JULY 17
Liverpool FC ready
to launch Keane bid
By Ian Doyle - Liverpool Daily Post
Tottenham Hotspur are bracing themselves for
a substantial bid from Liverpool for Robbie Keane.
Rafael Benitez has earmarked the Republic of Ireland international as he
attempts to bolster his strike-force following the departure of Peter Crouch
to Portsmouth.
And Liverpool are expected to make an official offer in the next few days as
Benitez’s transfer priority shifts away from Gareth Barry.
Tottenham are keen to keep Keane, particularly as speculation increases over
Dimitar Berbatov joining Manchester United, and will ask for £20million.
Liverpool consider that valuation exorbitant. But Keane is a lifelong
Liverpool fan and is desperate for a move to Anfield to become a reality.
The development comes after Benitez opted to put a proposed move for Aston
Villa midfielder Gareth Barry on ice, following the collapse of Xabi
Alonso’s transfer to Juventus.
The Liverpool manager, working within specific financial constraints, still
wants to bring Barry to the club, but will only move if Villa lower their
asking price.
JULY 17
Rovers
favourites to win Carson race
TEAMtalk
Blackburn have emerged as favourites to sign Liverpool
keeper Scott Carson after reportedly accepting a bid for Brad Friedel from
Aston Villa.
Carson, who spent last season on loan at Villa Park, is heading for the
Anfield exit door this summer as he no longer figures in Rafael Benitez's
plans.
But the 22-year-old's destination is shrouded in mystery, with several clubs
in the race to recruit him.
Carson spent the day at the Britannia Stadium earlier this week after
Premier League new boys Stoke had a bid of £4million accepted by the Reds.
But the England stopper is also believed to have held talks with West Brom,
who were tipped to be front of the queue before Rovers entered the frame.
Blackburn boss Paul Ince has accepted a £2.5million bid from Villa for USA
giant Friedel, according to The Guardian, and sees Carson as the American's
long-term successor at Ewood Park.
However, Ince may face further competition as Middlesbrough boss Gareth
Southgate has also been alerted to Carson's availability - and is pondering
an offer having seen Mark Schwarzer leave to join Fulham this summer.
JULY 16
Leto linked with
Olympiakos
By Fotis Voinikas - Sky Sports
Olympiakos are reportedly in talks with Liverpool over
the signing of midfielder Sebastian Leto.
Leto joined The Reds last summer from Lanus but has struggled for first-team
opportunities since his switch.
The Argentine has previously been linked with a move away from Anfield, with
rumours suggesting he could be used as part of a swap deal for Espanyol's
Albert Riera.
However, fresh reports claim Leto, 21, could be set to join Olympiakos for a
fee in the region of €1.6million (£1.3million) after the Greek champions
held discussions with Liverpool over the weekend.
JULY 16
Liverpool put
Barry deal on ice
By Tony Barrett - Liverpool Echo
Liverpool are ready to put their move for Gareth Barry on
ice - unless Aston Villa lower their valuation of the player.
The Reds protracted chase for the England international is now reaching epic
proportions and with no sign of a deal being done Liverpool are ready to
concentrate their efforts on bringing in Rafa Benitez’s remaining summer
transfer targets.
With Villa refusing to budge on their £18m valuation of Barry the two clubs
have reached stalemate as Liverpool are not prepared to pay that price.
The 27-year-old was today returning to training with Villa as Martin O’Neill
softened his previously hardline stance on his wantaway club captain.
But Barry’s desire to quit Villa Park has not lessened, nor has Benitez’s
desire to bring him to Anfield – meaning O’Neill will have to decide whether
or not he wants to do deal with Liverpool or face the prospect of keeping a
player who has already publicly admitted he sees his future elsewhere.
Villa kick off their competitive season on Saturday – after back-to-back
defeats in friendlies – with an Intertoto Cup tie at Odense in Denmark, but
Barry will not be involved.
The face-off between the two clubs has now been going on for more that two
months and with the new Premiership season set to begin in just a month
Benitez knows he cannot afford to see his team building plans held up any
longer by Villa’s refusal to lower their price.
