermole and Turner to replace Alonso?
Xabi Alonso's time at Liverpool appears to be drawing to a
close, with latest press reports saying that he will sign
for Real Madrid by the end of the week.
But the Daily Mail are claiming that Rafael Benitez will
spend some of his transfer fee on Wigan midfielder Lee
Cattermole and Hull defender
Michael Turner.
(LFC Online)
Reds give Real 48 hours
to complete Alonso signing
Liverpool have given Real Madrid 48 hours to complete the
signing of Xabi Alonso as the Merseyside club seek to end
speculation about the Spain midfield player's future.
Having completed the £3.5m signing of Alvaro Arbeloa, the
right-back, on a five-year contract from Liverpool
yesterday, Real are expected to lodge an improved bid of
between £28 and £30m for Alonso.
Although Florentino Perez has claimed that Liverpool are
demanding too much money for Alonso, the Real president is
adamant that the midfield player is "key" to a summer
spending drive that is already close to breaking the £200m
mark.
Alonso is eager to join Real but the situation has been
further complicated by the difficulties the Spanish club
have had in offloading players to help to offset the cost of
their frenzied buying spree.
(Irish Independent) |
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WEDNESDAY 29 |
Dossena move on hold
Liverpool defender Andrea Dossena's proposed move to Napoli
has been delayed due to the player's wage demands.
The Reds have accepted a £4million offer for the Italy
international, who failed to make an impact in his debut
campaign in England.
Napoli sporting director Pierpaolo Marino insists there will
be further talks with the full-back, but his
£2million-a-year salary at Anfield is a problem.
Marino said: "Dossena? We have taken a break in order to
reflect on this. The move is therefore on hold.
"There are no immediate prospects. The president [Aurelio De
Laurentiis] has spoken to [Rafa] Benitez, but there is some
distance with the player."
(Sky Sports)
Fans still hope to buy Liverpool
ShareLiverpoolFC founder Rogan Taylor has not given up hope
of buying Liverpool in a joint venture with fans' group the
Spirit of Shankly.
Liverpool's American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett
received a 12-month extension on £350m worth of bank loans
secured against the club last week.
But Taylor told BBC Radio Merseyside: "It's another season
and it will have to be restructured again.
"It costs you a lot of money when banks do this for you."
Taylor, a football academic at the University of Liverpool,
is not convinced the renegotiation of debt between the
American owners, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia is
a good thing.
"Debt is being added to debt and that's a deeply depressing
situation for Liverpool fans," said Taylor.
(BBC Sport Online)
Hillsborough files to be opened
Families who lost their loved ones in the Hillsborough
disaster have renewed hope of a full disclosure after a
meeting with the home secretary.
Alan Johnson promised the Hillsborough Support Group that
documents relating to the 1989 tragedy would be released in
the next three months.
The papers, containing evidence from all authorities
involved in the 1989 tragedy, will not have any redactions.
A spokesman said the Home Office was committed to "a full
disclosure".
Margaret Aspinall, whose son was among the 96 who died in
the disaster, said: "We are all so tired, we have waited 20
years for this.
"The meeting did go well and we felt like we were getting
somewhere, we feel like we do have the support of both the
home secretary and Andy Burnham, the health secretary."
(BBC Sport Online)
Sami was swayed by former Reds
Sami Hyypia admits his decision to join Bayer Leverkusen was
made easier by the recommendations of several former
Liverpool team-mates.
The Finn did not need to think for too long when Bayer
showed their interest but the enthusiastic words from Markus
Babbel and Dietmar Hamann made his mind up for him.
"I had several options to continue playing in the Premier
League but, after 10 years in Liverpool, it would have been
difficult for me to be accepted by the fans at another
club," he said.
"The offer from Leverkusen therefore came at just the right
time.
"I chatted with my former team-mates Markus Babbel, Philip
Degen and Didi Hamann. They all spoke very positively about
Bayer Leverkusen and that made my decision easy."
The fact he made only 12 appearances for Liverpool in the
Premier League last season also influenced his decision to
move on and find one last challenge in his career at the age
of 35.
"I am not the kind of person who is happy to train every day
only to sit on the bench or be sat at home on match day," he
told Sport Bild magazine.
"That is why I decided to do something different."
(TEAMtalk)
Arbeloa passes Real medical
Alvaro Arbeloa has passed his medical with Real Madrid, the
Spanish giants have confirmed.
