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Benitez to be handed mega £150M Liverpool warchest - February 03, 2007:

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez will be handed a staggering £150 MILLION warchest by new owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

Hicks and Gillett are preparing to confirm their £470m takeover of the club has been accepted by the majority shareholder on Tuesday, with the £5,000-per-share offer then presented to shareholders. And they will then give boss Benitez £150m for players.

A highly-placed source in the Hicks camp told the News of the World: "Tom is a shopaholic when it comes to his business dealings.

"He is always prepared to invest heavily whether it is in his sports or other enterprises. He and George will not hesitate to spend whatever it takes to put Liverpool on top."

i  think 150mill is way too much, liverpool just need to add a few class players to rm, rb and cb... and bring cisse back! i think spend the rest of the money on the stadium/ youth

yup, deff. on the stadium and the youth but i wouldn't mind seeing lampard there at the end of the season.

Inter, AC Milan go for cut-price Chelsea star Lampard:

AC Milan and Inter are battling for Chelsea midfield ace Frank Lampard.

The Daily Mail says both Italian giants intend to offer the £8 million required to land Lampard in the summer - thanks to a new FIFA law allowing the England man to leave for a cut-price fee.

AC Milan general director Ariedo Braida expressed a firm interest in the England midfielder last night.

"Is this true? Lampard available for £8m?" said Braida. "If this is the case, of course it is interesting news. Lampard is a very good player, one of the best around, and this is something I wasn't aware of at all. I am glad I have been made aware of this situation."

A source close to Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini, linked with a move to replace Mourinho, admitted that his club would also be keen on Lampard.

"He has considered making a move for Lampard even at a much higher price so this latest development will obviously be tempting, said the source.

"It has been well chronicled in Italy that Roberto is a long term admirer of Lampard and he would be very interested in bringing him to Inter.

"Inter need to strengthen their midfield so that they can maintain momentum and seal the title in Italy. They are trying to do anything they can to make sure of that and Lampard fits the bill. When you have been interested in buying a player for a while and he suddenly comes on to the market - in theory at least - at a much cheaper price, then it would be crazy not to give it serious consideration."

Players who have served three years of a contract they signed when aged under 28 can buy themselves out - as long as they give 15 days' notice to a club at the end of the season.

The fee would be based on their wages rather than a full transfer value, which would be nearer £25m for an experienced international such as Lampard.

lampard is a good player but i hate him too much to see him in a red shirt.

George Gillett has confirmed he would consider selling the naming rights to Liverpool's new stadium if it helped to boost transfer coffers.

And the American confirmed building work would start across the road from the current Anfield stadium within two months.   He said: "The shovel needs to be in the ground within the next 60 days and you will soon see a great big swimming pool being dug out on Stanley Park.   "If the naming rights are worth one great player a year in transfer spending, we will certainly look at that as a serious option."   Gillett also revealed he met the project manager for the new stadium on Tuesday.   The sports mogul told reporters he wanted it to be the best in the world with an "unparalleled" fan experience.

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actually i wouldnt mind seeing both in the centre of midfield together. very strong english combination.

Liverpool FC boss may sell naming rights to stadium

08-Feb-07

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MASCHERANO CLEAR FOR KOP MOVE

By John Cross 12/02/2007

JAVIER MASCHERANO is set to be confirmed a Liverpool player within the next 48 hours.

The World Cup star, 22, moved to Liverpool from West Ham on deadline day subject to him getting clearance from FIFA. But the deal has been dogged by red tape, with the former Corinthians star's career held in limbo

FIFA rules forbid any player turning out for three different clubs in a 12-month period from July 1.

That set his agents the task of skirting FIFA rules - and they found it by using South American practice as precedent.

There it is becoming commonplace for players to represent three clubs in a 12-month period.

In addition, Mascherano's camp have argued that because he was out in the cold at West Ham and clearly unable to settle in London, he should be allowed an escape.

Now the deal is in place for Mascherano to join Rafa Benitez's Liverpool on loan until the end of the season and then join them permanently in a deal which could rise to £18m depending upon appearances.