The Reds boss is keen to add two more new recruits to his squad and will now
concentrate his efforts on bringing those players to Anfield before looking
at the Barry situation once more, unless O’Neill is prepared to compromise
in the meantime.
JULY 15
Reports:
Alonso will still be sold
Football 365
Xabi Alonso is still expected to leave Liverpool this
summer despite Juventus' decision to sign Danish international Christian
Poulsen instead.
Having failed to agree on a price with Liverpool for the Spaniard, Juve
yesterday unveiled Poulsen and announced that they would only return to the
transfer market for a new goalkeeper.
The announcement does not signal a reprieve for Alonso, however, with The
Liverpool Echo adamant that 'he is still heading for the Anfield exit door.'
According to the newspaper, Rafa Benitez's 'summer spending plans still
hinge heavily on what money he can generate from the transfer market. And
Alonso will have to be sacrificed to fund those plans.'
To date, Benitez's wheeling and dealing has raised a profit of £8m, a
significant amount but still not enough to finance the transfer of Gareth
Barry from Aston Villa. That particular task has gained new urgency after
Martin O'Neill confirmed that Arsenal had voiced an interest in buying the
midfielder.
As well as remaining intent on offloading Alonso, Liverpool are poised to
sell Scott Carson for £4m to either Stoke City or West Brom this week while
Jermaine Pennant could be sold to Blackburn Rovers for approximately £5m.
Yet even those injections into Benitez's transfer kitty would leave the
Anfield boss short of the funds required to finalise the capture of Barry as
well as pursue Tottenham's Robbie Keane.
Thus it is likely that Alonso's four-year stint at Anfield will come to an
end this summer - although, given that Juventus have withdrawn their
interest, Pool may have to settle for far less than the £15m they were
demanding for the 26-year-old.
JULY 15
Toon in for Insua
Goal.com
Newcastle United are thought to be keen on a loan move for
Liverpool's promising full-back, Emiliano Insua.
The Argentine was kept at Anfield for this coming season supposedly under
express orders from manager Rafael Benitez, but the Toon are still hopeful
of securing his services, if only for a year on loan.
With new signing Andrea Dossena and Fabio Aurelio more established
internationals in Insua's position, the move may remain an outside
possibility, particularly as John-Arne Riise has left for Roma.
The 19-year-old would most likely head straight into the Magpies' starting
line-up ahead of Jose Enrique, who has failed to live up to his £6.3 million
billing from Villarreal.
JULY 15
Ince to move for
Pennant?
By Paul - Roversnet
According to reports, Blackburn Rovers are set to make a
move for Jermaine Pennant when David Bentley leaves.
Liverpool, Tottenham and Villa are all interested in Bentley but Villa are
the only club to make an offer so far, it is still very likely that he will
leave soon.
Boss Paul Ince wants £17 million for Bentley and by all accounts, he is
willing to part with some of that cash for Pennant.
Liverpool landed the winger from Birmingham City for £6.7million two years
ago, now he is valued at £5 million.
JULY 7
Stoke eyeing Carson
swoop
By Ray Winston - Goal.com
Stoke City are thought to be lining up a sensational swoop
for outgoing Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson...
The England international spent the season on loan at Aston Villa, who were
eager to make the move permanent until protracted negotiations with the Reds
over their captain Gareth Barry somewhat soured the relationship between
both clubs.
So, despite Carson's eagnerness to head back to Villa Park, even with
Barry's impending and inevitable exit on the horizon, the 22-year-old will
almost certainly be playing his football elsewhere next season.
With playing second fiddle to Jose Reina at Liverpool being out of the
question, Premier League new boys Stoke City have emerged as unlikely
contenders for his signature.
Having initially been valued at £10 million, Carson would be well out of
Stoke's price range. However, this was thought primarily to be a deterrent
to prevent Villa from landing their man, as they are now opting for troubled
Tottenham Hotspur keeper Paul Robinson.
Quite how much Stoke will be able to pay for Carson remains a matter of
contention, particularly as £5 million is likely to be the absolute minimum
the Reds would let their man leave for.
JULY 6
Reds linked to VfB star
By Laurent Picard - Setanta Sports
Fernando Meira’s agent claims that his client can leave
Stuttgart for the right price, while Liverpool are believed to be huge
admirers of the centre back.
