Summer '09 Transfer Speculation Thread

[JMARKH]

Liverpool's Rafa Benitez missing out on transfer hopes as finances cut - mirror.co.uk

 

While fellow holidaymakers at his Spanish mountain retreat amuse themselves doing crosswords or sudoku, Rafa Benitez has been playing his own version of noughts and crosses.

 

The rules are very simple. Benitez starts with a list of summer transfer targets and one by one crosses them out until he is left with nought.

 

He has already put a line through the first of those names – Gareth Barry – and now his pen is poised over Glen Johnson, David Silva, Carlos Tevez and Raul Albiol.

 

Having Barry pinched from under his nose by Manchester City is a huge embarrassment for the Liverpool boss, who used to moan outgoing chief executive Rick Parry missed out on several targets because he acted too slowly.

 

Now, in his first summer in full control of transfers after winning his power struggle with Parry, Benitez has failed his first big test because he did not move quickly enough.

 

Worse could follow. After being confident of signing Johnson from Portsmouth for £12million, Chelsea are threatening to beat him to the England right-back. Similarly Benitez felt he was in pole position to land Silva from his old club Valencia, only for Real Madrid to declare an interest.

 

Real sporting director Miguel Paradeza and general director Jorge Valdano met Silva’s agent Julio Llorente for 90 minutes earlier this week.

 

Benitez has improved his initial £15m offer to almost £18m, but knows Real have the financial muscle to elbow him aside.

 

Advertisement - article continues below »

 

 

Tevez is almost certain to be crossed out, the striker’s head having been turned by City’s eye-watering offer of £120,000-a-week, which Benitez simply cannot match.

 

Even Albiol at Valencia could slip from Benitez’s grasp. The Spain centre-half is attracting interest from Real and Barcelona.

 

As he crosses off the names on his list, Benitez is being forced to consider lesser lights, such as Portsmouth defender Sylvain Distin plus Gary O’Neil, Tuncay and Adam Johnson from relegated Middlesbrough.

 

They would provide, at affordable prices, the bodies Benitez needs to bolster his squad, but are hardly the major signings he hinted at when he declared his buys this summer had to be “perfect”.

 

He is not helped by Liverpool’s £359m debts, which allow him just £15m for transfers. He had hoped to boost this by landing Barry for £8m and selling Xabi Alonso for £20m.

 

City scuppered that and now he faces losing Alonso, unhappy at being touted around for a second summer, with no replacement in the pipeline.

 

It may only be June 6, but already looks like being a long summer for Benitez.

[odris]

Pissing me off now, we all had high hopes of big signings this summer but now we won't be signing anyone who will have a major impact, fuck fuck fuck.

[ali]

Atlético | Interé por dos futbolistas 'reds' : El Atlético ya habla con el Liverpool por Benayoun y Arbeloa - AS.com

 

Arbeloa is wanted by (and according to some stories wants to join) Atletico - they are also seriously thinking of bidding for Benayoun.

 

It's sale time!!

 

It talks about the money we owe them for Fred and possibly taking Yossi/Bob as part payment.

[05 Milan]

Fred Torres? Great name that.

[Royal Family]

I'm talking about this summer, mate. Last summer it was either Riera or Downing and Rafa went with Riera because of the price that 'Boro were asking for Downing.

 

Cheers - interesting that we're still monitoring him despite his awful season!

[Trumo]

Pissing me off now, we all had high hopes of big signings this summer but now we won't be signing anyone who will have a major impact, fuck fuck fuck.

 

 

Calm down. The transfer window opens in July, a lot of players will be away for the World Cup qualifiers or the Confederations Cup, so many potential deals will be on hold. I would hate to rush into a major signing, only to have the player crocked during one of these competitions.

 

All the Real Madrid, Man City and Chelsea stuff is bluster, a cock-waving contest. The time to be really worried regarding transfers is the end of the window. Until them, I'm not going to brick it (unless the owners really send us to the bottom of the barrel).

[Red Nick]

I dont think there has ever been such a depressing time to be a Liverpool fan, there were some very dark days with Souness and Houllier but nothing getting close to this, its truly depressing and the worrying thing is the owners arent even trying to put any PR gloss on it.

[Red Nick]

Fuck me some you are still worried about who we will sign or not, truly mindblowing. there is much more to worry about than who we sign this summer.

 

Jesus fucking wept

[FidelMurphy]

I'm sure they know there is no positive pr they can spin, they're hoping come the start of the season this is all forgotten about. How can they spin the fact that we are profitable yet still can't service the huge debt we're burdened with for the privilige of those twats owning us and the only way they can service the debt is building a stadium that is just not going to happen

[05 Milan]

Fuck me some you are still worried about who we will sign or not, truly mindblowing. there is much more to worry about than who we sign this summer.

 

Jesus fucking wept

 

Don't worry Nicholas, you're gonna get grey hair and an ulcer by july at this rate. Things always work out for the good guys.

[Wor Horse]

Some press fella said that Liverpool are looking for new investment before new players.

 

So expect new investment to come before a new player.

[SpeedyG]

Some press fella said that Liverpool are looking for new investment before new players.

