Liverpools signings
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has confirmed that the Reds are still keen on signing Benfica winger Simao Sabrosa.
Rafa Benitez has been a long-time admirer of the 27-year-old who was close to clinching a �10million move to Anfield in August 2005.
He could finally complete the transfer this summer, with Djibril Cisse possibly moving in the opposite direction as part of the deal.
Parry was quoted in Portuguese daily A Bola as saying: "There are players we are interested in and Simao is one.
"But we have made no contact with Benfica. A swap with Cisse could be a possibility."
Cisse joined Liverpool from Auxerre for �14million in 2004, but spent last season on loan with Marseille, scoring eight goals in 21 appearances for the French side.
<!-- var sitezone = 'P4542.FBL/other'; var sz = '300x250'; var loc = escape(location.pathname); var path = loc.substring(1).split('/'); if (of(.dfp_ord) == 'undefined') { .dfp_ord = Math.floor(Math.random()*999999999); } if (of(.dfp_tile) == 'undefined') { .dfp_tile = 1; var dfp_dcopt = ';dcopt=ist'; } else { .dfp_tile++; var dfp_dcopt = ''; } .write('<scr'+'ipt ="text/" ="'+location.+'//ad.uk.doubleclick.net/adj/'+sitezone+';kw='+path.join(',')+';tile='+.dfp_tile+dfp_dcopt+';true=1;sz='+sz+';ord='+.dfp_ord+'"></scr'+'ipt>'); --> < ="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/adj/P4542.FBL/other;kw=liverpool,reds_may_make_simao_move_247014.s;tile=2;true=1;sz=300x250;ord=794679864" =text/>Zenden - off contract, told he can leave
Gonzalez - told he can talk to other clubs
God (Fowler) - out
Bellamy - possibly gone
Andriy Voronin - 4 year deal from Bayer Leverkusen
Lucas Leiva - signed from Gremio
Nemeth and Simon - from MTK Hungaria for the reserves
Rumours I've seen in various media sources
Carlos Tevez, Florent Malouda, Samual Eto'o, David Villa, Fernando Torres, Simao, Daniel Alves, Gabriel Milito, Dimitar Berbatov, Tal Ben Haim
Of those probably the Tevez, Malouda, Eto'o and Simao stories have some merit. Possibly Milito as well.
You've got to think that he's gonna buy another striker (he's always talking about having a 20 goal a season striker), at least 1 more wide midfielder and another central defender cos' even tho' he's keeping Hyppia, Sami is not going to play 40 - 50 games a season any more.
New stadium is a must to increase revenue (fund player purchases) and will be amazing if they can recreate the Kop.
After initial excitement about the takeover I'm just a little nervous at the moment with the hold up over funds for new signings. If we're not careful we'll miss out on players like we did with Simao last season.
I'll would love to see tevez and eto'o playing up front for liverpool. As much as we need strikers we also need winger maybe simao and alves. who know what rafa's got up his sleeve maybe we will see thierry henry. ha ha ha just joking. As for the new away strip i like the shirt just don't know about the black short.
I like the new away strip, just like the one wnen I was a kid, except for the squiggles on the chest panels (which I don't like)
Away strip is ok, those arrow bits on the shoulders look odd when top is put on.
Sissoko could be on his way tho'.
We could start to see some action now that they've sorted out Stevie and Jamies contracts.
Also, Olympic Lyon are notorious for delaying negotiations as long as possible and Malouda (currently at OL) is supposed to be near the top of Rafa's list so that one might take a while anyway.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=436662&cc=3436
Some highlights
"Tom Hicks has promised Liverpool fans transfer activity next week and vowed that the club will improve their Barclays Premiership record to make a serious title challenge next season."
" He said: 'Our goal is to play good football all season next time out. In the Premiership, you have to be so consistent. We lost far too many games on the road, particularly to lesser teams. 'That's the goal going into next season, to try to win those games that we have not been winning in the league. Only then will we be able to give Manchester United a good run for their money.'"
" Hicks is also confident that revised plans for the club's new stadium will be revealed soon. He said: 'The design is now final, it's spectacular and I can't wait for everybody to see it. 'I think our fans will love it - it's very creative architecture, very contemporary but also unique to Liverpool. It is all centred around the Kop. It will be the symphony stage that plays to the symphony hall.'"
" 'Now these two deals are complete, we need to continue working on bringing in new players and keeping the ones we already have.'"
" Benitez is chasing several foreign players, including Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o and Lyon winger Florent Malouda."
i certainly hope it doesnt happen, not with henry anyway, but he just doesnt seem to settled at the moment, hasnt exactly had the best performances at arsenal even before injury.
But considering that Rafa's is actually on holiday at the moment and won't be back until the end of the week it's equally possible that the media, in the absence of any hard facts to report, are creating rumours themselves just to fill up the headlines.
After all this morning I read that now Milan are on the verge of making an offer for Eto'o.
I've seen nothing on the official LFC website to suggest that Eto'o is even on Rafa's list.
However, Tom Hicks was reported to say that we should start to see new signings (both new contracts for existing players and new players) next week.
Funny thing is, my wife's a scouser. Half her family support the blues, she supports the reds. The blue half hate the reds, the red half will give the bues a bit of support 'cos they're still from Liverpool. Go figure.
I want to see Liverpool try for Cristian Chivu, Inter and Barca going in but it would be nice to have 3 top class center backs and have wing backs and more central midfielders rather than Gerrard playing wide.
thinking
Reina
Agger
Carragher
New CB Chivu? or even Hyypia
Riise
Finnan
Gerrard
Alonso
Mascherano
Kuyt
New Striker Torres?
Gives you more balance and don't have to search endlessly for wingers
Not really the kind of signing I was hoping for at this point.
Word is we're making a �25M offer for Fernando Torres but may have to wait till he gets back from holiday on July 10.
Other prospects in the news today - PSV striker Arouna Kone, Ajax's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Diego Milito at Real Zaragoza.
and finally, Former Ajax player Piet Hamberg will take over as academy technical manager from Steve Heighway
He's retired.
End of last season Rafa stated he wanted to take over control of the academy himself so I believe Steve's dusting off his golf clubs. The FA Youth Cup final was his last game in charge.
Mikel San Jose - 18yo defender from Athletic Bilbao.
oh and Sissoko has signed a new 4 year contract.
Dani Pacheco signs from Barca 16yo goal machine (supposedly)
i think he off to spain. or was that sinama pongolle. i think they are both off to spain
Sounds like Chelski have lost interest in Malouda so there could still be a chance to pick him up too.
Also, more signings for the future. 2 players have been added to the U18 squad, Marvin Pourie from Borussia Dortmund and Swedish winger Alex Kacaniklic from Helsinborgs.
Add to that 5 local players from the U16 squad have been handed full time scholarships and 5 players from the FA youth cup winning team have been signed to extended contracts.
He is an immense talent who has carried the whole Athletico team for two or three years.
This makes Liverpool genuine contenders.