by Raj_Xedos » Fri Aug 21, 2009 10:41 am
i dont get it....15 mil for a 30yr old non proven englishman??
A proposed move by Liverpool to sign Matthew Upson from West Ham United for up to £15 million appears to have collapsed because the Anfield club's bankers are concerned about the scale of the fee.
By Jason Burt Deputy Football Correspondent
Published: 7:50AM BST 21 Aug 2009
Up for it: Matthew Upson is willing to leave West Ham in his quest for Champions League football Photo:
The failure to sign the 30-year-old England international is believed to have been one source of the frustration being felt by Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez, who is keen to bolster his defensive options but does not appear to have the money available.
West Ham have been prepared to sell Upson, who has two years left on his present contract, if their valuation of £15 million for the central defender is met.
Liverpool 4 Stoke City 0 Manchester City have inquired about Upson but were only willing to pay around £10 million, while Aston Villa have denied making a bid.
Liverpool's interest comes as a major surprise given the size of fee and the age of the player. Benítez has previously made inquiries about Stoke City's Ryan Shawcross – and is believed to have bid £5 million for the defender who Stoke rate at £8 million – and Hull City's Michael Turner, falling £4 million below their £10 million asking price.
Upson has made no secret of the fact that he is prepared to leave West Ham and is desperate to play for a club in the Champions League. His sale would ease West Ham's financial position – and help provide manager Gianfranco Zola with funds to improve his squad – but will be questioned by supporters.
West Ham have now agreed a deal with Bordeaux to sign striker Marouane Chamakh for around £7 million but the deal is conditional on the club raising funds.
Much to West Ham's frustration they had agreed a deal to sell James Collins to Stoke City for £5 million but that move has stalled because the defender has failed to agree terms at the Britannia Stadium.
It's unclear whether West Ham would sanction the sales of both Upson and Collins in the same transfer window and although Zola would be expected to bring in more defensive cover if he did allow their departures, it would appear to be a risk.
Benítez is also feeling the squeeze. When he signed a new five-year contract in March the Spaniard thought he had been promised a transfer fund of £20 million by the club's American owners.
The £17 million spent on Glen Johnson has been recouped by sales while Xabi Alonso was sold for £30 million and his replacement, Alberto Aquilani, cost £20 million. It means Benitez is in profit.
The Liverpool manager has now agreed a £2 million deal to sign the Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos from AEK Athens. However, the Merseyside club face a lack of defensive cover with both Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger out, while Sami Hyypia, is yet to be replaced after joining German outfit Bayer Leverkusen in May.
tko you got on your post there Misty. 
