DECEMBER 28
Glen Johnson
set for Liverpool move?
By Nick Turner - Goal.com
Portsmouth defender Glen Johnson is allegedly close to
a deal to take him to current Premier League leaders Liverpool, as Rafael
Benitez looks to strengthen his back four.
The Telegraph have reported that a deal worth around £9 million is the fee
that Portsmouth have settled for the 24-year-old right back.
The former Chelsea player missed Pompey's Boxing Day defeat to West Ham
through injury, but reports in The People are suggesting that he was
actually being given a tour round the Melwood training facilities that
Liverpool use.
The deal looks even more likely as Portsmouth attempt to clear their debts
by selling off their biggest assets.
The club have already allowed Lassana Diarra to join Real Madrid in January
in a deal worth around £19m.
Pompey's financial situation could also mean that players such as Peter
Crouch and Jermain Defoe could leave during the transfer window as they
would bring in the most money to save the cash-strapped club.
Portsmouth manager Tony Adams knows he has a big task on his hands to
convince owner Alexandre Gaydamak to keep his best players at Fratton Park.
Johnson has played 43 Premier League games for Portsmouth since his loan
move from Chelsea was made permanent last year. He has scored three goals
for the South Coast club and has been rejuvenated since he was reunited with
former West Ham and current Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp at Pompey.
DECEMBER 26
Liverpool
target
Heskey in £4m deal
By Giles Mole - Daily Telegraph
Liverpool are to make a £4 million bid to bring Wigan
striker Emile Heskey back to the club.
Heskey has been linked with a host of Premier League clubs in the January
transfer window, with Tottenham also known to be keen admirers of the
30-year-old England international.
However, should Heskey press for a move from the JJB, Liverpool is thought
to be his prefered destination.
Manager Rafa Benitez is desperate for forward reinforcements to cover
Fernando Torres, who is developing a history of hamstring problems.
Heskey's contract at Wigan expires at the end of the season, allowing him to
move on a free transfer, and as such Wigan manager Steve Bruce is likely to
cash in rather than see the striker leave for nothing.
Bruce will not permit Heskey, who spent four years at Liverpool before
exiting in 2004, go on the cheap, but a £4m offer would be tempting, and
help make Amr Zaki's loan move from El Zamalek permanent.
DECEMBER 25
Arsenal plans
January Alonso bid
Kop-TV
Arsenal is ready to test Liverpool’s resolve with another
serious offer for Liverpool playmaker Xabi Alonso in January.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Arsene Wenger is ready to splash the cash
to sign a replacement for injured midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
Liverpool turned down a £14m bid from the Gunners for the Spaniard on
transfer deadline day. The £18m valuation has proved to be a major stumbling
block.
DECEMBER 24
Report: Real
make
move on Pennant
TEAMtalk
New Real coach Juande Ramos has made a new right-sided
winger one of his top priorites and they have been linked with a host of
players including Ashley Young, Aaron Lennon and CSKA Moscow's Milos Krasic.
Real have been priced out of the move for the trio and now they have turned
their attentions to forgotten Liverpool man Pennant.
Pennant has made just four appearances for Liverpool this season and it
appears he does not figure in Rafa Benitez's long-term plans.
The former Birmingham and Arsenal ace is out of contract in the summer and
he could agree a pre-contract with any interested continental sides next
month.
Liverpool could be willing to cash-in on Pennant next month rather than risk
losing the 25-year-old for nothing at the end of the season.
However the Daily Mail reports the winger was expected to be unveiled in the
Spanish capital on Christmas Eve, but the move fell through after Pennant
demanded a wage of £60,000-a-week - almost double what Real were offering.
DECEMBER 23
Spanish suitors for
Pennant
Sky Sports
Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant is a target for several
Spanish clubs, skysports.com understands.
The 25-year-old's current contract expires in the summer and he can talk to
interested foreign clubs from January.
Pennant, who has found himself frozen out things at Liverpool this season,
would be a free agent in the summer and he is able to sign a pre-contract
with any foreign suitors next month.
The news has alerted a number of clubs across Europe with a host of Spanish
sides sounding out a move for the former Arsenal and Birmingham ace.
Pennant has made just four appearances for Liverpool this season and he is
well down the pecking order in Rafa Benitez's plans.
The likes of Blackburn, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Celtic have all been
linked with the skilful wide-man, but a move to La Liga could be a tempting
proposition for Pennant if he does leave Anfield.
DECEMBER 18
Liverpool linked with
SHOCK Tigers move
Fans FC
Liverpool Football Club are believed to be interested in
Michael Turner.
The defender has been one of the huge plus-points for Premier League
surprise package Hull City, who are expecting bids for the 25-year-old in
January.
Reports are suggesting Rafael Benitez wants to take a chance on Turner as he
looks to bolster his Reds defence, but the Tigers have no intention of
letting the player leave.
"There are no players that have regularly played in the first team that we
are going to be selling in January," a defiant chairman Paul Duffen told The
Mirror.
DECEMBER 18
Pennant linked with
Spurs
By Al Campbell - LFC Online
Jermaine Pennant has been linked with a move to Tottenham.
The winger is out of favour at Liverpool and will be allowed to leave
Anfield once the January transfer window opens.
Spurs are reportedly interested in Pennant and today's Daily Mirror says
Rafael Benitez will offer the London club Pennant plus £7m for Aaron Lennon.
DECEMBER 17
Juve want Babel and
Agger
By Adam Bryan - LFC Online
Juventus are being linked with a double swoop, according
to the Daily Mirror.
The paper is claiming that the Italian club want Ryan Babel and Daniel
Agger.
