by JBM » Fri May 30, 2008 12:34 am
Liverpool fail with bid for Espanyol winger Riera
tribalfooball.com - May 29, 2008
Liverpool have failed with a bid for Espanyol winger Albert Riera.
The Reds are believed to have tabled an offer of around 12million euros (£9.5million), but that falls considerably short of the Primera Liga club's valuation.
Riera enjoyed a uneventful loan spell at Manchester City in 2006, but has flourished since returning to his homeland.
He has missed out on Spain's squad for Euro 2008 but has impressed when given a chance with the national side, scoring a spectacular debut goal against Denmark in October 2007.
The winger has recently expressed his desire to secure a move to a bigger club but has been told in no uncertain terms that he will be going nowhere unless a substantially higher bid is received.
"We are very disappointed with the quotes made by the player last week," said Espanyol president Daniel Sanchez Llibre.
"If a player wants to leave then they should speak with the club, not the press.
"If a club wants to sign Riera then the price will be 24million euros (£19million), and that figure will not change."
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Not sure what is more concerning, that we cant close a deal for Riera or that we are trying to sign Riera