FEBRUARY 29
Anfield
alerted as Overmars eyes Premiership return
Kop Talk
Anfield has been alerted with the news that Barcelona ace Marc Overmars
would like to return to the Premiership before hanging up his boots.
Gerard Houllier is an admirer of the player and has previously made
attempts to sign him but was priced out by Barca some time ago.
"It is possible I will return," said Overmars. "I had my best seasons at
Arsenal. English football suits me. I miss the atmosphere."
At 31, some fans may feel that Overmars is passed it but that isn't the
case. He still possesses lightning pace and hasn't lost any of his
creativeness. With only a year left on his existing deal, he would also be
available at a knocked down fee and he could offer a short-term option to
a side that is lacking ideas.
FEBRUARY 29
Dalglish for Kop
comeback?
Ananova
Kenny Dalglish could return to manage Liverpool if Gerard Houllier
leaves in the summer, the Sunday Express reports.
''Friends'' say if Dalglish received the call to return to Anfield, he
would find it hard to refuse.
He is still friends with chairman David Moores and attends Liverpool's
home games.
Liverpool won their last league title in 1990 when Dalglish was manager.
He quit a year later and went on to manage Blackburn and Newcastle.
FEBRUARY 26
Parry's secret
trips to Bangkok
Kop Talk
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has been involved in a number of
secret meetings in Bangkok claim reports today.
The last summit 'The Wallet' attended was apparently attended by
Thailand's deputy trade minister, other politicians and influential
businessmen.
It is claimed that the Liverpool chief has been attending the meetings to
discuss marketing the Reds which included a future shirt-sponsorhip deal
and other commercial opportunities including perimeter advertising. The
possibility of building an academy in Thailand is also been on the agenda.
A "group of extremely wealthy Thias interested in buying a substantial
slice of the club" are also said to have rubbed shoulders with Mr Parry.
FEBRUARY 23
Reds linked
with Thai takeover
Sky Sports
Liverpool are the latest Premiership club to be linked with an overseas
takeover, as Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is thought to be
considering purchasing the club.
Shinawatra made tentative enquiries about buying Fulham last year, but
Cottagers chairman Mohamed Al Fayed rejected his overtures.
The telecommunications tycoon is now thought to have switched his
attentions to Liverpool as he looks to get involved in English football.
Thai national team coach Thawatchai Satchakul, who advised Thaksin during
his targeting of Fulham, revealed he has been weighing up a move for
Liverpool for some time.
"I believe the prime minister already had his aides checking Liverpool's
financial position in the past four to five months," said Satchakul.
"He is now in the process of deciding whether to bid for Liverpool.
"His feeling now is similar to that five or six months ago when Fulham was
in the picture. If you visualised him doing shopping in a store, I would
say the prime minister's eyes are now fixed on Liverpool."
Thaksin admitted on Sunday that he was looking at buying a bigger club
than Fulham, but refused to elaborate on the identity of his target.
"It should be a bigger club (than Fulham)," said Thaksin.
Any proposed move for Liverpool would depend on current chairman David
Moores, who has been the club's majority shareholder at Anfield for over
ten years.
Moores hinted at the club's AGM in January he would consider his position
at the end of the season leaving the road clear for someone to take major
control.
FEBRUARY 15
Report:
Owen opts to join Real Madrid
By KopTalk News
Liverpool striker Michael Owen has already decided to quit Anfield in
the summer and sign for Real Madrid, claims a report in The Daily Mail
newspaper today.
The highly respected (in media circles) and very well connected
journalists Peter Fitton and Joe Melling are responsible for the article
in question. As it has been penned by them, officials at Anfield will
certainly be alarmed and they will most definitely read it with interest.
The report claims that Owen wants to team-up with David Beckham and that
he is not interested in a move to another Premiership club such as
Manchester United or Chelsea even though they would be prepared to match
the £100,000-a-week wages that the Spanish giants would be prepared to
offer him.
Owen's agent Tony Stephens is said to have not even opened talks with
Liverpool over the player's next deal although they are planned. Liverpool
boss Gerard Houllier has claimed that preliminary talks had already
started but according to the report, that was just a customary telephone
enquiry between the club and Stephens.
Stephens negotiated David Beckham's move to Real Madrid last summer and
we've previously reported that he has already been sounded out by Real
about a possible deal for Owen.
Sources at Anfield told KopTalk last month that they believed one
particular journalist with close links to the Liverpool striker (neither
of those responsible for this particular report) was leaking snippets of
info to the press to try and ignite interest. It wouldn't be right to name
the journo at this time but we will do if it all kicks off.
The player claims he wants to remain at Anfield and we actually think he
will sign a new deal if things do turn around. However, if the Reds do
slump you can expect him to leave. The sacking of Gerard Houllier in the
summer, may persuade the player - who is unhappy with the manager's
tactics - to hold out a little longer before testing himself abroad.
The fact that the player is settled in his new home, has a keen interest
in horse racing and likes to be near his family, may also go in our
favour. Chief Executive Rick Parry will meet the player's wage demands but
it's more about playing at the top rather than the money.
FEBRUARY 5
Tottenham's Keane linked with Liverpool switch
Kop Talk
Rumours in London claim that Tottenham's Robbie Keane could be on his
way in the summer with Anfield a possible destination.
Speculation suggests that Spurs are also interested in Liverpool's John
Arne Riise and that Keane could go the other way in some kind of swap
deal.
Gerard Houllier is a fan of the 23-year-old Irishman who is comfortable in
attack or in midfield and there have been whispers over the last fortnight
that Riise is a target of Spurs and that he could be axed in the summer.
FEBRUARY 3
Liverpool
and Everton linked with Chelsea midfielder
Kop Talk
Merseyside rivals Liverpool and Everton have both been linked with a
possible move for Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole in the summer.
The former West Ham ace is unhappy at the role he has with the Londonders
and is reportedly ready to listen to offers at the end of the season.
Everton are this week said to have failed in a last minute attempt to take
the player on loan to Goodison for the remainder of the season even though
Chelsea tried to loan the player out when they signed him, much to the
player's annoyance.
He may not be sold in the summer but a loan opportunity may be too good
for him to turn down if he continues to play a minor role at the Bridge.
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