Juventus were one of the clubs linked with Babel before he signed for
Liverpool last season, while Daniel Agger is still to agree terms on a new
contract at Anfield.
DECEMBER 16
Madrid launch Alonso
raid?
Kop-TV
According to FootyLatest.com, Real Madrid have launched a
raid on Anfield for midfield maestro Xabi Alonso.
A bid of £15million has apparently been offered for the Spanish
international star, who has been subject to constant transfer speculation
since the summer after his proposed move to Juventus fell through.
Rafael Benitez could be tempted to cash-in on the player as he seeks funds
to finance fresh purchases in the January transfer window.
DECEMBER 12
Reds
linked with
Agger replacement
By Max Munton - This is Anfield
Liverpool have been linked this morning with a January
transfer window move for highly rated Ukranian central defender Dmytro
Chygrynskiy, who claims that he has attracted the interest in two Premier
League clubs.
Recent speculation has raised questions over the future of Danish defender
Daniel Agger, with negotiations for his new contract stalling and rumours
linking him with a move to Serie A side AC Milan aplenty.
Cue a flurry of reports and rumours suggesting that manager Rafa Benitez is
already on the lookout for Agger’s replacement, and this morning the sings
point to Chygrynskiy.
According to Sky Sports, the Ukranian international said recently, “A move
to a big club in England would be a dream for me.
“I cannot say the names, but two big Premier league clubs want me, and my
agent has been talking to them for some time.”
DECEMBER 9
Rafa
joins Gunners
in hunt for Hangeland
By Nigel Brown - Sport.co.uk
Rafa Benitez has joined the hunt for Fulham Captain Brede
Hangeland. The Norwegian centre-back has been a huge success since his £2.5m
move from FC Copenhagen in last season's January transfer window, helping to
keep Fulham in the Premier League.
Rumours have been growing for the last week that Arsene Wenger is set to
splash £6 million for the big centre half, in an attempt to shore up his
leaky defence.
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson admitted it would be difficult for the West London
club to turn down a big offer for the Norwegian.
He said: "If a serious offer comes our way for Brede I'm pretty sure it'll
have to be considered. "When the day comes we'll have to take into account
all the possibilities and probabilities and make a decision.
"But I would hope - and this might be a naive hope - that we could still
keep him because he's got a long-term contract with us here.
"I know he's happy here and happy with his football, so hopefully it hasn't
affected his thinking because I don't know what he reads into that type of
speculation.
"But at this stage we have absolutely no indication that Arsenal or any club
of that stature are interested in Brede."
Benitez is rumoured to be ready to battle it out with Arsenal following
Daniel Agger's links with a move to Italy with AC Milan.
DECEMBER 7
Keane linked
with Spurs return
Clubcall Sports
Robbie Keane could reportedly rejoin Spurs in January for
a cut-price fee following a dismal first six months at Liverpool.
The striker was an unused substitute in the Premier League leaders' 3-1 win
at Blackburn on Saturday and it is thought boss Rafa Benitez has already run
out of patience with the Republic of Ireland ace, who has managed just two
league goals - both against West Brom - since his £20m summer move.
Keane has started all but three of the Reds' 16 Premier League games so far
this season, but has been substituted 10 times after struggling to make an
impact.
And now with the January transfer window looming, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp
is said to be ready to test Liverpool's resolve to keep Keane by launching a
bid in the region of £10million.
That could tempt the Reds to sell as they still owe Spurs that amount in
instalments following the agreement put in place during the 28-year-old's
big-money transfer in the summer.
Keane himself, despite his frustrations at being regularly substituted, is
desperate to make the move a success and does not want to leave, while
Benitez still believes he can regain his form and help fire Liverpool to the
title in the new season.
However, any serious bids from Spurs, and several other Premier League clubs
monitoring Keane's situation, would reportedly be considered in the new
year.
DECEMBER 6
Report: Benitez turns
down new Liverpool deal
By Zack Wilson - Goal.com
Press reports in England suggest that Rafa Benitez has
rejected Liverpool's opening offer as negotiations for his new contract
begin.
Rafa Benitez has said no to Liverpool's initial £12 million offer in
negotiations for his new contract, reports the News of the World. The
Spaniard is holding out for improved terms after the Anfield hierarchy put
forward a two-year extension to the manager.
The new deal was planned to last until 2012, and would have upped Benitez's
salary from £3.5 million a year to just under £4 million for the rest of his
time with the club.
The Liverpool manager is keen for his wages to match those earned by his
rival managers at the other so-called 'Big Four' clubs. Both Manchester
United's Alex Ferguson and Arsenal's Arsene Wenger are reputed to earn £4.5
million a year.
Talks will continue, but it is understood to be these wage demands that are
causing a stumbling block, with the club's owners arguing that Liverpool
have not won another trophy since Benitez's last contract renewal in 2006.
Benitez also apparently wanted a five-year deal, as he has vowed to remain
on Merseyside and ignore the efforts of other clubs, most notably Real
Madrid, to prise him away from Anfield.
Negotiations are expected to continue.
DECEMBER 3
Interest grows in Agger
Clubcall.com
Real Madrid will look to sign Daniel Agger in January
after talks over a contract extension at Liverpool stalled, according to
reports.
The Denmark international has claimed he is keen to stay at Anfield but as
yet there has been no progress on his contract negotiations, which now
appear to have reached an impasse.
This has altered interested parties and now Italian giants AC Milan have
joined their Spanish counterparts in looking at the centre-half, with a view
to a move in the new year.
Real are said to be considering using Gabriel Heinze as part of a package.
Rafa Benitez tried to sign the Argentina international from bitter rivals
Manchester United before he was sold to the Primera Liga champions.
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