Liverpool FC Forum

[Sabre]

Florentino Perez, the day he's been named Real Madrid chairman

"Xabi is the best passer of the World"

Thank you Floren, that means 20 Millions more in the price.

"I like Xabi a lot, but don't make me talk about a player before I speak to Benitez".

Which IMHO is a relevant quote that confirms what Nanny told us the other day, nothing has been agreed yet.

So Rafa has in his powers to keep Xabi OR getting the best offer for the club. That's up to Rafa.

[Richj]

If Berba went for 32m i cannot see how Alonso would be valued at anything less than 30m.
Still don't want to see him go though for any price, He is just class.

[lakes10]

Barry holds talks with Man City

Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry is in talks with Manchester City about a move to Eastlands.

Barry, 28, was linked with Liverpool in the summer of 2008 but the Reds could not meet Villa's £18m asking price.

The England international has been offered a new deal to remain at Villa Park beyond the end of next season - when his current contract expires.

Villa reached the Europa League by ending the 2008-09 Premier League season in fifth, four spots above City.

More soon.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1....088.stm

[GYBS]

Great News

[lakes10]

I have always been in two minds for him, yes i feel he could offer us something, but was he worth getting rid of Alonso ......no.

Is he now playing mind games with Rafa? not sure.

[Owzat]

Citeh is an odd one, they go for a relatively low profile manager with an ok but nothing special CV, and they are shopping too much in an overinflated market (Premiership) I think they need to bring in a big name, maybe make Hiddink an offer he can't refuse, and attract a few more big names. Hughes is lucky that with the signings he made and at the money he spent on them, that he hasn't been sacked with the midtable finish he "achieved". He has wasted a year, they needed to be a bit higher than that to attract names. He's won only one more game than he has lost, last season was only the second time a Premiership side has finished 10th with 18 defeats.

Man City

08/09 10th : P38 W15 D5 L18 F58 A50 PTS 50 (GD +8) under M.Hughes
07/08 9th : P38 W15 D10 L13 F45 A53 PTS 55 (GD -8) under S.G.Eriksson
06/07 14th : P38 W11 D9 L18 F29 A44 PTS 42 (GD -15) under S.Pearce

So SGE moved the club forward by 13 points and won more games than he lost. Hughes took them 5 points BACKWARDS and lost more games than he won. In fact 55 points under SGE is their second highest in the Premiership, they managed 57 points back in 92/93 when it was 42 games. Only two Citeh managers have managed to win more Premiership games than they lost, the other being Kevin Keegan in 04/05 (in 92/93 they won 15 and lost 15 under chimp) They've had THIRTEEN managers since and including 92/93

What made me chuckle a bit on their wikipedia page is they list their "notable former managers" as ones with a trophy or more to their name - the list is five 'strong'. They might have been better advised including a few more than that (by doing away with that qualifying criterion)

Still, Hughes will do a fantastic job if he stops us signing Barry, they can sack him afterwards!

[DrPepe]

so Barry's "I want to play in the champion's league" claims dispear when he realises that at 29 this will be his last big payout...

"Show me the money!!"

[Alex G.]

so Barry's "I want to play in the champion's league" claims dispear when he realises that at 29 this will be his last big payout...

"Show me the money!!"

[Reg]

Lads its like a cattle market out there today, its WAY too dangerous to sell Xabi.  Wrap him in cotton wool ffs.......

[tubby]

Yep too right. But iof we do keep him Rafa still needs to bring in an attacking player or some sort.

[tubby]

02/06/2009 

On Xabi Alonso

Following an article I published on the site yesterday, related to Florentino Perez` summer transfer plans at Real Madrid, I sense there are a few areas that may need clarifying when it comes to Xabi Alonso`s situation at Liverpool...

The future of Xabi Alonso is all over the back pages again today and this story seems to be changing by the day - it is no surprise: with the new president of Real Madrid aiming to get his summer spending spree underway as quickly as possible and with Xabi Alonso high on his list of priorities that the situation is so fluid.

I have been under the impression that, if a deal is struck, then things will move very quickly. After all, that would suit all parties concerned: Liverpool needs the money early to allow them to go on and sign other players; Xabi will be looking for a new challenge after 5 years at the club and will have his situation sorted early on in the summer; Real will get the midfielder they want and can move on to other targets. And now that it is out in the open that Gareth Barry is in talks with Manchester City, it made sense that Liverpool would want to know where they stand as quickly as possible to avoid missing out on someone who we know was a target.

However, the situation is becoming complicated – which is why I stressed yesterday that there is much work to be done and things will be resolved swiftly only if and when a deal is agreed.

Partly because of how unpopular the transfer would be in Liverpool, it is all getting very political. I suspect that before Liverpool will let Xabi go, the club wants him to come out and publicly express a desire to move.

You`ve all been emailing me telling me that you don`t want Xabi to leave and asking why would Rafa want to sell him – but it`s a very different story if Xabi says he wants to go isn`t it - and even the most ardent Liverpool fan might accept that, after 5 years excellent service to the club and life in England - Xabi could be tempted by an opportunity to return home and play for the biggest club in his native country. Xabi is certainly not being driven out of the club as some emails and on site comments seem to suggest.

There is a second condition for the transfer to take place. Real Madrid will have to place a huge €40 - €50 million offer on the table in a very high profile way: but that`s highly unlikely and we are far more likely to see a game of cat and mouse as Real Madrid try and negotiate the best possible deal for themselves; it has been reported that the Madrid offer could be a player plus cash deal; but no contact has taken place and Liverpool don`t want either of the players mentioned, Negredo or Heinze, at this stage.

So perhaps, if the parties involved had played this transfer in a different way, it may have taken place already. But now nobody can predict what might happen
I believe that if Xabi Alonso is sold it will be for cash: as Rafa Benitez will want as much money as possible to bolster his transfer kitty, enabling him to sign the players that he has identified as a priority – and not just those who are offered on a plate.

Which bring us onto another topic that we have been getting lots if emails about: criticisms of Rafa`s potential targets should Alonso be sold. I will say this – have faith in the manager and trust his judgment. Remember the criticism when Liverpool signed the unknown Skrtel? And how many people complained that Benitez didn`t need Agger because he already had Hyppia…

I think we just need to look at Rafa`s reaction to questions about Xabi`s future to know that, if Real Madrid want to sign Alonso, it is going to take an awful lot of money and a great deal of persuasion – and a plea from the player as well. Madrid will be working hard from now on to try and get things moving quickly – which may still happen – but we may find that no agreement is reached: in which case, Xabi stays. And if he does, well look at what happened with Gerrard a couple of years ago: it looked as if he might be going…and look at him now…

Link

[Ace Ventura]

Where is that from Bav and who wrote it ?

Ballague ?

Anyway it contradicts itself really doesnt it by saying the deal could be done quickly, then going on and explaining that it might not be.

It seems to just be a collection of other articles and rumours all bundled into one to me.

[tubby]

Yes it's Ballague. It's not really contradicting anything. It's saying what we all know which is no deal is done but if they want him they will have to pay a lot. But it does say we are NOT interested in having either Heinze or Negredo. So if he is to go at least he will go for a lot.

[Alex G.]

Late new, Barry has signed for man City. 12 million pounds.

[lakes10]

I wonder if after today meeting with RBS our club might start to slash the cash on new players, from what i understand all big clubs are going to try to do their buying and selling now insted of the last min, if we dont act fast we could see no one coming to the club....or sell a player to buy one only to find out that he has done a deal with another club