Liverpool thread

[davidmphill]

Will he, wont he?
Hope so myself but its one of those that you know is likely to fail to materialise.

Liverpool step up move for Torres

By Phil McNulty Chief football writer Torres scored 14 goals last season for Atletico Liverpool's hopes of landing top target Fernando Torres hang in the balance as talks continue with Atletico Madrid over the £27m-rated striker. Atletico president Enrique Cerezo says Liverpool have not tabled a bid for the 23-year-old Spain striker. But BBC Sport understands discussions between the clubs are ongoing and have now reached a crucial stage. Atletico are reluctant to sell, but Torres is believed to be keen to link up with Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez. Torres is currently on holiday until early July, but Benitez remains hopeful of having a deal in place by then. He has drawn up a list of alternatives should he fail to sign Torres, and this includes PSV Eindhioven striker Arouna Kone, Ajax's Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Real Zaragoza striker Diego Milito. Liverpool are reluctant to pay the £27m release clause in Torres' contract, and Benitez does not want to part with midfield man Luis Garcia, who is reported to be interesting Atletico.

For me if the Torres pursuit is a failure then Klass Jan Huntelaar would go a decent signing. Made huge strides in Dutch football since leaving PSV Eindhoven to Heerenveen to Ajax.

[aliando]

hopefully he'll come our way, but it will certainly heap massive pressure on benitez and the team to perform in the league - we cant be signing £27m players and be happy with a distant 3rd or 4th

[davidmphill]

Sissoko signs a new deal.
I honestly thought that he was on his way out of the club in the summer with that amount of choices we have in his position.

Sissoko signs new Liverpool deal

Sissoko has made 71 appearances for Liverpool in two seasons Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko has signed a new four-year contract with the Anfield outfit. The 22-year-old Mali international has been linked with a summer transfer, but he will now be staying with Liverpool until at least 2011. "It was never in my thoughts to leave Liverpool," he told the club website. "It has obviously given me a huge boost to my confidence that the manager believes in me and wanted me to stay. Now I want to repay him on the pitch." Sissoko joined the Reds from Valencia for £5.6m in July 2005 and has gone on to play 71 games without scoring. He added: "I read about the speculation linking me with other clubs but I am already at a big club and it's an honour for me to be able to call myself a Liverpool player. "I feel fresh and can't wait for the new season to start. "I am injury-free and although I know I'll face a battle for a place in the team as we have so many great midfielders I'm prepared to fight for a position." Sissoko joins Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Xabi Alonso and Jose Reina in signing a long-term deal at Anfield this summer.

[ukgaz]

Good to hear that Sissoko has signed a new deal. He has been a good player for us and will only improve.

Come on Torres!

[Darren]

Originally Posted by davidmphill

Sissoko signs a new deal.
I honestly thought that he was on his way out of the club in the summer with that amount of choices we have in his position.

Ah feck. Thats Gerrard on the wing or up front next season I guess. Either that or a change in shape from Benitez, we have far too many in central midfield to play 442 mainly.

Got what now, Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko, Mascherano, Lucas (7M signing, not bought to warm the bench for years). all in central midfield. It looks crowded, although the wings are a little bare so maybe some space out there

[Darren]

KOP KIDS REWARDED WITH NEW DEALS Mark Platt 30 June 2007
	Liverpool have rewarded five members of last season's FA Youth Cup winning squad with extended contracts that will keep them at the club until at least 2010.
Craig Lindfield, Jay Spearing, Ryan Flynn, Stephen Darby and Robbie Threlfall have all put pen to paper on the new deals and Reds boss Rafael Benitez is delighted to have secured their services for the foreseeable future. He told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It is great news these five boys have signed new contracts with the club. They've got a great opportunity now to prove what they can do. They need to keep learning, work hard and show what they are capable of."

[Darren]

TWO NEW PLAYERS ADDED TO ACADEMY RANKS Mark Platt 29 June 2007
	Academy manager John Owens has revealed that two new overseas players will be joining the under-18 squad for the 2007/08 season.
German striker Marvin Pourie from Borussia Dortmund and Swedish winger Alex Kacaniklic from Helsinborgs will arrive on Merseyside in time for the start of pre-season training at the Kirkby-based complex on July 16.

[Darren]

Beginning to like the way Rafa is influencing the youth setup at Liverpool. The academy is restructuring and that has to be a good thing as it wasn't producing a lot in recent years.

