LFC Daily Update News & Rumours

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Liverpool ponders Gattuso move

Liverpool are considering making a move for AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso in the summer window, sources have told Ontheminute.com.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez have already strengthen his squad with the January signing of Javier Mascherano from West Ham United, but wants even more options on the midfield.

Gattuso has been linked with a move to Premiership leaders Manchester United for several seasons.

The highly rated midfielder has previously played for Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Cisse eyes Liverpool return

Striker Djibril Cisse believes Liverpool should invite him back to Anfield once his loan deal with Marseille expires at the end of the season.

The erratic France international was offloaded back to his homeland at the beginning of this season after failing to make the grade on Merseyside, but would now relish the opportunity to return to the Champions League semi-finalists.

Talks over the former Auxerre goal ace's future have not yet commenced, but Cisse has clearly stated where his priorities lie.

"I never said that I wanted to leave [Marseille]. There is an option to use or not," Cisse told Le Parisien. "We haven't talked about that yet. There will be a time when we will sit down and talk.

"If Liverpool ask me to come-back, the conversation is over. Let's wait for them. It is a lot of money, it is risky. But I know myself and I would pay the 12 million euros for Cisse."

Cisse's stay on the south coast of France has not been entirely successful, and over recent weeks he has become the target of abuse from certain sections of the Marseille crowd who are unhappy with the former Auxerre man's form. But nevertheless, the 25-year-old claims he would be happy to stay and try to win over the boo-boys should Liverpool decide to discard him.

He added: "I am from here so I would be happy to stay."

Source: Eurosport

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by Mighty T.A.L.

Craig Bellamy is linked back to his former club Blackburn on a possible £8 million deal.

With McCarthy going the other way ?

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

With McCarthy going the other way ?

That would be great.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Unhappy Dudek seeks exit

Jerzy Dudek has revealed he plans to leave Liverpool as he is unhappy with his current situation.

The Polish international's current contract expires at the end of the season and he says he has no intention of signing a new deal.

Dudek has been forced to play second fiddle to Jose Reina since the Spaniard's arrival in the summer of 2005.

The 34-year-old claims he has been treated like "a slave" by Reds boss Rafa Benitez and he insists he has not other choice but to seek pastures new.

"I have to finally tell Rafa I'm leaving because maybe he's not aware of it," Dudek told The Sun.

"I will remember Liverpool fondly as a success but not the situation I've found myself in.

"When a player knows he is a slave, he'll never give his employer his heart."

Dudek also revealed that Liverpool only want to keep him because they would find it hard to lure a goalkeeper to the club with the prospect of sitting on the bench.

"To get a good keeper, they'd have to spend £3million to £4million and then Rafa would have to tell that keeper: `You're going to sit on the bench'.

"But no respected keeper would come under those terms and that's why they prefer to keep me."

Dudek's former club Feyenoord and Wolfsburg are both thought to be monitoring the 34-year-old's situation at Anfield.

Source: Skysports

As expected.Of course he don't want to sit on the bench for the rest of his career.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Left winger Morten Gamst Pedersen from Blackburn is linked again to Anfield.He's valued at £10 million.

Maybe Rafa is willing to use Bellamy in a swap deal?Bellamy is valued at £6-8 million.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Benitez laughs off Liverpool Torres talk

Rafa Benitez has laughed off press speculation that Liverpool are set to sign Fernando Torres after the Atletico Madrid man was pictured with "You'll Never Walk Alone" printed on the inside of his captain's armband.

The Liverpool manager said the slogan - the Merseyside club's famous "theme song" - had no significance, but refused to rule out a move for the Spanish international altogether.

"I think the saying is very famous all around the world. You have a list of players, and everybody is always talking about one," Benitez said.

However, the Anfield boss admitted that he was keeping an eye on the 23-year-old striker, saying he was "one of 135 players in the world" he was interested in.

Benitez also said he thought the Champions League was Chelsea's priority ahead of the teams' semi-final first leg at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

"They will think a lot about trophies right now and have a big squad to cope with problems at this stage of the season," he said.

"But they know the major competition now is the Champions League and they will be focused on it."

Source: Eurosport

What a ridiculous rumour.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Liverpool set to sign starlet

Liverpool are reportedly on the verge of signing Helsingborgs starlet Alexander Kacaniklic.

The 15-year-old impressed during a 12-day trial at Anfield in February and returned to the club for another visit earlier this month.

