SEPTEMBER 30
Fiorentina join hunt for
Liverpool midfielder Lucas
tribalfootball.com
Fiorentina have joined the battle for Liverpool
midfielder Lucas Leiva.
Florence sources say Fiorentina sports chief Pantaleo Corvino has been
encouraged by intermediaries to move for the Brazil midfielder in
January.
Inter Milan and Juventus have also caught wind of Lucas' availability,
with Reds boss Roy Hodgson preferring Christian Poulsen in the midfield
holding role.
Corvino is convinced he can land Lucas for £6 million.
SEPTEMBER 13
Liverpool plotting
four new signings
SportingPreview.com
Only four games into the new season, Roy Hodgson has
felt obliged to assure Liverpool fans that everything will be fine and
that he is not concerned about the form of striker Fernando Torres.
But depending which newspapers and websites you read this morning, the
Reds are already being linked with four players ahead of the January
transfer window.
The first name is no real surprise - Carlton Cole was believed to be
heading to Anfield in August but the move didn't happen. However,
reports suggest that Hodgson will go back to West Ham in order to try
and sign Cole in the New Year.
The former Fulham boss may attempt to snap up midfielder Valon Behrami
at the same time, although the Swiss midfielder appears to have his
heart set on a return to Italy for family reasons.
At the same time, the Anfield club are said to be very keen on
17-year-old Spanish midfielder Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, who only debuted
for Athletic Bilbao in pre-season. However Liverpool are likely to face
stiff competition as the youngster is being watched by a number of clubs
across Europe.
And they may also face a battle for their fourth potential signing,
French international striker Karim Benzema. The Real Madrid player is
also attracting the attention of Juventus, and reports suggest that if
the forward was to become available then Manchester United may also
throw their hat in the ring.
SEPTEMBER 11
Roy ponders
£10m Dynamo raid
Clubcall.com
Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is said to be eyeing a bid
for Dynamo Kiev forward Artem Milevskiy in the January transfer window.
The 25-year-old has only just agreed a three-year contract extension
with Dynamo but reports suggest he has a £10million release clause and
Hodgson hopes to lure the Ukraine international in the new year.
The Reds manager tried to sign a striker over the summer but failed with
several bids - including ones for Mario Gomez of Bayern Munich and West
Ham's Carlton Cole.
He was also monitoring Milevskiy but did not make a formal approach and
is instead weighing up whether to offer the £10million required to land
him in January.
SEPTEMBER 11
Redknapp
and Hodgson lead
chase for "Turkish Delight"
Nigel Brown - Sport.co.uk
Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp and Liverpool
manager Roy Hodgson are set to battle Atletico Madrid in the race to
sign Galatasaray playmaker Arda Turan.
Turan has been perennially linked with a move to the North London pair
of Arsenal and Spurs, as well as Merseyside club Liverpool.
Nevertheless, the player’s agent informed Sport.co.uk during the summer
that the Gunners had pulled out of the race to sign the Galatasaray
captain leaving Spurs boss Redknapp, reds manager Hodgson and Atletico
Madrid as the frontrunners for the Turkish internationals signature.
The 23-year-old Gala captain has expressed his yearning to wear the red
of Liverpool, stating his desire to play for the reds by saying it would
be a “dream” to play in front of the kop. However it is not known
whether Liverpool manager Hodgson will be able to afford the £15 million
asking price, but the Anfield club remain interested.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp made an enquiry regarding Turan
during the summer, suggesting a swap deal involving Mexican winger
Giovanni Dos Santos however the enquiry was rejected by the Turkish
giants. North London rivals Arsenal had maintained an interest in the
playmaker however according to the player’s agent Arsene Wenger is no
longer interested in the forward.
The principal rivals to Spurs and Liverpool are La Liga giants Atletico
Madrid, who had an offer rejected on deadline day for Turan, with
Galatasaray desperate to keep hold of their inspirational captain.
Reports in Turkey intimate that the race to sign Turan will re-ignite
during the January transfer window.
Ahmet Bulut told Sport.co.uk during the transfer window that while
Arsene Wenger is no longer interested, Harry Redknapp had made an
enquiry:
“At the moment I have had no contact, unofficial or official from
Arsenal or Arsene Wenger. Regarding Tottenham Hotspur there was a small
enquiry regarding the player, but I have had no official contact or an
official bid for the player.
"So, at the moment Arda (Turan) has two years left on his contract at
Gala. And, we are waiting for an official bid for Arda from Tottenham.
We will see.”
|
