The OFFICIAL Liverpool Supporters thread

Started by Gabriel_Hurl, November 09, 2006, 10:52:45 PM

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AZOffaly

Feck's sake. We are amassing a great minor team, but any chance of a few established players coming in?

Gabriel_Hurl

New Anfield Design - very American-esque




GalwayBayBoy

Apparently Atletico Madrid are close to the signings of Riquelme and Forlan for 21M.

Word is that the Torres deal is inching closer but that Atletico want to bring in some players in order to stop their fans rioting at Torres' departure.

uselessfootballer

Capello sacked, here's hoping that Real don't come after Benitez again cause if you believe the press he's not too impressed with the yank money men

corn02

Don't think that is it Gabriel, not being released to the 3rd of July as far as I know.

Fr Ted

The Mali international had been linked with a summer move away from Liverpool but the player himself has denied he ever considered leaving Anfield.
 
After putting pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at the club until at least 2011 Sissoko told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It was never in my thoughts to leave Liverpool.
 
"I read about the speculation linking me with other clubs but I am already at a big big club and it's an honour for me to be able to call myself a Liverpool player.
 
"I feel fresh and can't wait for the new season to start. I am injury-free and although I know I'll face a battle for a place in the team as we have so many great midfielders I'm prepared to fight for a position.
 
"It obviously gave me a huge boost to my confidence that the manager believes in me and wanted me to stay at the club. Now I want to repay him on the pitch."

Looks like rafa is slowly gettin what he wants from the yanks, - main players committing themselves long term, a better youth policy, and we hope a couple of big signings

Gabriel_Hurl


The Real Laoislad

You'll Never Walk Alone.

GalwayBayBoy

Liverpool will pay record-breaking £27m for Torres
By Andy Hunter

Published: 29 June 2007

Liverpool are close to delivering the emphatic statement of intent demanded by manager Rafael Benitez having agreed a club record £27m deal with Atletico Madrid for their venerated striker Fernando Torres.

The transfer, expected to comprise around £20m in cash plus Luis Garcia, has been accepted in principle by Atletico and is now dependent on the Spanish international declaring an intent to leave his boyhood club when he returns from holiday on 10 July.

Liverpool officials have been in negotiations all week after being rebuffed in their preliminary enquiries for the 23-year-old who has risen through the ranks to captain Atletico, scoring 82 goals in 212 appearances for them, and has been a target for several leading clubs including Chelsea and Manchester United.

Under pressure to make their first major signing of the summer, not least from Benitez, the Anfield hierarchy have accepted that Atletico will not sell Torres for less than the €40m release clause in his contract. And, while that has been agreed with Atletico president Enrique Cerezo, the club want Torres to publicly announce his desire to leave before confirming a departure that will enrage their supporters.

For Liverpool owners George Gillet and Tom Hicks the capture will represent a coup in the face of unease at the lack of big name talent at Anfield.

In the wake of the European Cup final defeat in Athens Benitez delivered a damning indictment of Liverpool's recent transfer dealings and claimed: "We talk and talk but we never finish. I am worried about talking to players, for one or two months or even six months, and then losing them. I want things done."

Benitez had hoped to use the club's current record signing, £14m Djibril Cissé, as a makeweight in the deal rather than Garcia, who he brought to Liverpool from Barcelona for £6m in 2004 and wants to keep. However, Cissé made it clear in talks with Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry that he would not join Atletico while Garcia, who played for them in 2002-03, has warmed to the idea of a return to Spain.

Liverpool had hoped to use the Cissé fee for other transfer targets and with around £20m committed on the Torres deal, albeit in instalments, they will have to raise funds through the sale of players such as Craig Bellamy to secure Benitez's remaining objectives for the summer.

Two wingers and a defender will remain on the manager's list once, as expected, the Atletico forward announces his time at the club is over. Madrid have lined up Villarreal's Diego Forlan as a replacement.

Benitez's demand for Liverpool to invest in more potential talent has also been addressed this week, with the club signing 18-year-old defender Mikel San Jose for £270,000 from Athletic Bilbao and 19-year-old Bulgarian goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov on a three-year contract from Levski Sofia.

Midfielder Mohamed Sissoko has signed a new four-year deal at Anfield.

GalwayBayBoy

From The TimesJune 29, 2007

Liverpool preparing to dig deep for TorresOliver Kay and Gary Jacob
Liverpool have moved closer to easing the frustrations of a difficult summer by agreeing a new contract with Mohamed Sissoko and making further headway in their pursuit of Fernando Torres, for whom a club-record deal may hinge on them finding the £27 million that would trigger a get-out clause in his contract with Atlético Madrid.

