Liverpool FC Forum

by **account deleted by request** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:42 am

Didn't know you spoke Norwegian Saint

I'm still struggling with English nevermind Norwegian mate

by **metalhead** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:33 pm

Anyways the Defender, Martin Skrtel is on skysports now

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Liverpool are reported to be closing in on the signing of Zenit St Petersburg defender Martin Skrtel.

Reports emanating from Slovakia claim Liverpool are ready to pay in the region of £7million to land the 23-year-old.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez has confirmed he is looking to bring in a central defender in this month's transfer window to bolster his squad and it appears Skrtel is his man.

Liverpool have struggled for numbers in central defence this season with Daneil Agger still sidelined through injury and Alvaro Arbeloa has been forced to play as a makeshift centre-half in some games

The Slovakian international is highly regarded and is believed to have attracted the interest of the likes of Valencia, Newcastle, Tottenham and Everton.

However, Liverpool are thought to have stolen a march on their rivals by tabling a firm offer for Skrtel.

SKYSPORTS

by **JamCar05** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:47 pm

Don't really know anything about him, but he's the same age as Agger, so if he's any good well have a great partnership set up for the future. And for now it's just nice to finally have some backup

by **RUSHIE#9** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:04 pm

metalhead wrote:Anyways the Defender, Martin Skrtel is on skysports now

---------------------

Liverpool are reported to be closing in on the signing of Zenit St Petersburg defender Martin Skrtel.

Reports emanating from Slovakia claim Liverpool are ready to pay in the region of £7million to land the 23-year-old.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez has confirmed he is looking to bring in a central defender in this month's transfer window to bolster his squad and it appears Skrtel is his man.

Liverpool have struggled for numbers in central defence this season with Daneil Agger still sidelined through injury and Alvaro Arbeloa has been forced to play as a makeshift centre-half in some games

The Slovakian international is highly regarded and is believed to have attracted the interest of the likes of Valencia, Newcastle, Tottenham and Everton.

However, Liverpool are thought to have stolen a march on their rivals by tabling a firm offer for Skrtel.

SKYSPORTS

£7 Million :oh:

Seems a lot for a player that's been playing in a Russian league and without much European experience.

Hopefully this is a sign that Rafa IS being backed by the Americans and there IS money to spend and all of these doom and gloom reports are nothing more than stories.

However I think it's more like over exaggerated b.s. from Sky.

by **JamCar05** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:25 pm

Didn't Vidic also come from the russian league and cost something like that? Not saying Skrtel will turn out the same (though that wouldn't be bad), but I just seem to remember so.

by **JamCar05** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:29 pm

Anyway, here's a longer piece by the Echo:

Liverpool in £6.5m swoop for Zenit St Petersburg defender Martin Skrtel Jan 7 2008

by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL are set to break their transfer record for a defender by paying £6.5m for Slovak international centre back Martin Skrtel.

The Zenit St Petersburg star arrived on Merseyside last night ahead of a medical today and the club are confident the deal will be finalised within the next 48 hours.

Chief executive Rick Parry thrashed out a deal with Zenit officials during talks in Russia at the weekend.

Skrtel is rated as one of the most promising defenders in European football and Liverpool have had to beat off competition from some of the continent's top clubs to set up the deal.

Story continues

ADVERTISEMENT

Should the transfer go through as expected it will mark the end of Rafa Benitez's search for a new centre-half that began with the ultimately unsuccessful pursuit of Gabriel Heinze and which became increasingly urgent in recent weeks following injuries to both Daniel Agger and Sami Hyypia.

Skrtel is a 23-year-old full Slovak international with 15 caps to his name.

He joined Zenit in 2004 and has gone on to make more than 100 appearances in the Russian league.

Standing 6 ft 4 ins tall, Skrtel has a reputation as a no-nonsense defender who does not shy away from the physical side of the game.

With Agger – who was named Denmark's player of the year at the weekend – still not ready to make his return to first team action after suffering a metatarsal injury last September, Benitez has been short of cover at centre back for several months.

That situation worsened recently when Hyypia picked up an ankle injury at Derby County on Boxing Day, leaving Benitez with only Alvaro Arbeloa, a full-back, and teenager Jack Hobbs as his options to partner Jamie Carragher in the centre of defence.

