MARCH 26
Broken Cisse
offered escape route
Kop Talk
Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse is reportedly attracting interest from
Glasgow Rangers.
Rangers boss Paul Le Guen is said to have put a £6million offer on the table
for Liverpool chiefs to consider and with the Frenchman at an all time low,
he certainly has to consider his options between now and the end of the
season.
A source close to the player is quoted as saying: "Djibril does not know
what to do any more.
"He is half the man he once was, everybody can see that. He seems broken at
Liverpool.
"He can do nothing right in the eyes of Mr Benitez and it is affecting
Djibril's home life as well as his football.
"There is an interest from another club but a lot depends on their
qualification for the Champions League next season."
MARCH 26
Transfer link returns
Kop Talk
Newspaper reports today claim that Liverpool have a fresh interest in
Fulham midfielder Steed Malbranque.
Both Gerard Houllier and Rafael Benitez have made previous attempts to bring
the player to Anfield. A bid was rejected while Houllier was in charge and
only last summer the Reds failed to agree on a £6million fee.
It is claimed that Rafa has turned to Malbranque because Chelsea are
refusing to consider selling Shaun Wright-Phillips to Liverpool, even though
the player will be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer.
MARCH 21
Reds linked
with Aurelio capture
By Francisco Acedo - Sky Sports
Reports in Spain suggest that Liverpool have agreed a three-year deal
with Valencia defender Fabio Aurelio.
The Brazilian is available on a Bosman free transfer and has also been
pursued by Greek side Olympiakos, however reports indicate that The Reds
have won the race for his signature.
Aurelio won both La Liga and the Uefa Cup under Rafa Benitez's stewardship
at La Mestalla, and it appears as though their productive partnership is
likely to be renewed at Anfield come the summer.
Although no official confirmation is yet forthcoming, Spanish radio reports
that Liverpool's offer of €2 million (£1.38 million) per season eclipsed
both Olympiakos and Valencia's approaches.
The left back would provide strong competition for John Arne Riise, Stephen
Warnock and Djimi Traore at Anfield should he confirm his move to The
Premiership, with the South American also able to perform in midfield.
He has previously attracted admiring glances from Real Madrid, Barcelona and
Manchester United, but could now be poised to become the latest Primera Liga
star to join the Rafa Benitez revolution at Anfield.
MARCH 19
Liverpool
to offer Spurs £17million
Kop Talk
Newspaper reports today claim that Liverpool are prepared to offer up to
£9million in the summer for striker Jermaine Defoe.
Manager Rafael Benitez tried to sign the 23-year-old during the January
transfer window but Spurs rejected our late advances.
Initial reports had stated that Liverpool would try and Bag Defoe for around
£11million but the latest claims suggest that Spurs will sell for £9million
with Reds chief executive Rick Parry tipped to start negotiations with a
cheeky £7million offer.
Meanwhile the same journalists behind the Defoe speculation also state that
Rafa will try and sign Spurs centre-back Michael Dawson.
It's not the first time that Dawson has been linked with us as Gerard
Houllier also tried to sign him.
The KopTalk editor is close to the Dawson family and that's why we have
always maintained that the player would be keen on a switch to Anfield.
Reports claim that Rafa will offer £8million for Dawson in the summer.
MARCH 15
Xabi Alonso a Real
target
Sporting Life
Real Madrid are pondering a move for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.
The Spanish giants are looking for new blood in their engine room as they
bid to keep up with bitter rivals Barcelona.
Arsenal teenager Cesc Fabregas is one of their targets after Fernando Martin
replaced Florentino Perez as president recently.
And the latest man to be linked with a move to the Bernabeu is Liverpool ace
Alonso.
He was close to a move to Real before eventually leaving Real Sociedad for
Anfield in a £10million deal in the summer of 2004.
And now he's once again seen as a future lynchpin for Los Galacticos.
Spanish daily Marca claims Alonso was on the verge of joining Real two
seasons ago, but the deal never came off because then coach Jose Antonio
Camacho preferred Patrick Vieira instead.