Mascherano, whose contract is 'owned' by South American firm Media Sports Investments, now hopes to complete his controversial move to Liverpool and salvage his career and reputation in the Premiership

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18mill! shit he better be good!

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez's first signing following George Gillett and Tom Hicks's takeover of the club will be to buy Spain international David Villa from Valencia for £20m. (Sunday Express)

Tottenham boss Martin Jol will bid £3.2m in an attempt to secure Harry Kewell from Liverpool in the summer. (Various)

Liverpool boss Benitez eyeing Barcelona whizkid Dos Santos
tribalfooball.com - February 14, 2007

Liverpool are eyeing a shock move for Barcelona superkid Giovani dos Santos.

The 17 year-old Mexican is regarded as currently Barca's hottest youth product and Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez knows he is set to gain his Spanish passport next month.

Dos Santos has been frustrated by the lack of first team chances he's had since being promoted to Frank Rijkaard's senior squad in preseason and came close to joining Olympique Lyon last month.

The talented midfielder is contracted to Barca until 2009 with a buyout clause of £20 million.

Bayern Leverkusen striker Andrei Voronin has reportedly clinched a deal to join Liverpool in the summer:

The Ukrainian international is out of contract at the end of the season and has reached a agreement that will see him join The Reds on a four-year contract in June.

Voronin had been linked with a move to Celtic in December but will now join Craig Bellamy, Peter Crouch, Robbie Fowler and Dirk Kuyt in Rafa Benitez's plans at Anfield.

The 27-year-old has bagged six goals in 20 league appearances for the German club this season and, following Bayer's 1-0 defeat to Hannover on Saturday, it was announced that the striker will pursue a career in England come the end of the season.

Voronin is keen to widen his experiences after spending a decade in Germany since joining Borussia Dortmund as an 18-year-old from his native Ukraine.

"I have been in Germany for ten years now, that is a long time," said Voronin in Kicker. "I want to see something else."

Voronin's prospective arrival could provoke fresh doubts over Fowler's future at Anfield, as the Reds hero also sees his contract expire at the end of the season.

im not sure if we need another striker, just need cisse back and we will have 4 strikers, which i think is enough.

BELLAMY SET FOR £80,000 FINE - REPORTS

Liverpool forward Craig Bellamy is reported to be facing an £80,000 fine following allegations of a training-camp bust-up with team-mate John Arne Riise.

Manager Rafael Benitez said he would punish any players found to have breached club rules during a four-day training trip to Portugal last week.

Controversial striker Bellamy is believed to have been at the centre of the storm with one report claiming a drinking session on Thursday ended with the Welshman attacking Norwegian Riise.

There have also been reports of a separate row involving Jerzy Dudek, Robbie Fowler and Jermaine Pennant while the squad stayed at the Algarve resort of Vale do Lobo.

Eye-witnesses have claimed that police were called to the resort during a noisy disturbance. June and Peter Lover, a retired couple from Harrogate, looked out from their apartment window after being woken up at 1.30am.

Mrs Lover told The Times: "There must have been at least five police vehicles and a dozen police under our window. The noise was terrible and we simply couldn't sleep through it.

"At first it seemed like late-night revelry and we knew the Liverpool squad were downstairs. But then things seemed to get out of hand and the police arrived."

Mr Lover added that he saw one player handcuffed before being released.

He said: "He kept telling the police how much he loved them, as if he was pleading to be allowed to go free.

"At one point, the police seemed to be slapping him around the face, trying to bring him round and sober him up because he was so drunk. He kept apologising over and over again but the police did not want to know.

"It was only after a while that the police found someone from the Liverpool management, who managed to calm things down and talk quietly.

"We have many teams around the complex and there is usually no trouble at all, but this was not a pleasant experience."

The matter has overshadowed Liverpool's preparations for their Champions League tie at Barcelona on Wednesday but the club have insisted training has gone well.

"The players worked extremely hard at last week's training camp, but we will take disciplinary action and fine any of them who are found to have breached club rules during our stay in Portugal," Benitez said on Sunday.

"I've told the players this and they understand and accept the decision I have taken.

"Despite reports to the contrary, the spirit amongst the lads is very good with everyone looking forward to the game against Barcelona on Wednesday."

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