JUNE 29
Liverpool keen on
Robbie
4thegame.com
Liverpool are hoping to sign Robbie Keane from Tottenham
Hotspur, if reports are to be believed.
Rafa Benitez is understood to be readying a player-plus-cash deal involving
Peter Crouch to seal the Irish striker's signature.
However, Tottenham have apparently dismissed the first approach and are keen
to keep the player at White Hart Lane.
Keane joined Spurs from Leeds United in 2002 and has scored over 100 goals
since then.
He has also played for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Coventry City and Inter
Milan.
JUNE 26
Boro
eyes Carson
as Schwarzer replacement
Kop-TV
According to the Daily Mail, Gareth Southgate has lined up
Liverpool’s Scott Carson as a replacement for Fulham-bound Mark Schwarzer.
Scott Carson’s £9million price-tag has prevented Martin O’Neill from making
the young Liverpool goalkeeper’s loan move permanent.
Carson is determined to leave Anfield in search of first-team football. He
seems unwilling to play second fiddle to first choice Pepe Reina as he fears
it will hamper his England career. However, not many clubs are willing to
fork out £9million for the goalie.
JUNE 25
Liverpool turn to Fulham's
Antti Niemi after Taylor snub
Premiership Latest
Liverpool have decided to turn their attention to Premier
League rivals Fulham goalkeeper Antti Niemi, after first choice target Maik
Taylor chose to stay with relegated Birmingham City in The Championship.
Reports in newspaper The Mirror say that Taylor’s rejection of the Anfield
club, have prompted Reds boss Rafael Benitez to step up his search for a
back-up keeper to Pepe Reina, who is currently on duty with Spain at EURO
2008.
36-year-old Finnish International Niemi has been at Craven Cottage since
2006, and ironically dislodged Liverpool’s first choice target Taylor from
the Fulham team.
However with the Cottagers signing Australian International Mark Schwarzer
from Middlesbrough this summer, and American Kasey Keller being preferred at
he end of last season, Niemi has stated his desire to leave West London as
first team opportunities look limited next season.
The former Hearts, Rangers and Southampton keeper is currently on holiday,
and will make a decision on his future when he returns.
JUNE 24
Leeds
interested in Liverpool duo
TEAMtalk
Leeds have been linked with a possible loan move for
promising young Liverpool teenagers Krisztian Nemeth and Astrit Ajdarevic.
Gary McAllister, who retains close links with Anfield, is reported to have
invited the pair to join up with his squad at Thorp Arch for pre-season
training.
Striker Nemeth, 19, earned a call-up to the Hungary squad last season after
scoring nine times for Liverpool's reserves.
Kosovo-born Ajdarevic, 18, a left-sided midfielder, represented Sweden in
the recent UEFA Under-17s Championship.
Both players are on the fringe of Rafa Benitez's first-team squad at
Anfield, but the Liverpool manager may prefer them to gain regular
first-team football at Elland Road next season.
JUNE 22
Rafa in for Van Der
Vaart?
Kop TV
With Milner seemingly out of reach, Reds manager Rafael
Benitez could turn his attentions to Hamburg winger Rafael Van Der Vaart.
The Dutch maestro is looking for a move to England after spending most of
his career in Ajax and Hamburg.
He turned down a contract extension with Hamburg, catching the attention of
an array of clubs, including Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea.
Liverpool have the advantage, as Van Der Vaart’s compatriots Kuyt and Babel
are already Liverpuldians and would undoubtedly be looking to woo him to
Liverpool.
Van Der Vaart played a limited role in the Oranje’s last eight performance
at the Euros, and will be looking to catch the eye of Van Basten and prove
that he can play at the very top level.
JUNE 17
Riise to join
Roma by end of week
By Alessio Alexis - Goal.com
According to reports in England and Italy, Liverpool's
John Arne Riise could be a Roma player by the end
of this week.
Riise has been at Liverpool since joining them from Monaco in 2001, however
he is now surplus to requirements following the arrival of Udinese full back
Andrea Dossena.
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has admitted that he will allow Riise to
leave, and Roma have been already begun negotiations to sign the
27-year-old.
The Merseysiders are currently demanding just over €5m, while Roma are only
prepared to pay €4m. Despite this, it seems likely that a compromise can be
found, and reports in Italy and England suggest that Riise could be a Roma
player by the end of the week.
The Norwegian international has come out in the press stating that he would
be interested in a move to the Stadio Olimpico, and there should be no
problems with regards to personal terms.
Roma are in desperate need of a left back, as they went through the whole of
last season with just one senior option in the form of Max Tonetto.
JUNE 16
Crouch to join Pompey
By Al Campbell - LFC Online
Peter Crouch is set to sign for Portsmouth.
Peter Crouch will sign for Portsmouth for £8m in the next 48 hours according
to today's Daily Mirror.
The Liverpool striker is keen to link up with Harry Redknapp again as the
Pompey boss turned Crouch into an international striker while the duo were
at Southampton.
JUNE 16
Barry move closer
By Al Campbell - LFC Online
Liverpool have moved a step closer to signing
Gareth Barry.
The Aston Villa captain was supposed to be having a testimonial match on
August 9th following a decade at the Birmingham club.
However, that testimonial has now been scrapped suggesting Villa will accept
Liverpool's fourth bid, expected to be £15m with £3m of add ons, this week.