 

So expect new investment to come before a new player.

 

So far the press have got about 10% right, so I wouldn't pay too much attention.

[Red Nick]

Don't worry Nicholas, you're gonna get grey hair and an ulcer by july at this rate. Things always work out for the good guys.

 

For sure, not sure my liver can take it though

[Liverpoolway]

Calm down. The transfer window opens in July

 

That is actually a myth. The transfer window is open in England.

 

For clubs in France, Italy, Spain and Germany the window opens in July.

 

Proof:

http://www.premierleague.com/staticFiles/7a/20/0,,12306~139386,00.pdf

 

Page 150.

[Tyler Durden]

That is actually a myth. The transfer window is open in England.

 

For clubs in France, Italy, Spain and Germany the window opens in July.

 

Proof:

http://www.premierleague.com/staticFiles/7a/20/0,,12306~139386,00.pdf

 

Page 150.

 

Dont know how people thought it hadnt opened after Barrys move last week

[StevieH]

Prem: Johnson told not to leave Pompey | Setanta

 

Former Portsmouth and Liverpool favourite Paul Walsh has warned Glen Johnson not to move to Anfield.

 

Johnson has been heavily linked with summer moves to Liverpool and Chelsea, where the lure of Champions League football awaits in a World Cup year.

 

However, the England right back only signed a new long-term contract at Pompey midway through last season, and Walsh is adamant that deal should be honoured.

Dubbed the most skilful footballer at Anfield during his spell at the club, Walsh believes Johnson would be showing a severe lack of loyalty if he jumped ship.

 

“He's only just signed a four-year contract, he sees things going the wrong way and he wants to have someone take him,” Walsh told Portsmouth News.

 

“If he wants to play Champions League football, why did he sign a four-year deal?

“He probably wants to have his cake and eat it.

 

“He was unhappy at Chelsea and he's had the chance to play football at Portsmouth. Now they want him back.

 

“I suppose it will depend if he wants to be at Portsmouth still. It’s not an ideal situation to keep a player who doesn't want to be there.”

[Xherdan]

Prem: Johnson told not to leave Pompey | Setanta

 

Former Portsmouth and Liverpool favourite Paul Walsh has warned Glen Johnson not to move to Anfield.

 

Johnson has been heavily linked with summer moves to Liverpool and Chelsea, where the lure of Champions League football awaits in a World Cup year.

 

However, the England right back only signed a new long-term contract at Pompey midway through last season, and Walsh is adamant that deal should be honoured.

Dubbed the most skilful footballer at Anfield during his spell at the club, Walsh believes Johnson would be showing a severe lack of loyalty if he jumped ship.

 

“He's only just signed a four-year contract, he sees things going the wrong way and he wants to have someone take him,” Walsh told Portsmouth News.

 

“If he wants to play Champions League football, why did he sign a four-year deal?

“He probably wants to have his cake and eat it.

 

“He was unhappy at Chelsea and he's had the chance to play football at Portsmouth. Now they want him back.

 

 

“I suppose it will depend if he wants to be at Portsmouth still. It’s not an ideal situation to keep a player who doesn't want to be there.”

 

 

 

Where in that article does Walsh warn Johnson not to join Liverpool?

[StevieH]

Where in that article does Walsh warn Johnson not to join Liverpool?

 

Very true.

 

I think he will end up returning to Chelsea anyway.

[Red Phoenix]

Where in that article does Walsh warn Johnson not to join Liverpool?

 

It's their usual fishing thing with the headline to get people reading it, does my head in when they do that. I really get wound up when they do daft things like they did again recently though, when they had headlines of "Benitez (insert whatever)" and it's just to get you to click on it, but it's about a football player from another division. If there was no Rafa around the story probably wouldn't have even been reported as any type of headline. They just love sucking people in because what they actually have to say is often shite once you start reading, or rehashed, nowhere near as important as they make it out to be, etc etc.

 

Gahhh. Time to hit the pub and watch England....awesome......guh.

[Torvald Utne]

That is actually a myth. The transfer window is open in England.

 

For clubs in France, Italy, Spain and Germany the window opens in July.

 

Proof:

http://www.premierleague.com/staticFiles/7a/20/0,,12306~139386,00.pdf

 

Page 150.

 

I guess it depends on the official definition of "Last day of the season".

[sybian]

Why would Johnson go to the Chavs when they already have a great right back ?

[StevieH]

Why would Johnson go to the Chavs when they already have a great right back ?

 

Like us, they need more homegrown players for the Champions League which is why they are in for Ross Turnbull and Daniel Sturridge.

[Guest LFD]

Like us, they need more homegrown players for the Champions League which is why they are in for Ross Turnbull and Daniel Sturridge.

 

But that doesn't answer why Johnson would go.

[StevieH]

But that doesn't answer why Johnson would go.

 

£££££

[FrenchEyeGlass]

why in the world is nobody after kun aguero?

 

hes so good on the ball and always seems to quicken the pace of the game?

 

he goes missing every so often, but so do gerrard and torres.

 

It would be amazing if Rafa pulled him off out of nowhere