Gerard Houllier looks to have been left frustrated in his attempt to sign reds striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle, after Rafa Benitez deliberately cup tied the player by introducing him as a late substitute in the 1-0 defeat to CSKA Sofia in the 3rd CL Qualifying Round 2nd leg at Anfield.
TLW reported this afternoon that the player was close to a move to the French Champions. This report was based on information we received that Sinama-Pongolle had told team-mates on Monday that he had agreed a move to Lyon and that all that was left to complete were the formalities.
However, it seems that Houllier had jumped the gun and reached an agreement with the player before sorting things out with the club. The former reds boss has made several phone calls to Sinama-Pongolle recently, and seemed to have convinced him to swap Anfield for a return to his homeland. The player had become unsettled after the events at the end of last season, which we alluded to in the orginal report today, and on Monday he was ready to make the switch and link up once again with the man who brought him to Anfield in the first place.
Sinama-Pongolle was not in the original matchday squad for the Sofia game, and instead had a 45 minute run out for the reserves on Monday night. Other players who were in the original matchday squad, such as Potter, Barragan and Whitbread, were all left out of the reserve game.
Once Benitez got wind of what had been going on however, he called the player into the squad and sent him on as a late substitute to ensure he would ineligible to play for any other club, especially Lyon, in this years Champions League.
The player was asked about his future by reporters after the Sofia game, amidst reports that Aberdeen had made an offer to take him on loan, and he said that he would like to stay. Presumably this was after talks with his manager. After the events of tonight, it seems that Benitez is not looking to sell the player after all. Sorry for the confusion!
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