Besides those already mentioned it seems we have also signed 16 year old Pacheco from Barca and 18 year old San Jose from Bilbao.

The new recruits aren't all Spanish either but are coming from Sweden, Hungary, Bulgaria and South America.

While I'm still patiently waiting for that first big name signing to arrive, I'm glad to see Rafa is looking well ahead by working with the youths. Something Houllier really failed badly at for me.

[davidmphill]

I'm liking the way the youth team is going now at Anfield, reminds me a lot of how Arsene Wenger went about things at Arsenal. If 2-3 of these become first team players then thats a great return.

[AK1979]

I'm liking the way the youth team is going now at Anfield, reminds me a lot of how Arsene Wenger went about things at Arsenal. If 2-3 of these become first team players then thats a great return.

Maybe you'll actually give us a game in the Carling Cup this year

[davidmphill]

Originally Posted by AK1979

Maybe you'll actually give us a game in the Carling Cup this year

I wouldn't go that far yet!!

[mileni4uk]

Came back from a holiday and ... Torres At last something to get excited about with my beloved team. There are reports about Heinze today. I'm not the best fan of his, but if he stays away from injuries he's a class act.

[TheBoyRooney]

Originally Posted by mileni4uk

Came back from a holiday and ... Torres At last something to get excited about with my beloved team. There are reports about Heinze today. I'm not the best fan of his, but if he stays away from injuries he's a class act.

Torres is a fecking class act...

[mileni4uk]

Originally Posted by TheBoyRooney

Torres is a fecking class act...

Sir Alex main target last summer if I remember

[RussP]

Personally, I'm not a huge lover of Torres. Ok, so yes he's a decent player but £25m ..... not for me!
I don't think he'll be the 25 goal a season man, and don't rate him any better than Dirk Kuyt tbh.
GL though if he does come in, would be nice to see him fulfil his potential

[AJ]

My first post on the Liverpool thread.

Not at all happy about you lot signing torres, he's clearly a very good player.

Hoping Sir Alex is going to nail a deal for Tevez soon, with Smith looking on the way out I think it'll happen.

If we don't sign a striker, Liverpool could be a real danger next year. I for one say, about bloody time to, It'd be great to have a three or four way title battle next season, like they had in spain

[davidmphill]

to the thread you've been asking to post in AJ, please stick around and make yourself at home!

[christo85efc]

Very good signing for the redsh*te i do agree, its about time u lot spent some USD already!

Analfield might see a consistent goalscorer this season perhaps?

[davidmphill]

Originally Posted by christo85efc

Very good signing for the redsh*te i do agree, its about time u lot spent some USD already!

Anfield might see a consistent goalscorer this season perhaps?

Thats what is needed and has been missing in recent seasons.

[davidmphill]

Another young talent has been snapped up and this one's from Barcelona.
If he turns out to be anywhere near as Fabregas then it'll be a cracking addition to the blossoming youths being gathered from all over Europe.
Futures getting brighter.


Liverpool have raided Barcelona to sign one of their prized young talents in the shape of Dani Pacheco.
The 16-year-old, nicknamed The Killer by his team-mates, was regarded as one of the best youngsters in the youth set-up at Camp Nou and only arrived as a 13-year-old from Malaga.
However, he has shunned their offer of professional terms in order to pen a three-year deal at Anfield.
Pacheco's signing is the latest in a string of youth deals tied up by the Merseyside giants in recent weeks - with Alex Kacaniklic, Marvin Purie, Mikel San Jose, Nikolai Mihailov, Krisztian Nemeth and Andras Simon all penning deals to join the club's academy ranks.
Barca youth coach Garcia Pimienta admitted losing Pacheco was a huge blow to the club.
"It is a great loss for the club because he is a forward with a lot of quality," Garcia told Sport.
"He has been our top goalscorer and has already played for the youth team.
"Alongside Thiago Alcantara and Gai Assulin, he is one of the cadets we had the most hope for, but nothing can be done anymore.
"Everything happened very suddenly."
The news of Pacheco's departure to England is another blow to Barca, who have lost a host of top youngsters to the Premier League in recent seasons. The likes of Cesc Fabregas, Fran Merida and Gerard Pique have all turned their back on the Blaugrana to make the move to the English top-flight.