Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 2:38 pmbavlondon wrote:This isnt even confirmed yet.
This is from Sky Sports (14/2/06):
Liverpool have struck a deal with Argentine side Banfield over Gabriel Paletta, with the defender set to move to Anfield in the summer.
The teenager, who turns 20 on Wednesday, has caught the eye with impressive displays for Banfield and the Argentine Under-20 side.
He played a key role in Argentina's march towards the Under-20 World Championship triumph in 2005 and his efforts seemingly persuaded Liverpool to step in.
Banfield played down talk of a deal being struck over the weekend, but Liverpool have now confirmed they have won the race for Paletta's signature.
Paletta has agreed a four-year contract and the deal is a major boon for Liverpool as the defender had been coveted by major players in both Europe and South America.
The defender will become a Liverpool player this summer, subject to him passing a medical at Anfield.
From LFC.tv (14/2/06):
Liverpool have tonight confirmed that Argentinian defender Gabriel Paletta has passed his medical and will join Rafael Benitez’s squad in the summer.
Paletta, who celebrates his 20th birthday tomorrow, flew into Merseyside last night to undergo a medical examination after agreeing terms on a four year deal.
The Banfield defender has now flown back to Argentina to prepare for his club's fixture this weekend.
He will return in the summer when the Reds report back for pre-season training ahead of the new campaign.
From LFC.tv (19/2/06):
Rafael Benitez has insisted new signing Gabriel Paletta has the qualities to match the inspirational leadership of Jamie Carragher when he arrives at Anfield.
The young Argentinian defender will join the Reds in the summer after Liverpool agreed a four year deal for his services.
Benitez is delighted to have beaten off stiff competition to land the highly rated youngster and is confident he'll waste no time in proving himself on Merseyside.
He said: "I've worked with other Argentinian defenders in the past and there is a good tradition of tough, aggressive and tactically strong defenders from the country.
"Paletta is very tough and he's exactly the sort of player we need who will suit the Premiership. When you talk about the Argentinian defenders I worked with in Valencia, Paletta is more like Ayala than Pellegrino. If you're talking about Liverpool, he's more like Carra than Sami Hyypia. This is good because we will have a balance in the style of defenders.
"He is a defender with a lot of aggression and we're sure he has a great future. He will learn a lot here, like Daniel Agger, and provide competitiveness in our defence.
"We were watching him in the world under-21 championships in Holland recently. That's when our scouts spotted him and we identified him as the kind of player we'd like.
"He has attracted a lot of interest from top clubs in Argentina like River Plate and Boca Juniors. River Plate even reserved a number six shirt for him, so we had to move quickly to sign him. We're delighted to have done the deal now."
At least there's something new in the Rumour Mill!