Rafa to have a Bentley

[coop]

Taken from my blog

RAFA: GET BENTLEY

EXCLUSIVE Kop lead £12M chase

By Tom Hopkinson And Scott Piecha

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is confident of beating off competition from Atletico Madrid to land Blackburn's David Bentley in a sensational £12million swoop.

Bentley is desperate to join a side who regularly compete in Europe.

And the lure of playing in the Champions League could see him quit Ewood Park for Anfield.

The England star has a little more than two years remaining on his current Blackburn deal, but is stalling on a new contract at the club because of his desire to play on the big stage.

Rovers have offered the 23-year-old new terms of around £30,000 a week, but Liverpool could easily offer him double that.

The Kop offer is similar to the sums being talked about by Atletico, though it is understood Rovers boss Mark Hughes is reluctant to sell to another Premier League club.

But the blow of losing a player of Bentley's stature to their north-west rivals could well be softened by the inclusion of Liverpool wide-boy Jermaine Pennant in any deal.

Money is far from the likeable Bentley's main motivation and he knows that, if he is to push on and become David Beckham's regular replacement in the England set-up, he has to be playing his club football at the highest level.

People Sportunderstands England boss Fabio Capello has already told him as much and Bentley will heed the Italian's advice.

Manchester City and Valencia are among a host of other clubs interested, but their poor league positions have ruled them out.

http://www.people.co.uk/sport/footba...name_page.html

[Thants]

I'd take that. He's the only player Wengers got wrong.

Woah. Dejavu.

[05 Milan]

Originally Posted by coop Money is far from the likeable Bentley's main motivation and he knows that, if he is to push on and become David Beckham's regular replacement in the England set-up, he has to be playing his club football at the highest level. People Sportunderstands England boss Fabio Capello has already told him as much and Bentley will heed the Italian's advice.

Ha ha ha! I wonder who the source is!

[Paul]

I'm not at all sure about him and certainly not at the price quoted. How fast is he? For me we can't sign any more slouches in attack. Also, what's his goal tally like?

[Ted]

I reckon he'd be another Pennant.

[wiiksie]

No pace, puts a good ball in but then so do Pennant, Dirk and Gerrard. No, no, no.

Must try harder, The People.

[rebel23]

another Pennant/Crouch/Bellamy/Yossi, average premiership player for an average team who play open games that mean nothing and they go for it hell for leather then get hyped up by the British media, i dont think he's good enough for us

[StevieH]

I like Bentley a lot, but £12m seems a bit on the high side and I think he is better suited to playing in a 4-4-2 than a 4-2-3-1 formation.

[coop]

Originally Posted by Paul I'm not at all sure about him and certainly not at the price quoted. How fast is he? For me we can't sign any more slouches in attack. Also, what's his goal tally like?

Thats the thing for me Paul. I like Bentley i think hes a pretty good player and in the last England game he was probably the best player.

I dont think hes got that much pace though but does deliver a good cross and is able to take the full back on.

I thought about the pace issue and that may not be too much of a problem if Rafa were to also sign a pacey right full back like Alves (or the cheaper version in Rafinha).

[redrosetints]

he seems an intelligent player, could be good but not sure on his goals tally. Think i'd rather Maxi Rodreiguez.

[hamstrung]

He's OK but he's not enough of an improvement on what we have already.

[PaddyBerger15]

I think Bentley is OK and a decent and improving player, and would improve on what we have for the right hand side...but 12m??? I don't think so. I know he is English and 23, but that doesn't make him worth 12m. At 7m, I'd say it was a good deal, or Pennant and a couple of million part shop.

[Dirk]

Originally Posted by hamstrung He's OK but he's not enough of an improvement on what we have already.

Agreed. However, if Rafa goes for an outstanding attacking right back, it becomes less of a problem. Arsenal have operated a similar system. Attacking fullbacks with right and left midfielders, as opposed to standard fullbacks and two wingers.

[paisley1977]

Originally Posted by redrosetints he seems an intelligent player, could be good but not sure on his goals tally. Think i'd rather Maxi Rodreiguez.

Agreed and Maxi can play in several positions.

[t1971]

Not convinced. Would need to see a bit more of him before making a judgement, but he has been slightly above average for me. Certainly dont think he would be right for our current formation.

[spider-neil]

people need to get away from the idea of pace in the wide area the important thing in the wide area is goal threat, the pace and width can (or rather should) come from the fullback postions.
I would be very pleased with alves, lahm and bentley in the summer.

[MLB]

As I said in the other thread, I'd be well happy with this. Some people are obsessed with glamour signings, but I don't think the manager is, and that's a good thing. It means that we get the right players rather than some kind of flash in the pan.

My main doubt is whether or not we'll be looking to spend that amount of money on that position. I can't see it, but I guess time will tell.