Liverpool FC Forum

by **Ace Ventura** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:28 am

Benitez set for spree
David Maddock 10/10/2007
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Rafael Benitez will raid the Anfield war chest to strengthen his ailing squad in January.

The Liverpool manager revealed last week that he still has over £20million to spend after clearing the decks by selling unwanted players during the summer.

And the Mirror has discovered that he has been tracking FOUR players - with a view to signing at least one of them when the transfer window opens at the turn of the year.

The Spaniard's priority is a defender after injury to Daniel Agger and the loss of form of full-backs Steve Finnan and John Arne Riise.

AdvertisementChief target is Paris St Germain full-back Bernard Mendy, who has been made available and will be sold in January - with Inter Milan, Juventus, Tottenham and Manchester City also interested.

The France international has six months remaining on his contract, and has refused all offers of a new deal, leaving PSG with no option but to try to get as much cash as they can for him.

Mendy, 26, who has been watched all season by Benitez's spies, will cost around £3m, and has already made it clear he wants to leave PSG.

Benitez is still keen on Roma's Amantino Mancini, despite having an offer for the right-sided midfielder rejected in the summer.

The Brazil international has since fallen out with Roma coach Luciano Spalleti in spectacular style and his agent, Gilar Veloz, has been instructed to find him a new club during the transfer window.

Liverpool will face competition from Lyon for Mancini - but they can offer bigger wages. Benitez will be prepared to pay around £8m to land the 27-year old South American.

Scouts from Anfield were at Heerenveen at the weekend to watch Brazilian striker Afonso Alves rattle in an incredible seven goals to set a scoring record in the Dutch League.

The Brazil international was top scorer in Holland last season with 34 goals, but when he demanded a move Heerenveen priced him out of the market at £12m.

Benitez knows Peter Crouch could leave in January and will seek to replace him with Alves.

Liverpool are also keeping tabs on Monaco's attacking midfielder Jeremy Menez, who has taken the French league by storm since arriving as an exciting teenage prospect. Now 20, he has been dubbed the 'new Zidane', and Liverpool know that Manchester United and Arsenal have also watched him closely, which could spark a major transfer scramble in the summer.

Benitez has been disappointed with the form of so many of his players and for the first time in his Anfield reign he has been openly critical of his team.

He knows that he still needs more quality and that is why his scouts have been working overtime across Europe.

These are probably just rumours but if it is true it shows Rafa is cleary not happy with his squad.
I dont know anything about the young french lad, but the other players would all be very welcome additions. Especially Mancini, we look so short on that side (in an attacking sense)
Mendy was at Bolton on loan the other year wasnt he ? Does anyone know if he can play centre back though as thats where we need cover.

by **account deleted by request** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:43 pm

From what I remember of Mendy (admittedly not much) he's a RIGHT back, who is a pretty poor defender but great going forward. I dont think he would be suitable for CB Ace'.

How many new Zidane's are there in France?

I think Alves is supposed to be very slow, is that true?

by **stmichael** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:49 pm

Ace Ventura wrote:Liverpool are also keeping tabs on Monaco's attacking midfielder Jeremy Menez, who has taken the French league by storm since arriving as an exciting teenage prospect. Now 20, he has been dubbed the 'new Zidane'

by **dawson99** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 2:25 pm

s@int wrote:From what I remember of Mendy (admittedly not much) he's a RIGHT back, who is a pretty poor defender but great going forward. I dont think he would be suitable for CB Ace'.

How many new Zidane's are there in France?

I think Alves is supposed to be very slow, is that true?

Alves himself has said that he is 'deceptively lazy' and describes himself in the mould of romario

by **Sabre** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 2:51 pm

Ace says

These are probably just rumours but if it is true it shows Rafa is cleary not happy with his squad.

If that's true, and that's a big if, that would be Rafa's fault, and only Rafa's fault. He's the one to design the squad.

If he wants one, or two players to make us better and / or have strong back up from injury, then, fair enough. But if he buys 4-5 players in the winter market that will mean that it's his fault not doing things in summer.

But then, as I said, that's a big if.

by **stmichael** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:04 pm

I agree though not many people thought it was possible but Rafa showed he can be bold in the transfer market when the 'right' player comes along.

I think our problem is structural, the scouts who work for the club need to focus more on attacking talent and should be flagging them up to Rafa and become wholly 'convinced' that the target can play at a high level and fill the required position, any doubts they should simply forget them.

We should then trust their judgement and follow through and hold these people accountable.

I feel the club has been let down by backroom staff who should be keeping on top of the situation and should be working to clearly defined goals and producing measurable results.

by **HacksawJimDuggin** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:53 pm

I think there could well be a further 'clearing of the decks' in January as well with Crouch, Kewell and maybe Sissoko etc on there way out!! I wouldn't want to see Momo leave but he's clearly 4th choice in the CM role. We'd get decent £££ for him...

by **Almighty Red** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 6:19 pm

s@int wrote:How many new Zidane's are there in France?

As many as the new Maradonas everywhere? Tevez... Messi... I'm sure the list goes on and on, and not just with current players... people just need to get over it when a good manager or player retires and stop leaping up and screaming 'the new Maradona', 'the new Pele', 'the new Zidane' or 'the new-freakin'-Shankley' every time Argentina or Brazil or France get a decent new attacking midfielder/ second-striker, or Liverpool get a good new manager. Christ... can't players just be themselves sometimes?
Can't Tevez and Messi and

As many as the new Maradonas everywhere? Tevez... Messi... I'm sure the list goes on and on, and not just with current players... people just need to get over it when a good manager or player retires and stop leaping up and screaming 'the new Maradona', 'the new Pele', 'the new Zidane' or 'the new-freakin'-Shankley' every time Argentina or Brazil or France get a decent new attacking midfielder/ second-striker, or Liverpool get a good new manager. Christ... can't players just be themselves sometimes?
Can't Tevez and Messi and Menez and Benitez and god-knows-who-else just be great players/ manager in their own right???
OK... breathe...breathe... rant over. :buttrock

by **Paul C** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 2:30 pm

Almighty Red wrote:
s@int wrote:How many new Zidane's are there in France?

As many as the new Maradonas everywhere? Tevez... Messi... I'm sure the list goes on and on, and not just with current players... people just need to get over it when a good manager or player retires and stop leaping up and screaming 'the new Maradona', 'the new Pele', 'the new Zidane' or 'the new-freakin'-Shankley' every time Argentina or Brazil or France get a decent new attacking midfielder/ second-striker, or Liverpool get a good new manager. Christ... can't players just be themselves sometimes?
Can't Tevez and Messi and

As many as the new Maradonas everywhere? Tevez... Messi... I'm sure the list goes on and on, and not just with current players... people just need to get over it when a good manager or player retires and stop leaping up and screaming 'the new Maradona', 'the new Pele', 'the new Zidane' or 'the new-freakin'-Shankley' every time Argentina or Brazil or France get a decent new attacking midfielder/ second-striker, or Liverpool get a good new manager. Christ... can't players just be themselves sometimes?
Can't Tevez and Messi and Menez and Benitez and god-knows-who-else just be great players/ manager in their own right???
OK... breathe...breathe... rant over.

Too true, I have all that 'new zidane', etc b0ll0cks.

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