Atlético have informed Liverpool that a deal for the 23-year-old Spain forward is possible, but that, partly for political reasons, accepting an offer of less than £27 million is not an option. That is a daunting prospect for Liverpool, whose record outlay is the £14 million they spent on Djibril Cissé, and for their new owners, George Gillett Jr and Tom Hicks, but a deal is now expected, particularly if Atlético agree to accept deferred payments on half of the fee.

Luis GarcÍa, the Spain forward, is expected to move in the opposite direction, possibly in a separate deal worth £4 million, and Liverpool are also confident of raising funds by selling Cissé to Marseilles. Negotiations with the French club could be finalised over the weekend if Marseilles increase their offer beyond £6 million.

Liverpool have also concluded a £270,000 deal to sign Mikel San José, an 18-year-old defender, from Athletic Bilbao, but a more significant accord was reached with Sissoko, whose wages will rise under the terms of a four-year contract.

Some thought had been devoted to selling the Mali midfield player, given the imminent signing of Lucas Leiva from Grémio, of Brazil, and the impact made by Javier Mascherano since his arrival in January, but all three players will compete for places next season against Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, who have signed new contracts this summer.

J70

Don't know too much about Torres, but from what is posted on YouTube, he seems to be quite an accomplished finisher, and strong as hell too. I supposed he'd want to be for the money they're talking! Let's hope he can live up to the price tag.

Uladh


He's a very good player. strong and athletic he can create opportunities out of nothing. but a finisher he ain't. he'll miss a few before he scores.

brokencrossbar1

Sissoko signs new Reds deal
By Mark Buckingham -

The Mali midfielder admitted at the end of last season that there was a question mark about his situation at Anfield after the January signing of Javier Mascherano.

Reports had claimed that Juventus had tabled a £10million bid for Sissoko, while Barcelona were rumoured to be showing an interest.

But the 22-year-old has now put the speculation to bed by accepting a contract to stay on Merseyside until 2011.

"It was never in my thoughts to leave Liverpool," Sissoko told the club's official website.

"I read about the speculation linking me with other clubs, but I am already at a big, big club and it's an honour for me to be able to call myself a Liverpool player.

"I feel fresh and can't wait for the new season to start. I am injury-free and although I know I'll face a battle for a place in the team as we have so many great midfielders I'm prepared to fight for a position.

"It obviously gave me a huge boost to my confidence that the manager believes in me and wanted me to stay at the club. Now I want to repay him on the pitch."

Since joining Liverpool from Valencia in a £5.6million deal two years ago, Sissoko has made over 70 appearances, but has yet to score.


With hopefully the imminent signing of Torres and the renewal of the contracts by a number of key players the future is hopefully looking good.  Obviously there is still more work to be done and  the need for at least one more defender, a winger and another forward needs to be addressed. 

I read this morning that Tevez has turned Inter down.  Hopefully Mascerhano can use his influence in the Copa to convince him that Anfiled is the place to be, sell Cisse for £6m, use Bellamy as a makeweight in the deal for about £9m worth, add another few million and Tevez could be bought.  If there was a choice of 2 from Tevez, Kuyt, Crouch and Torres, it looks much healthier than previous years.  Strong midfield, excellent defence, it could be a good year.

Uladh, if Manure had him you would be saying he was the best finisher since Denis Law :P

supersarsfields

Come on BC you forgot about your boyo Vorionin or whatever his name is!! I'm sure he'll be starting every game from the sound of him!!  :-\

I'd agree with the sales of Cisse, Bellamy and I'd even throw in Kewell if I thought we'd get a couple of Mill for him. Would like to see them go after a quality left winger. But I'd say after the Torres deal money will be pretty hard to come by!! So I can't see them splashing out on another forward and a left winger. More's the pity.

brokencrossbar1

Sars, trust me I did not forget about Voronin ;)

I think that the way Kewell has his contract negotiated that it would be folly for Liverpool to sell him as they will get very little cash for him.  If he stays fit, and that is a big IF he can be a good player for this season.  Personally I would favour a top class left back and push Riise forward.  He is not a great defender as he often gets caught ball watching, but he is too good going forward to leave out.

Or maybe if they got Tevez play a 3 man strike force with a three man midfield.  Torres and Kuyt up front with Tevez slightly behind them.