The Portugal international has been one of the best players in Die
Bundesliga in the last few seasons, and a move from the German league after
seven years could be in the air.
The Reds, busy in the market having signed full backs Andrea Dossena and
Philipp Degen, could invest in another defender, although an official
announcement is yet to be made.
Meira’s representative Roger Wittman reckons that as soon as Stuttgart will
decide the defender can leave HSV, a host of clubs will make an offer for
the highly rated 30-year-old.
“If the club puts him up for sale, everything will happen very quickly,” he
said.
“There’s always interest in a player of his quality.”
JULY 6
Reds prepare final
Barry bid
Sporting Life
Liverpool reportedly want to offer Steve Finnan to Aston
Villa in a final bid to land Gareth Barry for less than
the £18million asking price.
Barry's proposed move to Anfield has been one of the summer's longest
transfer sagas but Martin O'Neill has accepted his skipper will leave, and
has urged his counterpart Rafa Benitez to stump up the cash and get the deal
done.
Liverpool do not want to pay much above £15million, though, and will now
offer Finnan to Villa in order to save money for their other summer targets.
O'Neill is a known admirer of the right-back and has been linked with a
straight cash bid anyway, so Liverpool are hopeful they will finally be able
to take Barry to Anfield.
The News of the World says Finnan will be valued at around £1.5million in
the deal, with Villa due a further £500,000 if the Reds finish in the top
four of the Premier League next season.
A source close to Liverpool said in the newspaper: "There has been so much
haggling in the past week and the mood has been very tense at times but both
sides seem to be close to deal."
JULY 3
Reds in for
Brazilian keeper
By Laurent Picard - Setanta Sports
Palmeiras goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri has made the trip to
Europe to secure a work permit, amid suggestions he is on his way to
Liverpool.
The 25-year-old is only second choice at Palmeiras, but local press reports
suggest he has caught the eye of Liverpool who have not been deterred by his
reported £3 million asking price.
Jose Reina’s understudy Charles Itandje failed to impress last season during
his rare appearances and the Frenchman is reported to be on his way to
Galatasaray.
The Reds are in the hunt for a keeper and Palmeiras coach Wanderley
Luxemburgo has allowed him to miss the club’s pre-season training camp in
order to travel to Italy to apply for a passport.
Palmeiras’ sporting director Genaro Marin reckons his club are negotiating
with a European side, while agent Juninho has refused to divulge the
identity of the team in question.
JULY 2
Portsmouth
to step up
bid for Crouch
By Chris Beesley - Daily Post
Portsmouth are ready to step up their bid to sign
Liverpool striker Peter Crouch as it emerged that the FA Cup winners are
heading for a showdown with Kanu over his contract demands.
After playing more than 20 matches for the Fratton Park outfit last season,
the 31-year-old Nigerian triggered the offer of a new one-year deal as
stipulated in the contract he signed with the club last summer.
However Kanu, who netted the winning goal against Cardiff in last season’s
FA Cup final to give the south coast club their first major trophy for 58
years, is now expected to tell them he wants a two-year deal.
The former Arsenal and West Brom striker, who has enjoyed an upturn in
fortunes under Harry Redknapp following relegation at the Hawthorns in 2006,
has reported to have declared as much on Nigerian radio and is set to return
to his club next Tuesday to discuss his future.
Portsmouth remain unconvinced though and chief executive Peter Storrie, who
handles all contract and transfer details for Redknapp, said: “Kanu will be
back in training next week when we hope he will sign the contract he has
been offered.
“In accordance with last year’s deal, we have given him another 12 months.
At this moment in time he has not signed it.
“All talk he now wants a two-year contract is news to us. I was not aware of
that at all. He hasn’t spoken to me about it.
“No-one knows whether what he has supposedly said is factual or not – I will
be interested to hear what he has to say when he returns next week.
“As it stands there is a contract there to be signed. If he wants longer
nothing has been said to me.”
Storrie has already revealed that Portsmouth remain still very much in the
hunt for Crouch despite having a £9m bid for the Liverpool centre-forward
rejected last week.
Whether Kanu stays or not, the England international remains Redknapp’s
number one striking target ahead of the club’s first ever European campaign.
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