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[el_cuervo_fc]

From Arab press

DIC ready for fresh Liverpool bid


The National Staff

Last Updated: August 09. 2008 11:37PM UAE / August 9. 2008 7:37PM GMT DUBAI // Dubai International Capital (DIC) have made it clear they still want to buy Liverpool, as the club's ownership battle threatens to flare up again over the proposed transfer of Gareth Barry.

Manager Rafa Benitez is reported to be at loggerheads with Liverpool's American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett after it emerged the duo had turned down an offer of a £12million (Dh84.6m) interest-free loan to help to buy Aston Villa midfield player Barry, 27.

Benitez had waited all week for money to be put in place to allow him to end the Barry saga before he sells any more players to fund the deal. But the US owners' failure to produce the promised short-term loan may mean the £18m transfer deal could soon be dead.

The debacle might play straight in to the hands of long-term suitors DIC who have let it be known they are still waiting in the wings with their own proposals for the club.

The investment group had a £400m offer for the Merseyside club turned down in March and a source close to DIC said: "Just because it is has been a quiet summer does not mean DIC have lost interest. They are happy that things have now become low key, and they are awaiting developments."

There is also speculation a former prospective buyer, and several rich US-based fans, are ready to help the club out of their cash problems.

Observers believe plans for the new stadium have, as yet, not included confirmed building contracts or the lease being agreed with the local council. The club's owners are also going to have to find cash soon to fund the stadium as well as re-finance the current loans.

But the delay over the Barry deal is beginning to embarrass Liverpool. As soon as it was suggested the owners were looking to borrow money to fund the deal, City sources – admittedly close to the DIC bid – insisted borrowing would be difficult in the current climate.

http://forums.liverpoolecho.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=48436

[Mentalman]

Somethings got to give here.

[Chrisowc]

Somethings got to give here.

Hopefully dum and dummer fcuk right off.  And take Parry with them!

[GalwayBayBoy]

This Barry thing has been a complete fiasco. It's not the job of the owners to be telling the manager what players he should or should not be buying. The manager is given his budget and he should be free to spend it how he chooses if he believes it will improve the team. The owners are only there to sign the cheques not to query the managers judgement. They either have faith in him or not.

[slow corner back]

The whole point is surely that Liverpool do not have the money to buy Barry without selling players or borrowing more. The owners/ banks will have the final say on any more borrowing. The owners have stumped up quite a lot of cash for Rafa and apart from torres most of it has been badly spent.

[under the bar]

Surely Hicks and Gillett have the right to put their employee Benitez in his place and tell him what's what?  Same goes for the fans. Who owns the club after all?

[Mentalman]

Surely Hicks and Gillett have the right to put their employee Benitez in his place and tell him what's what?  Same goes for the fans. Who owns the club after all?

Maybe, but previously David Moores didn't slap down Rafa, or Houllier or Evans, in public, this type of stuff was all discussed and agreed in private. Also I'm not sure dumb and dumber actually agree on principle, but rather agree they don't want to spend anymore money than they need too to keep the club competitive until one of Sheik Mohammed's investment vehicles moves in. As mentioned by GBB it's more typical for the owners to agree a budget with the manager which he can spend as he pleases, rather than veto who the manager should and shouldn't sign, after all what do a pair of septic tanks know about "soccer"? 

[gawa316]

The owners have stumped up quite a lot of cash for Rafa and apart from torres most of it has been badly spent.

Yeah Mascherano, Babel, Skrtel, Lucas etc etc have all been a waste of money. What was Rafa thinking

[BerfArmagh]

Liverpool have turned into a real mickey mouse club. Rafa loses the run of himself, if he had'nt shouted his big mouth off in the first place and done his business on the QT, he would'nt be embarassed as he currently is.

At the end of the day, the money is'nt there. Rafa to spit his dummy out by the end of the week

[GalwayBayBoy]

Liverpool have turned into a real mickey mouse club. Rafa loses the run of himself, if he had'nt shouted his big mouth off in the first place and done his business on the QT, he would'nt be embarassed as he currently is.

At the end of the day, the money is'nt there. Rafa to spit his dummy out by the end of the week

Actually Rafa has said very little during the whole Barry saga apart from the fact that he is interested in the player after Liverpool lodged a number of offical bids which they are allowed to do. It was actually Martin O'Neill who was in the papers every second day whingeing about the whole thing because he didn't want to lose his best player.

And it's already been established that the money is there since they are now looking to spend it on a different player. What the yanks were objecting to was spending it on a 28 year old who they feel would have very little resale value in a few years and the fact that feel that he wasn't needed in the team. That's all well and good but it's not their job to tell the manager what type of player he should or should not be looking to sign. Would Ferguson would put up with it from the Glazers?

[Hound]

But in this case the Americans are probably right! Buying Barry for £18m does not make financial sense - unless it means we win the league, which presumably is what Benitez thinks.

I have no doubt that the fans' reaction to Alonso and Barry in the friendly v Lazio last Friday was fed back to the Yanks and that made up their minds for them. They probably think they are sure to have the fans support in this stance - and they'll find it very hard to comprehend when they don't 

[Shrewdness]

Will Degen be a regular in the defence this season, or will he be another victim of Benitez's rotation policy

[nifan]

Will Degen be a regular in the defence this season, or will he be another victim of Benitez's rotation policy

It remains to be seen if he is better than the other options there.

[stiffler]

Any word on the Silva deal?

[brokencrossbar1]

According to a few sources on other boards the Silva deal is more or less a done thing, but it could be just gossip stuff.  I would like to see someone like him, but I also think that Barry can offer a balance that others might not.  I don't know what would be more preferable, a proven Premiership quality player who fits into the system but is somewhat limited in overall skill or a better player, who is more skillful and may come a few million cheaper. 

The following article from Guillem Balague gives a decent insight.  He is normally pretty close to the mark and has an ongoing relationship with the Spanish connection at Anfield.  I would tend to give his word a lot of credence.

Liverpool have not given up on Barry


The Gareth Barry saga is not yet finished. I think Liverpool will have one final attempt at poaching the Aston Villa midfielder, and it is not necessarily linked to Xabi Alonso leaving Anfield.


According to some calculations within the club, Rafa Benitez has sold for a value close to £50 million; and he has spent around £28 million. That leaves something like £22 million available for further signings:  without him being forced to sell Xabi. Furthermore, it looks like the club - either Rafa or, most likely, individuals on the board - seem determined not to sell the Spanish midfielder. That could be for a number of reasons: either the bids from Juve and Arsenal, who offered £12 million pounds, were considered not to be enough; or someone at Liverpool believes the player is needed in the team. Has that footballing decision been taken by the board or the manager? That is a very interesting question.


The fact of the matter is, Liverpool need to fill a big hole on the left hand side: a hole that Barry could fill.


In attack, the full backs will take charge of the wing and the players used on the left of midfield will have to use space in the centre - and Barry would excel in that role. Liverpool also need English players as, year after year, clubs will be forced to reduce the number on non-nationals.

Nobody knows if Gareth Barry will end up at Anfield, but you can be sure the manager will do his best to get him

If he is to be believed then there is a kitty of in the region of £22m.  Liverpool seem to be doing to Villa what Madrid did to Liverpool over Owen.  They will test Villa to see how low they can go and how much they need to sell.  I think they will pick him up for £15m and Finnan.  If that is the case there is about £6m left.  If they were to sell Pennant and Vorinin they could pick up close to £9m.  This plus the £6m would go a long way to buying Silva.  But that could just be wishful thinking.