JUNE 15
United
winger pleads for Liverpool move
Sunderland Echo
Newcastle United winger James Milner has begged to be
allowed to leave for Liverpool, according to reports.
Milner is a target for Rafa Benitez, if the rumour mill is to be believed.
The News of the World report that Newcastle are determined to achieve their
£7m valuation for the former Leeds man, and to line-up a replacement, before
allowing him to leave St James's Park.
JUNE 15
Liverpool on alert after Bentley
tell's Blackburn: I'm leaving
Liverpool Daily Post
David Bentley has insisted he will be leaving Blackburn
Rovers this summer - but says it will be up to the Ewood Park club where he
ends up,
The former Arsenal trainee has been constantly linked with a move to
Liverpool this summer, with Anfield boss Rafa Benitez said to be a big fan.
But reports in some quarters suggest Liverpool may face a battle to get
Bentley, as the player is keen to leave the North West.
Bentley has been at Ewood Park since 2005 and has emerged as one of the
brightest young talents in England.
He has already broken into the national side but he admits his ambitions can
no longer be satisfied at Blackburn.
The 23-year-old has informed Rovers he wants to go and he now hopes to
secure a transfer to a club playing in the UEFA Champions League.
"I made it clear to the club what I wanted to do," Bentley told Sky Sports
News.
"My situation is I want to move on, I want to be playing Champions League
football, I want to be playing in Europe.
"I have been there for three years, I love the club and I love playing for
them, but I feel like I've done everything I can and I want to move on and
try and push up the ladder and be as successful as I can
"And I believe that lies elsewhere. I want a new challenge and I feel I want
to push on somewhere else.
"I hope I have repaid them with the way I have played but I need to be
moving on somewhere else.
"We'll see what the summer brings and hopefully in this transfer window
something can be sorted out."
Blackburn are currently without a manager since Mark Hughes swapped Ewood
for Eastlands to take over as Manchester City boss.
Blackburn are currently looking for a replacement for Mark Hughes but
Bentley insists his mind was made up before the manager departed for
Manchester City.
But Bentley said he wanted to move no matter who the replacement for Hughes
is, with Liverpool and Tottenham said to be favourites to sign him,
He said: "I discussed things with the manager then (Hughes) and the
chairman.
"Their situation has changed but mine hasn't. I need to be pushing on and
that's what I'll be looking to do.
"I've got ambitions to play for England and I want to be playing in the
biggest games I can, and I believe that lies playing somewhere else.
"My decision is not money, it is purely based on football. I just want to be
playing at the highest level.
"There are clubs interested but it lies in Blackburn's hands. Managers that
come in want to keep their best players but my decision has been made and
nobody could persuade me to change my mind."
JUNE 11
Liverpool FC ready
to raise Barry stakes
By David Prentice - Liverpool Echo
Liverpool are weighing up an improved bid for Aston
Villa's Gareth Barry.
Reports today claim the Reds are ready to make a straight £15m cash offer,
after Villa confirmed yesterday their skipper wants to join the Reds.
Anfield officials said today such reports were “categorically untrue” and
they have still not decided how much or when their latest offer will be
tabled.
But with boss Rafa Benitez keen to wrap up a deal, an improved offer is
likely to be made later today.
Benitez has already had offers of £10m and £12m rejected by Villa
counterpart Martin O’Neill.
And in a statement yesterday Villa said: “Gareth Barry has stated in
discussions with our manager he would like to leave Aston Villa to join
Liverpool.
“But Liverpool’s bid for the player has been rejected and they have been
informed of Villa’s continued position in this matter.”
It appears that O’Neill is intent on squeezing every last cent out of
Anfield before allowing his captain to leave.
The Villa boss has always claimed that his skipper is worth as much as
Javier Mascherano, who joined Liverpool for £18m in January – even though
the Argentine is three years younger.
JUNE 7
Liverpool linked to
Valencia's Villa and Silva
Daily Post
Liverpool have been put on alert after Valencia revealed
the club will listen to “serious” offers for David Villa and David Silva.
Spain striker Villa has been linked to a host of top clubs across Europe,
including the Reds, while midfielder Silva is also being monitored by a host
to English sides.
An exodus of Valencia’s top players has been predicted as the club look to
solve some of the financial trouble caused by the sizeable pay-off to sacked
coach Ronald Koeman and problems with the construction of a new stadium.
“For us they (Villa and Silva) are fundamental players but it’s not down to
me to say who plays and how,” said president
Agustin Morera.
“If very serious offers come in they will be looked at if (technical
secretary Juan Gines) Sanchez and (head coach Unai) Emery think it’s
convenient.
“If not they’ll say that these players can’t leave because they are
important. We’ll do what’s best for the club.”
JUNE 6
Bentley next for Rafa
Clubcall Sports
Rafa Benitez will turn his attentions to Blackburn's David
Bentley once he has secured the signing of Gareth Barry from Aston Villa.
The Villa captain is expected at Anfield next week and the signs are that he
will leave the Midlands club after 11 years of service and join his England
team mate Steven Gerrard in the middle of the park at Anfield.
Barry's cost will be offset by Peter Crouch moving the other way as part of
the deal, or by him going to Portsmouth for £10m. Either way it means
Benitez would have no problem financing a deal for both Barry and Bentley.
The England star is expected to be one of a number of high profile exits
from Ewood Park this summer following Mark Hughes' defection to Eastlands
and Benitez will be ready to pounce given
the first opportunity.
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