Benitez will be keen to see the deal for Skrtel tied up as quickly as possible so he can be added to the Liverpool squad, possibly even in time for the trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Rick Parry today dismissed suggestions he is flying to the USA for an urgent meeting with Tom Hicks and George Gillett regarding Benitez's future.

The appointment is a diary engagement to discuss new stadium plans and Parry insists no discussions about the manager's position are on the agenda.

He said: "It's been in the diary for a long time, to discuss the stadium."

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liv....ge.html

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According to this he arrived yesterday, so he could have a medical today, so it does look like a signing could be imminent, if this story is true (which they usually are in the Echo).

by **metalhead** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:00 pm

I hope he turns out to be a quality center back for us.

6 ft 4... feck me! :Oo:

by **JoeTerp** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:30 pm

it also seems like a lot for a player with only 12 months left on their contract

by **common** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:52 pm

I seen him play in many games in slovakian league, Skrtel is modern type of CB. Hard as f..k, great in the air, quick enough, ambidextrous. Maybe he isn't worth 7 mil atm, but he will be. Just give him a time to settle, he's got potential and I'm sure he'll be a better player then Hyppya. Good luck to liverpool fc, I'll be new supporter if Martin signs. Cheers

by **NANNY RED** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:47 am

This ones for you Sabre whats the news in Spain regarding Roberto Soldado

by **saetiakidLFC** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:54 am

Found an Interesting Site that lists all the players liverpool staff have 'rumoured' to have looked at.

Javi Martinez-Athletic Bilbao
Gabriel Heinze-Real Madrid
Pasquale Foggia-Lazio
Steven Taylor-Newcastle
Michael DAgostino-Blackpool
Samir Nasri-Marseille
James McCarthy-Hamilton Academical
Pascal Feindouno-Saint Etienne
Yohan Mollo-Monaco
John Cofier-Burnley
Juande-Real Betis
Kenwyne Jones-Sunderland
Ezequiel Garay-Racing Santander
Fernando Amorebieta-Athletic Bilbao
Alan Hutton-Rangers
Adrien Silva-Sporting Lisbon
Sulley Muntari-Portsmouth
Jose Manuel Casado Bizcocho-Sevilla
Kakha Kaladze-AC Milan
David Villa-Valencia
Tomas Ujfalusi-Fiorentina
Goran Pandev-Lazio
Wayne Bridge-Chelsea
Martin Skrtel-Zenit St. Petersburg
Bruno Alves-Porto

http://www.footballtransferleague.co.uk/footbal....verpool

Take your pick lads lol.

by **Raj_Xedos** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:59 am

Jermain Defoe has been told by Tottenham manager Juande Ramos that he is free to leave the club, but the striker is determined to prove the Spaniard wrong and earn a new contract at White Hart Lane.

The England international has been handed just two Premier League starts so far this season, and despite scoring four goals during the rare opportunities he has been given to impress, Ramos has now deemed him surplus to requirements.

I for one wouldnt mind defoe at anfield. What do you think??

by **dawson99** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:21 am

great little striker. dunno how much hed cost tho. would rather get henry next summer from barca but id take defoe.

by **Redman in wales** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:34 am

Link

From the Liverpool Daily Post....

Juventus talk up Momo Sissoko ahead of possible move
Jan 8 2008

Momo Sissoko

Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri has fuelled speculation linking him with a move for unsettled Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko.

“He is a player that I like a lot and I know well,” he said. “I had the pleasure of coaching him at Valencia.”

Reports in Italy suggest Juventus are preparing a £11million bid for the Mali international, who is currently on African Cup of Nations duty.

-------

Well at £11m I'd piggy-back him there myself. I like him. He's a good player and a real battler, but we really can't afford to keep him on as our current 5th choice midfielder.

I have my doubts about that valuation tbh, I think 7-8 would prob be more the ball park figure, but if we could get 11 for him, in effect masha would only cost £6m

by **bigmick** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:40 am

I'm personally not a huge fan of Defoe as I think he contributes little or nothing to team play, but when talking about him as a potential transfer target you really need to compare him to what we already have. Given we aren't looking like we are going to play Crouch, then we really are talking about Kuyt and/or Voronin and of course the Tottenham man is in a different league to either. Despite playing in almost every League game, Kuyt has scored with two penalties, and one that hit him and went in. Now if Defoe played for us I've no doubnt he would contribute little to build up play and I'm equally certain he wouldn't run around as much as Dirk. He would though score goals at least occasionally, and compared to Kuyt he would look like Gerd Muller.

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