Liverpool big in the gossip today - So worth a thread of it's own (imo)
Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:35 am
GLEN JOHNSON (IN)
Rafa Benitez will step up his efforts to finance a deal for Glen Johnson over the weekend and hopes to unveil the England right back as his first summer signing in the next few days.
Manchester City and Bayern Munich have enquired about Johnson, but Chelsea are Liverpool's chief rivals for his signature after having a £17million bid accepted by Portsmouth, as revealed in Sportsmail last week.
However, Benitez remains confident of seeing off the 24-year-old's former club after it emerged that Anfield would be his preferred destination.
Raising the necessary finance appears to be the Liverpool manager's main stumbling block, but it is understood he is ready to utilise an outstanding amount from Peter Crouch's move to Portsmouth - thought to be around £7million - to top up his available funds and match Chelsea's £17million offer.
That should be enough to push a deal through for a player who has become Benitez's No 1 target in recent weeks.
Johnson's attacking forays down the right for Portsmouth and, in particular, England have convinced Benitez of his worth, but his arrival will leave little leeway for further strengthening.
Benitez has also lodged a £2m bid for Johnson's Fratton Park team-mate Sylvain Distin, but will have to consider selling before making any other signings.
He could raise badly needed revenue by sacrificing Yossi Benayoun after reports in Israel that Tottenham, as well as Barcelona, had made an approach for the midfielder.
Benayoun has been priced at £12m for foreign clubs but would cost even more for any of Liverpool's Barclays Premier League rivals.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport....ez.html
Kind of player we should be looking at but £17m seems a lot and is he that much better than Arbeloa who Madrid reputedly rate at £8m?
ALVARO ARBELOA (OUT)
REAL MADRID are set to step up their astonishing spending spree — after an £8million offer for Liverpool’s Alvaro Arbeloa.
There is even speculation the Spanish billionaires will bid £15m for Chelsea’s Ashley Cole to keep him away from Barcelona.
Just 24 hours after agreeing an £80m fee for Cristiano Ronaldo, Real president Florentino Perez contacted Liverpool with the official bid for right-back Arbeloa.
The Spain ace, 26, was a key player in Kop boss Rafa Benitez’s team last season.
But Benitez will struggle to resist Madrid’s offer after being told he needs to sell before he can make any major signings this summer.
Arbeloa actually started his career at Real but played just two games for the club before moving to Deportivo La Coruna.
He was signed by Liverpool for £3m in January 2007 and Madrid — well aware of Liverpool’s mounting financial problems — are convinced they can prise Arbeloa back to Spain.
Having spent £62m on Brazilian superstar Kaka and agreeing Ronaldo’s switch, Madrid are now turning their attentions to their defence.
And they could snatch England ace Cole from Chelsea.
New Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti is keen to tie him to a new deal after recent interest from La Liga champions Barcelona.
But Madrid are prepared to top any huge offer to the left-back from rivals Barcelona and Chelsea
http://www.thes*n.co.uk/sol....ar.html
"key player last season" ?!?!?! Only RB more like, nearly murdered by Carra to boot. I'd consider £8m for him, depends if Degen is any good or if we need to get cover. Last thing we really want is to be playing Mascherano or Carra at RB again.
SAMUEL ETO'O (IN), JAVIER MASCHERANO (OUT?)
Samuel Eto'o has been offered to Liverpool by Barcelona in a swap deal as the European Champions step up their bid to land Javier Mascherano.
Eto’o, 28, is one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe after failing to agree a new deal at the Nou Camp.
Barca believe offering him to Liverpool for unsettled Mascherano could help to smooth a deal. Reds boss Rafa Benitez insisted earlier this week that he wasn’t willing to sell his Argentine defensive midfielder to Barca “at any price” – even £50million.
But Mascherano’s agent, Walter Tamer, also spoke this week about Mascherano’s “dream” of playing for the Champions League winners.
And Barca are also well aware of Liverpool’s financial woes as well as their lack of depth in attack. Eto’o has just a year left on his current deal.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/most-po....1436574
We're not exactly inundated with CFs, but many believe Mascherano is a priceless asset. I think we'd find it easier to land a replacement for Mascherano who is a luxury against weaker opponents of whom we play more of a season than the kind of teams Mascherano "shuts out" than land a goalscorer like Eto'o.
ALVARO NEGREDO (IN), XABI ALONSO (OUT?)
Rafa Benitez has made a £6million offer for Real Madrid’s Alvaro Negredo – but faces competition from Valencia.
Cash-strapped Valencia want Negredo, 23, to be part of any deal for striker David Villa, who is a £35m target for Real.
Madrid sold hitman Negredo to Almeira in 2007 but exercised a £4m option to re-buy him – even though he is likely to be sold this summer.
Liverpool boss Benitez believes Negredo has huge potential but might only be able to land him by making Xabi Alonso available to Madrid.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport....1436579
I wonder exactly how much Madrid would offer plus Negredo for Alonso. I am surprised at the poll results for the 'sell Mascherano or sell Alonso' thread, I think Alonso is much more influential in more games and harder to replace than Mascherano. Go through each game of the season and I'd put Alonso in instead of/before Mascherano in the vast majority. eg Alonso or Mascherano vs Stoke/Hull/Bolton/Blackburn etc
Rafa Benitez will step up his efforts to finance a deal for Glen Johnson over the weekend and hopes to unveil the England right back as his first summer signing in the next few days.