"It was really fun," he told Helsingborgs Dagblad. "The first training session was a bit nervy, but afterwards it went very well.

"The coaches felt that it went very well and I came around on the wing all the time.

"I believe in myself and I have always dreamt about becoming a professional.

"It's at this age that you develop the most and the conditions are much better at Liverpool than at Helsingborgs."

Source: Skysports

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Liverpool are considering a fresh move for Real Madrid midfielder Esteban Granero.

Granero has just over a year left on his current Real contract and talks over a new deal have failed to progress.

AS says Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is a big admirer of Granero, whose deal carries an £8 million buyout clause. However, the youngster can join a foreign club for just £200,000.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Reds youth retain Cup

Manchester United 0 Liverpool 1

A magnificent performance from the Reds coupled with cool heads in a penalty shoot out ensured the Reds retained the FA Youth Cup. Coming in to the game a goal behind the Reds played superbly throughout and thoroughly deserved this win in United's own back yard. The Reds won the game 1-0 on the night and then won the ensuing penalty shoot-out 4-3 having scored from each of their kicks.

A large crowd turned up for this second leg and the home side were expecting a win having overturned the Reds at Anfield a week ago. The game started with a minute's clapping for Alan Ball. These times are so much better to remember players rather than silence.

United got the game underway but it was the Reds who had the first chance when Charlie Barnett strode through midfield but shot wide. United are a decent side and play some decent football and at times on the night it looked like it might undo the Reds.

After eight minutes United broke with pace and won a corner which the Reds half cleared before Brandy shot over the bar. At the other end Ryan Flynn was putting pressure on United's back line from a deep cross but a cool header sent the ball back to his keeper.

Roberts was forced in to the action midway through the half when Brandy shot from distance but the keeper had it well covered. The Reds were doing well though without really putting big pressure on their defence. They had a superb chance on thirty seven minutes when a great cross from Jimmy Ryan on the right was headed just over the bar from Craig Lindfield.

As half time approached though the Reds were very much still in the game but really needed to push on a bit more in order to get the scores equal again. The half time team talk in a sense would have been quite simple - they are there for the taking but don't take your eye off the back line.

The Reds pushed on in the second half and certainly looked the better side. They grabbed midfield more and from there the game was won in a sense. Before the Reds scored though there was a warning sign for the Reds. Jay Spearing played a loose ball which Brandy capitalised on and raced through but Roberts stood up really well and saved with his feet when the United striker shot on goal.

The Reds took note of the warning though and pushed up. On fifty two minutes Lindfield saw a shot pushed on to the post by United keeper Zieler and Flynn shot over with the rebound when he was under pressure.

The all important goal came on fifty minutes from Robbie Threlfall. The unfortunate victim from the first leg of the own goal stepped up to volley home after United failed to clear a corner. Threlfall controlled the ball with one foot fifteen yards out and then blasted in to the back of the net. The goal came at the Liverpool end of the ground and the Reds celebrated in front of us.

The goal seemed to galvanise the Reds even more now. This set of players has that Liverpool spirit in them that they can always claw things back. On sixty three minutes Ray Putterill shot just wide after creating himself some space on the edge of the area.

The Reds were putting lots of pressure on United now and certainly at throw ins. It meant the Reds were forcing the pace up to the far end of the pitch and away from any danger to themselves. The biggest thing against the Reds winning this outright was the clock. Ajdarevic went off with nine minutes to go for Steve Irwin. A minute later and Putterill nearly scored with the keeper beaten at full stretch but the ball sailed just wide. With three minutes to go Jimmy Ryan battled to create some space in the area but let himself down with a wayward shot at the end of it.

Extra time was upon us and so many of the players were going down with cramp on the pitch now. United got the extra time started and within a minute had Dave Roberts active again. Bryan shot and the Reds keeper saved at the second attempt. The Reds keeper did well considering he was only called in to the side at the last minute.

On three minutes Lindfield must have thought he had scored. Jimmy Ryan crossed from the right and the Reds striker took the ball down on the edge of the box. He jinked past his marker before shooting past Zieler only to see the ball rebound back off the post and go out. A minute later and Stephen Darby found himself through on goal but having rounded the keeper he found he had took the ball too far he tried to cut the ball back but the main chance had gone.