And now the paper claims Real have rekindled their interest in the stylish
Spanish international.
MARCH 15
Reds move for
Brazilian ace
Sporting Life
Liverpool have reportedly won the race to sign Brazilian defender Fabio
Aurelio.
According to newspaper reports, the Reds have seen off competition from
Manchester United and Olympiakos to sign the 26-year-old Valencia left-back,
who is available on a free transfer after failing to agree a new deal with
the Spanish club.
The defender will be offered a four-year deal worth £25,000 a week and would
become the first Brazilian to sign for Liverpool.
Aurelio played under Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez for three seasons at
Valencia, winning two La Liga titles and the UEFA Cup, and is expected to
challenge John Arne Riise for a first-team place at Anfield.
The move could see Djimi Traore and Stephen Warnock heading for the exit
door as Benitez looks to freshen up his squad in the summer.
If Aurelio agrees terms, he would become Liverpool's third signing for next
season, with winger Mark Gonzalez and defender Gabriel Paletta having
previously confirmed summer switches.
MARCH 14
Greeks in for Reds
target
By Fotis Voinikas - Sky Sports
Olympiakos are ready to rival Liverpool for the services of Fabio Aurelio
in the summer.
The Valencia defender is a free agent and is expected to receive a number of
offers as clubs take advantage of his Bosman status.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is a long-term admirer of the Brazilian, who
arrived from Sao Paulo in 2000, a year before the Spaniard took over as
coach at La Mestalla.
Greek sources claim the Merseysiders are ready to offer around €2 million
(£1.38 million) per year to the 26-year-old, who twice won La Liga with
Valencia and also the Uefa Cup.
Olympiakos have been alerted by the fact that the South American now holds
an EC passport, although Barcelona and Real Madrid are also reportedly
waiting in the wings.
Benitez has made a habit of raiding La Liga for fresh blood and knows
Aurelio's abilities well.
MARCH 10
Liverpool linked with Premier League striker
Kop Talk
Liverpool have today been linked with a possible move for Blackburn
Rovers striker Craig Bellamy (12 goals this season).
With Rafaeal Benitez set to offload both Fernando Morientes (6 goals) and
Djibril Cisse (12 goals) in the summer, speculation is obviously rife as to
who he'll try to bring in.
Dirk Kuyt (19 goals) and Jermaine Defoe (8 goals) are high up the list, so
too is Valencia's David Villa (17 goals).
Michael Owen (7 goals) is desperate for a return to Anfield and Crystal
Palace's Andy Johnson (13 goals) continues to be linked.
It is suggested today by the British press that Rafa could offer Blackburn
Florent Sinama-Pongolle plus cash for Bellamy but with Flo having only
scored one goal for Mark Hughes so far, you wouldn't imagine him to be that
interested. Bellamy though would jump at the chance to become a Red.
MARCH 5
Benitez
linked with Inter and Real
Sporting Life
Sunday's newspapers claim Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has overtaken
Sven Goran Eriksson as the number one target for Inter Milan and Real
Madrid.
According to The News of the World the Liverpool boss, who has won admirers
since their sensational Champions League triumph last season, is frustrated
with his board's lack of spending power and wants around £30 million to
recruit world-class players.
Last week Fernando Martin Alvarez, the new president at the Bernabeu,
praised Benitez' credentials and believes he could be the man to bring
stability to Real.
Although Benitez has frequently claimed he has no desire to leave Anfield it
is no secret of his career ambition to return to Spain and manage the
'Galacticos'.
Meanwhile, according to the Mail on Sunday Inter chief Massimo Moratti, who
has previously been linked with bringing departing England boss Eriksson to
the San Siro, is also believed to be keen on Benitez.
Current manager Roberto Mancini is widely expected he will leave his post at
the end of the current campaign as Moratti seeks a replacement who can win
the Scudetto.
Benitez, 45, is almost two years into a five-year contract at Anfield and
has spent nearly £40m on players but may need a lot more this summer if he
is to stay.
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