Manchester City and Bayern Munich have enquired about Johnson, but Chelsea are Liverpool's chief rivals for his signature after having a £17million bid accepted by Portsmouth, as revealed in Sportsmail last week.
However, Benitez remains confident of seeing off the 24-year-old's former club after it emerged that Anfield would be his preferred destination.
Raising the necessary finance appears to be the Liverpool manager's main stumbling block, but it is understood he is ready to utilise an outstanding amount from Peter Crouch's move to Portsmouth - thought to be around £7million - to top up his available funds and match Chelsea's £17million offer.
That should be enough to push a deal through for a player who has become Benitez's No 1 target in recent weeks.
Johnson's attacking forays down the right for Portsmouth and, in particular, England have convinced Benitez of his worth, but his arrival will leave little leeway for further strengthening.
Benitez has also lodged a £2m bid for Johnson's Fratton Park team-mate Sylvain Distin, but will have to consider selling before making any other signings.
He could raise badly needed revenue by sacrificing Yossi Benayoun after reports in Israel that Tottenham, as well as Barcelona, had made an approach for the midfielder.
Benayoun has been priced at £12m for foreign clubs but would cost even more for any of Liverpool's Barclays Premier League rivals.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport....ez.html
Kind of player we should be looking at but £17m seems a lot and is he that much better than Arbeloa who Madrid reputedly rate at £8m?
ALVARO ARBELOA (OUT)
REAL MADRID are set to step up their astonishing spending spree — after an £8million offer for Liverpool’s Alvaro Arbeloa.
There is even speculation the Spanish billionaires will bid £15m for Chelsea’s Ashley Cole to keep him away from Barcelona.
Just 24 hours after agreeing an £80m fee for Cristiano Ronaldo, Real president Florentino Perez contacted Liverpool with the official bid for right-back Arbeloa.
The Spain ace, 26, was a key player in Kop boss Rafa Benitez’s team last season.
But Benitez will struggle to resist Madrid’s offer after being told he needs to sell before he can make any major signings this summer.
Arbeloa actually started his career at Real but played just two games for the club before moving to Deportivo La Coruna.
He was signed by Liverpool for £3m in January 2007 and Madrid — well aware of Liverpool’s mounting financial problems — are convinced they can prise Arbeloa back to Spain.
Having spent £62m on Brazilian superstar Kaka and agreeing Ronaldo’s switch, Madrid are now turning their attentions to their defence.
And they could snatch England ace Cole from Chelsea.
New Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti is keen to tie him to a new deal after recent interest from La Liga champions Barcelona.
But Madrid are prepared to top any huge offer to the left-back from rivals Barcelona and Chelsea
http://www.thes*n.co.uk/sol....ar.html
"key player last season" ?!?!?! Only RB more like, nearly murdered by Carra to boot. I'd consider £8m for him, depends if Degen is any good or if we need to get cover. Last thing we really want is to be playing Mascherano or Carra at RB again.
SAMUEL ETO'O (IN), JAVIER MASCHERANO (OUT?)
Samuel Eto'o has been offered to Liverpool by Barcelona in a swap deal as the European Champions step up their bid to land Javier Mascherano.
Eto’o, 28, is one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe after failing to agree a new deal at the Nou Camp.
Barca believe offering him to Liverpool for unsettled Mascherano could help to smooth a deal. Reds boss Rafa Benitez insisted earlier this week that he wasn’t willing to sell his Argentine defensive midfielder to Barca “at any price” – even £50million.
But Mascherano’s agent, Walter Tamer, also spoke this week about Mascherano’s “dream” of playing for the Champions League winners.
And Barca are also well aware of Liverpool’s financial woes as well as their lack of depth in attack. Eto’o has just a year left on his current deal.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/most-po....1436574
We're not exactly inundated with CFs, but many believe Mascherano is a priceless asset. I think we'd find it easier to land a replacement for Mascherano who is a luxury against weaker opponents of whom we play more of a season than the kind of teams Mascherano "shuts out" than land a goalscorer like Eto'o.
ALVARO NEGREDO (IN), XABI ALONSO (OUT?)
Rafa Benitez has made a £6million offer for Real Madrid’s Alvaro Negredo – but faces competition from Valencia.
Cash-strapped Valencia want Negredo, 23, to be part of any deal for striker David Villa, who is a £35m target for Real.
Madrid sold hitman Negredo to Almeira in 2007 but exercised a £4m option to re-buy him – even though he is likely to be sold this summer.
Liverpool boss Benitez believes Negredo has huge potential but might only be able to land him by making Xabi Alonso available to Madrid.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport....1436579
I wonder exactly how much Madrid would offer plus Negredo for Alonso. I am surprised at the poll results for the 'sell Mascherano or sell Alonso' thread, I think Alonso is much more influential in more games and harder to replace than Mascherano. Go through each game of the season and I'd put Alonso in instead of/before Mascherano in the vast majority. eg Alonso or Mascherano vs Stoke/Hull/Bolton/Blackburn etc