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s@int wrote:Liverpool offer Jermaine Pennant to Spurs in swap deal for Aaron Lennon

By David Maddock 17/12/2008

Rafa Benitez is ready to meet Spurs interest in Jermaine Pennant by proposing a swap deal.

And top of his list of possible exchanges will be young England star Aaron Lennon, who has impressed at White Hart Lane in recent weeks.

Speculation has increased to almost fever pitch recently over Tottenham interest in Robbie Keane, but new boss Harry Redknapp is also a know admirer of out-of-favour winger Pennant, who he tried to sign for Portsmouth in the summer.

Redknapp has maintained that interest since switching to the London club, and has made discreet enquires to see if he can land the former Arsenal player on the cheap.

Pennant has only six months remaining on his Anfield contract, and unless he plays more than 15 games for Liverpool - which would automatically trigger an extension - he can leave on a free at the end of the current campaign.

Given that he has so far made only four appearances, that prospect looks remote, especially because Benitez has basically washed his hands of the player after he missed a training session.

That means Liverpool will be desperate to offload in the January transfer window to cash in on the 28 year old, but so far Pennant has indicated he has no interest in proposed moves to either Stoke or Blackburn.

Tottenham is another matter though. Pennant wants to return to London where he enjoyed his time with Arsenal, and Redknapp would be interested if he is quoted a reasonable price.

That would be around £3million, but Benitez is ready to respond to any such valuation by offering Pennant plus cash for Lennon, who he sees as a gamble worth taking as he looks to strengthen his squad for a title push.

The key to any deal would be the price Spurs command for Lennon. If Liverpool were asked to pay around £7million plus Pennant, then Benitez would jump at the opportunity, because he feels he would be able to sell the young England winger at that price even if he failed to settle on Merseyside.

Redknapp might just be tempted because not only would he have a ready made replacement for Lennon, he would also free up some major cash to spend on new signings in the transfer window, with a striker a priority.

Liverpool meanwhile, have been urged to send out an emphatic title message by beating Arsenal on Sunday.

The rallying cry came from their Spanish winger Albert Riera, who believes that if his side can beat the Gunners, then not only will it knock the London club out of the race for the Premiership, it will also cement Liverpool’s challenge.

Speaking yesterday, Riera insisted that the Anfield club can release the pressure that has been growing on them in recent weeks, by turning up the heat on Arsenal.

"We've beaten United and Chelsea already this season so if we could now beat Arsenal maybe it would send a message out," he said.

"It would be a good response to go and win against Arsenal after disappointing draws at home. If we do that some might say we're doing it the hard way - beating the top teams and not those we might be expected to win against - but people forget this is a very competitive championship.

"We're still in a good position. Obviously it's a regret dropping points at home. If we hadn't drawn three successive games here maybe we'd be four or five points clear at the top, but we have to be positive."

Liverpool offer Jermaine Pennant to Spurs in swap deal for Aaron Lennon - mirror.co.uk