Arbeloa successfully completed various medical tests at the
Hospital Sanitas La Moraleja in the Spanish capital today as
the 26-year-old defender puts the finishing touches on his
£3.5m move from Liverpool.
Madrid's medical chief Carlos Diez told his club's website:
"He (Arbeloa) has undergone a standard examination and the
results of all the tests are very satisfactory.
"He is delighted to be able to play for Real Madrid, which
has been his lifelong dream. He's looking forward to joining
his team-mates."
After leaving the hospital, Arbeloa travelled to the club's
Bernabeu stadium to sign his five-year contract with Madrid.
The Spain international, who was part of last summer's
successful Euro 2008-winning squad, was on Madrid's books as
a youngster before moving to Deportivo La Coruna in 2006,
and then onto Liverpool six months later.
(PA) |
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TUESDAY 28 |
Alonso flies into Madrid
Xabi Alonso has fuelled speculation about an imminent
transfer
to Real Madrid.
The Liverpool midfielder was given three days off and flew
from the Far East, where the clubb are currently on a
pre-season tour, into Madrid en route for his hometown of
San Sebastien.
He flew with Alfonso Arbeloa who has admitted that is
expects to complete his move to Real in the next few days.
(LFC Online)
Agent: Reds accept Dossena bid
Andrea Dossena's prospective Anfield exit is a step closer
after Liverpool accepted an offer from Napoli, according to
the defender's agent.
The Italy international is believed to be keen on a return
to Seria A after struggling to make an impact in England
following his move from Udinese last summer.
Reports suggest Napoli's offer is in the region of 5million
euros (£4.3m), a significant loss on a player boss Rafael
Benitez paid 10million euros for just twelve months ago.
Representatives of the left-back have suggested the offer
has been accepted and Dossena is expected to complete the
move later this week.
"Liverpool have accepted (Napoli chairman) Aurelio De
Laurentiis' offer," his agent told Radio Kiss Kiss.
"It's now just a matter of days. The two clubs are in
agreement, Liverpool accepted Napoli's offer but I can't say
any more.
(Sporting Life)
Arbeloa expects imminent Real deal
Liverpool full-back Alvaro Arbeloa claims he is close to
securing his move to Real Madrid and that the move could be
finalised this week.
Arbeloa has been linked with a move to Real throughout the
summer with his chances at Liverpool likely to be more
limited this season following the signing of Glen Johnson.
Real, who are also chasing Arbeloa's team-mate Xabi Alonso,
are keen to increase the number of Spaniards in their squad
following the big-money arrivals of Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo
and Karim Benzema.
A £4.5million fee for Arbeloa has been mooted and the Spain
international believes talks over a move to Real are making
positive progress.
"At present I am only focused on Liverpool, but it is true
that (the deal) is nearly completed," Arbeloa told Marca.
"As I understand, it seems everything is going well and
there is little
left to resolve.
"It could all be sorted out this week."
Arbeloa has made almost 100 appearances for Liverpool since
joining the Premier League club from Deportivo La Coruna in
January 2007.
(TEAMtalk)
Perez: Alonso valuation unrealistic
Big-spending Real Madrid president Florentino Perez claims
he is ready to walk away from deals this summer if asking
prices remain too high.
Liverpool are reported to want £30million for Spain
midfielder Xabi Alonso, substantially above Real's
valuation.
Perez insists that despite his club's massive outlay on the
likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka this summer, they will
not pay over the odds for any remaining targets.
"Some people obviously thought that because we said we
wanted more Spanish players, they could ask for fees which
don't correspond to reality," Perez told the Daily
Telegraph.
"A year ago, certain players we've asked about would have
cost less than half the price we're being quoted now.
"If necessary, we'll find the Spanish players we would like
for the squad in our youth system."
(TEAMtalk)
Former Reds on the move
Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch has completed a move
to Tottenham, ruling out a return to Anfield following
recent rumours suggested Rafa Benitez was monitoring
developments.
Crouch teams back-up with the man who signed him at
Portsmouth from Liverpool, Harry Redknapp, and fellow
England forward Jermaine Defoe.
Meanwhile, former right-back Steve Finnan is set to join
Portsmouth from Espanyol - who Liverpool face on Sunday.
The Irishman joined the Spanish side on a free transfer last
summer but has struggled with injuries since. A release
package has been agreed between the player and the club
which moves new permanent Pompey boss Paul Hart can make
Finnan his first signing of the summer.
(This is Anfield)
Thor Zakariassen
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