Joe Cole (Chelsea) – Out of the three, Cole is the one I would most like to see at Anfield. He is very skilful, creative player; something the Liverpool team is crying out for. He is available for free in the summer on a Bosman and would be an ideal quality signing considering the budget restraints the club will be under if they fail to qualify for the Champions League. The move to Anfield is not that likely though, Cole has indicated his desire to stay at Chelsea and his manager Carlo Ancelotti has said that he is “100% certain” that the attacking midfielder will be at Stamford Bridge beyond this season. The chink of light is the lack of progress in contract negotiations and if these do collapse completely then the Reds do have a chance if Rafa is interested. The injury record of the 28 year old in recent times is a concern, and could be one of the reasons why Chelsea are stalling on a long, lucrative contract, but Liverpool are not in the position to be too choosy when a good player like Cole becomes available for free.
Taye Taiwo (Marseille) – With Fabio Aurelio seemingly on his way out of Anfield in the summer after picking up constant injuries during his spell at the club, Benitez will be scouting the continent for another left back. Perhaps coming in as first choice, rather than as an understudy to Emiliano Insua, is Marseille’s Nigerian left back Taye Taiwo. 24 year old Taiwo was brought to the French Club six years ago in 2004 from his home town club Lobi Stars and he has subsequently become a very important player for the Ligue One side, cementing his place in the starting eleven at left back . Taiwo is known as an attacking full back and he possesses a venomous left boot which has been clocked at 82 mph. He also has great tackling ability and his forays down the left wing will be complemented by his ability to track back with his speed and athleticism. The full back first impressed at international level in the FIFA World Youth Championships in 2005, he scored two goals during the tournament helping Nigeria to the final where they lost out to Lionel Messi’s Argentina. He has subsequently played in two African Cup of Nations in 2006 and 2008, won the Nigerian Young Player of the Year in 2006, and has now accrued 26 caps for his country, scoring an impressive 7 goals in the process.
Stevan Jovetic (Fiorentina) – Jovetic first came to the attention of Liverpool fans back in September when he scored both goals against the Reds in a 2-0 win for Fiorentina in the group stages of the Champions League. The young Montenegran striker has stayed in the minds of many Reds fans and many see him as an ideal partner to Fernando Torres. He is by far the least likely of the three to join Liverpool this summer due to the amount of money Fiorentina would demand for the player. At 20 years old, he is one of Europe’s hottest properties and he would cost over £20million to purchase. If Rafa was determined to buy the striker, it would take up almost all of the manager’s rumoured transfer budget for the summer. He cost the Italian Club £7.3million from Partizan Belgrade in 2008 and the fact that he has scored some important goals this season, not to mention his strikes against Liverpool, including two against Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the Champions League and league goals against Livorno, Sampdoria and Palermo, would indicate Fiorentina would be less than willing to let him go. He has great technical ability, ball control and dribbling skills but he also has a presence in the air and a great finisher, something Reds fans do not need telling.
Verdict – All in all I believe that out of the three, Taye Taiwo would be the most likely mover to Anfield in the summer if the money can be found. Rafa needs a new left back and rumours were doing the rounds in January that we were looking at him. On Joe Cole, I hope he decides to join us but he will probably decide to sign a deal to stay at Chelsea, and Stevan Jovetic would be a long shot considering the amount of money and Rafa’s January interest in Kenwyne Jones, which might be reignited in the summer.
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A done deal? Yep, the yanks are selling up! I should know because im the one buying the club!!! Watch out! we are gonna take over the world!!!
£250m given to the Yanks to say see ya later alligator
£350million ploughed into the new stadium, watch out for the bulldozers across Stanley Park.
£400million ploughed into the club to clear £237m of debt and give Rafa a transfer pot of £163m!
With the money Ive given Rafa, we are going to raid Valencia and Buy Silva, Mata and Villa for a joint fee of £90million.
I can also give you on good authority that we are signing German international Philip Lahm from bayern Munich for £25m, He can play both left and right back and plays left back for germany.
The money left over is for Salaries and bonuses.
Well…. I can dream right????
ARDA TURAN 70K A WEEK 5 YEAR DEAL. WAIT AND SEE. THEN EMAIL ME AND THANK ME.
Who is the done deal????????????
paulmchef75@hotmail.com
AURELIO WILL GO, END OF CONTRACT, OFFER WAS A PAY A PLAY DEAL, HE WILL GO UNLESS HE WANTS THAT.
REIRA WILL BE SOLD IN THE SUMMER FOR MORE MONEY, THE CLUB WANT AT LEAST 6 MILLION, REMEMBER IF HE GOES ON LOAN, THEN GETS INTO THE SPAIN TEAM, HIS VALUE WILL BE HIGHER, THAT WILL DO, MORE CASH.
WE DO HAVE CASH FROM JAN SALES, ABOUT 8 MILLION. IF YOU ADD THAT TO REIRA, SAY 6MILLION THEN THAT’S 14 MILLION.
OH AND THE STATEMENT THAT PRICK HICKS PUT OUT WAS ABOUT” WE ARE GOING TO SPEND BIG” I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IS NO MONEY FROM THE OWNERS, ITS COMING FROM STANDARD CHARTED THAT 20 MILLION A YEAR ON PLAYER ACTIVITY, AND THIS IS REAL NOT MADE UP.
SO AT PRESENT TIME WE HAVE AROUND 34 MILLION TO SPEND PLUS PLAYER SALES,
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Wayne I hope that ankle is OK, England needs you
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