Lee Woodward was sent on for the Reds with Jimmy Ryan on the sidelines suffering cramp. Ryan was desperate to come back on but the sub had to be made for the Reds' sake.

A minute in to the second half of extra time and Burns whipped in a dangerous free kick which somehow United cleared in a scramble. From the resulting corner the ball somehow reached Lindfield at the back post but he shot wide - clearly not expecting the ball to reach him.

At the other end Brandy got himself in to space at a United corner and when the ball fell to him he volleyed on goal only to see Dave Roberts match him. Time though was ticking down now and it seemed inevitable that a penalty shoot out would decide the destiny of the trophy.

In the 2006 campaign the Reds won a penalty shoot out and there's something about this club and shoot out wins - two European cup wins by them. Don't forget we've won one shoot out in someone's back yard before in 1984 so this wasn't going to scare us.

The penalties would be taken at the Stretford End in front of the United crowd.

1. Eikram - penalty shot left saved by Dave Roberts
2. Putterill - scored right
3. Fagan - scored left
4. Lindfield - scored left
5. Chester - scored left
6. Flynn - scored left
7. Galbraith - scored right
8. Threlfall - scored left
9. Hewson - blazed over the bar

The Reds had won the cup 4-3 and having celebrated with one another all raced to the Liverpool end to celebrate. If you're going to win it feels so much better at your rivals back yard.

Jay Spearing stepped up and received the trophy off some FA bloke who then got swamped in the celebrations by the Reds. This was a mighty performance from the Reds and this side go down in history as the first Reds side to retain the trophy.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool Roberts, Darby, Burns, Spearing ©, Threlfall, Ajdarevic (Irwin 81), Barnett, Putterill, Ryan (Woodward 95), Flynn, Lindfield
Unused Subs Mimms, Highdale, Parsonage
Goal Threlfall (55)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Manchester United Zieler, Eckersley, Evans (Moffatt 99), Strickland, Chester, Drinkwater (Bryan 72), Welbeck (Eikrem 88'), Hewson (capt), Brandy, Fagan, Galbraith
Unused Subs McCormack, Woods

Source: redandwhitekop.com

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Contracts for Youth Cup heroes

Four of Liverpool’s double Youth Cup winning side will be rewarded with new contracts following last night’s victory at Old Trafford.

Academy director Steve Heighway bowed out in style, seeing his Under-18s overturn a 2-1 first leg deficit to beat Manchester United on penalties.

Robbie Threlfall’s winner on the night set up the deserved win.

Now Threlfall, striker Craig Lindfield, midfielder Ryan Flynn and full-back Stephen Darby will all pen new deals at the club.

Source: icLiverpool

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Heighway: These are best I've worked with

Steve Heighway has declared Liverpool's class of 2007 the best youth side he's ever worked with.

The departing Academy boss, who officially announced his retirement at Old Trafford last night, has nurtured the likes of Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher through the ranks.

And after watching his latest crop of under-18s triumph against Manchester United, he spoke of his confidence that the Reds have plenty more potential stars of the future.

"I think this is the best bunch of boys I've ever worked with," said Heighway. "That's the 16th consecutive match we've played in knockout football. You only have to lose one and you're gone, so to do what they've done is just fantastic.

"In Jay Spearing I've got someone with whom I'd trust my life. Same with Stephen Darby, Robbie Threlfall and Michael Burns. For lads of average size, they are fantastic people and fantastic players. I'm convinced Spearing could play at a much higher level, and I'm convinced he could do it now."

While Liverpool's victory came in a dramatic penalty shoot-out, Heighway revealed that he actually asked United boss Paul McGuiness to share the trophy with two minutes to go.

"Penalty shoot-outs are a bit of a sideshow – the game was a draw," said the Kop legend. "I actually went up to Paul with two minutes to go and asked him if we should share it! We just laughed. His nerves were on edge, like all of ours were.

"Our boys showed a lot of maturity when the spot kicks came. We left them to it, they decided between themselves who'd take them, then just bombed them in.

"It was a terrific night, so dramatic, and all in front of a great crowd."

On what the future now holds for Steve Heighway - and whether the players will throw him a leaving party - the 59-year-old added: "I hope not, I don't react well to surprises!

"No, I don't know what the future holds just yet, we'll have to wait and see. It was just very special to be with these lads again one last time. I am sad but it's my choice to do what I'm doing."

Source: Liverpoolfc.tv: Official Web Site