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Transfer Speculation Round Up
May 29 2005
This was always going to be a busy summer for Rafa in the transfer market, but the events of this week mean that every agent in Europe is now going to be touting their players for a move to Anfield.
The boss is looking to bring in around seven or eight players for the first team squad, as well as adding players to the reserve team pool. So naturally, the transfer speculation is going to be non stop over the next few weeks and months.
Becoming European Champions has significantly raised the clubs profile to the extent that players and agents will be desperate to speak to Rafa, and it will no doubt make it a lot easier for him to get the players he wants..
In the past month alone we've been linked to at least a hundred players, but some names seem to be popping up very regularly and there's no doubt some of those mentioned in the press will be wearing red next season.
I'm not going to say 'we're definitely signing x player and z player' because I don't know who we are going to sign and I'm not going to pretend I do.
I know that we definitely have an interest in some of the players mentioned in the press, whilst other players who have been linked I have no idea whatsoever if there's anything in it or not.
From what I've been told Benitez is looking to bring in a new keeper, a centre back, two wingers, at least one central midfielder and a striker, whilst there's also a chance that a full back or even two will be arriving as well.
It would appear that the keeper is nailed on to be Reina from Villarreal. It's been all over the media for months, and the player himself has more or less confirmed that he's coming.
The fee quoted is usually anything between six and eight million, but I heard about two months back that we've agreed a deal which is nearer five million, which seems a more reasonable figure for a keeper who isn't yet an established international.
It seems only a matter of time before he establishes himself in the Spain set up though, and this week he was named in the national squad for the forthcoming world cup qualifiers against Lithuania and Bosnia.
Michael Owen has told some of his former team-mates that Reina is regarded by many as the best in Spain, and even Madrid keeper Iker Casillas gave Reina a glowing recommendation when Owen asked about him.
As for the centre back, the most heavily linked player is Real Zaragoza's Argentine Gabriel Milito. Again, that's been all over the papers for a few weeks, so much so that it seems certain that he is a definite target.
The other centre back who is regularly linked to us is Matthew Upson, perhaps due to Rafa's claims that he is hoping to bring in more English players.
Benitez is keen to sign some English players, but the problem is finding ones who are good enough, and not overpriced. If Upson meets both of those requirements then maybe he'll be joining the European Champions this summer.
From what's been in the papers however, Milito seems the more likely arrival of the two.
The winger situation is very interesting, as there are a lot of names being linked to us for those positions, some of whom are mouth watering prospects.
Wright Phillips, Vicente and Joaquin are the names which get everyone excited, and I'd like to think we will be able to bring one of them in, although I have to say I've heard nothing concrete to suggest we will do.
The Real Betis president says we're in for Joaquin, but I've heard rumours that Rafa and his staff feel that he isn't as good as everyone says he is, and certainly isn't worth the huge money it would cost to bring him here.
Personally I hope that's not true, as I'd love to see him in a red shirt. Same with Wright-Phillips, although despite reports in yesterday's papers, as things stand right now Liverpool are not prepared to pay what Man City are asking.
From what I understand, unless the price comes down it is unlikely the reds will be making a move for him. Things can change of course, although even if we offered City what they want we'd then have to persuade him to turn down Arsenal and Chelsea.
That will be a lot easier now that we're European Champions of course. Rafa should just have the Cup with him whenever he meets players. How could they turn us down then!
Albacete's South African born Chilean international winger Mark Gonzalez is a player Benitez definitely wanted, and a deal had been more or less agreed to bring him here.
The pacey Gonzalez is someone who really excites the reds boss, and Rafa was said to be gutted when the player did his cruciate a couple of weeks ago. So highly does he think of Gonzalez however, that a deal may still go through even though the player is sidelined for six months.
Some of yesterday's papers claimed we were making a move for Luciano Galletti, who like Milito is an Argentine who plays for Zaragoza.
I haven't heard anything about this one, other than a suggestion from inside the club that we should not be expecting a string of big name signings, and that several of the players who arrive will be lesser known names who Rafa sees as being able to fit into his system.
Perhaps Galletti is one of those, or maybe there's nothing in it. As I say, I haven't heard anything about it other than what's been in the papers.
John O'Shea is a name that's been linked with us a couple of times recently. Again, I have no idea if there's anything in it, but the lad was a big Liverpool fan as a kid and has a good record of scoring for us against United, so who knows!
Owen Hargreaves has been linked to Liverpool for years. Houllier was said to be a big fan, and now reports claim Rafa could get him for a couple of million.
Benitez often consults his senior players to let them know what's happening with possible signings, and he has apparently asked Gerrard and Carragher about their international team-mate Hargreaves.
There is a definite interest there, especially with Biscan and Diao set to depart this summer. It may depend on what happens with Hamann, although even if the German stays Benitez may opt to bring Hargreaves in anyway due to his versatility.
Gerrard and Alonso will be Benitez's first choice pairing in midfield, but Hargreaves can fill several positions and is seen as a useful squad man who can bring a lot of depth to the squad.
Another England player who Benitez is definitely interested in is Peter Crouch. I know many of you will have seen that speculation in the press and either laughed it off, or shit your pants hoping it was rubbish, but it is definitely true.
Benitez has been very impressed with Crouch, and the reds defenders had trouble dealing with him when Southampton embarrassed Liverpool at St Mary's.
Despite the public perception of him as being... erm, how do I put this... a bit freakish shall we say, within the game he is highly thought of.
I hear that Jamie Redknapp speaks very highly of Crouch, and the Southampton players feel that he is streets ahead of the man who's place he took at St Mary's, Everton flop James Beattie.
Crouch is definitely an option, but he isn't Benitez's first choice. Feyenoord striker Dirk Kuyt is the man he wants to lead the line next year.
Fernando Morientes is now seen as more of a link man than a focal point, and Benitez wants a big strong forward who can hold the ball up rather than a nippy goalscorer in the Michael Owen/Andy Johnson mould.
24 year old Dutchman Kuyt is seen as the perfect man for that job, but the asking price of ten million is proving a stumbling block.
Kuyt has been prolific in Holland this season, and hit a hat-trick last weekend to follow up the double he struck against Champions PSV the week before. He has 29 league goals this season, and has forced his way into the Dutch national side.
Speculation suggests Jerzy Dudek could be used in part exchange for Kuyt, but right now Liverpool and Feyenoord have very different views on the player's valuation.
Meanwhile, reports coming out of France continue to suggest that Monaco left back Patrice Evra is Anfield bound.
The French media seem pretty convinced this could happen and one report today claimed his agent was coming over this week to tie up a deal.
It's very difficult to predict what is going to happen this summer, as a lot will depend on exactly how much money Benitez is given.
The word coming out of the club at the moment is that Rafa is not going to bring in a string of big money, high profile players.
He will look for players with hunger, who he can mould into top players and who will fit into the style of play he wants to use next season.
Perhaps there'll be one 'showpiece' signing and the rest will be lesser known players.
Whoever Benitez opts to bring in, who is going to question the judgement of the man who just led us to our fifth European Cup in his first season in charge?
Even if he wanted to bring back Sean Dundee and Jean Michel Ferri, that would be ok with me, as he's earned our trust with the remarkable feat he achieved this year.
This summer is going to very exciting for Liverpool fans, as we'll be welcoming many new faces to the club whilst we bask in the glow of number five.
Next season can't come round quick enough.
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