Liverpool Signings and General Rumours Thread

~Rebel~

surely though, after all the time spent, if liverpool were to contact DIC in the next 2 days or so and accept the deal it would still go through? It just makes no sense the take the deal off the line altogether after all the time spent to make it. Negotiations had essentially ended anyway and the final deal was offered.

zing

Call_me_al wrote:

so let me get this straight - DIC spent a month conducting due diligence - a process which took Gillett & co 3 days. The board delay their deicision which probably wouldnt have been more than a few days and DIC just up and pull out?

Now either DIC have been told to improve their offer and told LFC to get stuffed, or they really were on a knife edge about the deal and this just sealed it. Or they're just impatient.

Pretty much - only that month conducting DD was more like 6 or 8 weeks. Then they're told they'll have to wait another few days and they throw their toys out of the cot. Kinda makes you wonder how much they really wanted it ?

On the other hand there's the statement from Sameer Al Ansari that mike65 posted and that clearly shows that he at least is a fan.. Maybe someone further up the food chain (Dubai Holdings ?) pulled the plug ?

Bluetonic

~Rebel~ wrote:

Gillett has since made it clear he has no problems with continuing with the existing stanley park plans and forgetting about the groundshare when he was told it wasnt an option.

Would like to read this article if you have it. I read the complete opposite, and heard it from within the city of Liverpool too.

Guy:Incognito

Re:Reina. I wouldnt be overly woorried about him leaving assuming we make a decent profit and Carson comes back at the end of the season and continues th egreat form he's been in for Charlton. Personally I reckon thats his true form and he'll be a better keeper than Reina anyway.

jesus_thats_gre

Reina's contract is up at the end of the year sure and there has been no word of him being offered an extension.

~Rebel~

just been searching, no luck finding it, think i just heard it on FiveLive, but in hindsight, probably not something to be taken as gospal!

Oh God I hope DIC come back!

~Rebel~

He sounds happy enough by this, and says he has 2 years left on his contract and will talk about a new contract in the summer. I suppose at this stage of the season it would be foolish for him to say anything to start rocking the boat anyway..

Link; http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=439729&plid=8432&clid=14&cpid=8

Goalkeeper Jose Reina has revealed he is settled at Liverpool amid rumours he is set for a return to his native Spain.

The 24-year-old Spaniard has been linked with a move back home to Valencia all season, speculation which has been compounded further by the lack of progress on a new contract for the goalkeeper at Anfield.

But as he and his side prepare to begin their defence of the FA Cup against Premiership rivals Arsenal, former Villarreal player Reina admits he is happy with life on Merseyside and his primary aim at the moment is to focus on the remainder of the season.

"The truth is I am quite comfortable here," Reina told The Independent.

"I have two years left on my contract and I think we will sit down and talk about a new contract in the summer.

"Now is not the best time to speak about a new deal. There is plenty of time for that. I would be very happy to stay, although in this game you never know what might happen.

"I'm happy at Liverpool, my wife is happy here.

"It is not the time to discuss new contracts because I have to focus on the team, on improving our season and I don't want any distractions from that for me or the rest of the lads."

Reina does not appear to suffer from the homesickness that contributed to the departure from Liverpool of his compatriots Fernando Morientes and Josemi.

"I have a house in Cordoba and it is quite different to Liverpool," he said.

"But I am not homesick for Spain. I miss it, it is my home, but I am happy here."

mike65

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liverpoolfc/0100news/tm_headline=lfc--we-re-taking-us-buy-out-bid-seriously%26method=full%26objectid=18555515%26siteid=50061-name_page.html

The US sports tycoon has astonished Anfield officials by completing his due diligence procedure in three days.

By confirming that a shared stadium with Everton has never been on his agenda, by agreeing to personally underwrite the new stadium funding, and by making a firm commitment to investing in future transfers, he has now moved alongside DIC as a realistic future owner.

Mike.

Stky10

Sounds a bit like a bargaining plan to me. Can't see many Liverpool fans being too pleased to jump into the same mess that ManYoo are in regarding being a couple of hundred million in debt just to pay for a takeover by an american that doesn't understand the game. Gillett doesn't have anywhere near the financial muscle that DIC have, so funding for the stadium and transfers will be more restricted and likely added to the existing debt of the club. Add in the story with the ground sharing, and I can see the fans becoming anti-Gillett. Would Moores go against the general feeling of the fan's? I'd have my doubts.

And yeah I know DIC would treat the club as a business as well, but I'd have more faith in them to uphold the values of the club than Gillett.

So I'd say we could well hear more of DIC

susanna

Gillett would be financing the takeover with huge debt though. To be honest I doubt the board will accept his offer either

Seems like the LFC board will get a lot of blame for this, although I dont think its unreasonable to look at another offer. Its business. DIC have just got in a hissy fit, and pulling out so suddenly after all the time and energy they've spent on this deal so far is ridiculous.

Could just be a PR trick to scare the Liverpool board?

I suppose there's no way of knowing whats going on behind the scenes... just wish the club would release a statement

~Rebel~

mike65 wrote:

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liverpoolfc/0100news/tm_headline=lfc--we-re-taking-us-buy-out-bid-seriously%26method=full%26objectid=18555515%26siteid=50061-name_page.html



Mike.

Thanks Mike, knew id seen it somewhere, thought i was going insane when couldnt find a reference to it!

~Rebel~

oh god i cant wait for the headlines tomorrow;
Dic pulls out prematurely...


(sorry, ill get my coat..)

griffdaddy

#gillette....the best the board can get#.
(grab mine while you're over there Rebel )

Stky10

7:30 and still no confirmation of the deals for Mascherano and Arbeloa going through.

I wonder if the ownership saga having an effect on transfer dealings?

Stky10

Going by these articles it looks like the deal with Gillett is pretty much nailed on, and the backlash against Moores and the board of directors has started

http://www.eecho.ie/news/bstory.asp?j=4439100&p=4439yy5&n=4439192

http://www.anfieldroad.com/news/latest/2007101/a40263962b.html

Chardee MacDennis

or franics?

'statement' from Liverpool re DIC

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N154853070131-1845.htm

redspider

Stky10 wrote:

7:30 and still no confirmation of the deals for Mascherano and Arbeloa going through. I wonder if the ownership saga having an effect on transfer dealings?

The ownership sale hiccup shouldnt affect any signings or dealings at this stage. Mabe they are awaiting the paperwork to go through. I think FIFA's fax machine is a busy one.

By the way, in terms of the DIC withdrawl, Liverpool FC have announced:
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N154853070131-1845.htm

Liverpool Football Club has noted today's announcement by Dubai International Capital.
The process of seeking new owners for the club is still underway and a decision on the future will be taken in the next few days.

Very short, and not very sweet.

Redspider

Redundo

Damn this is bad news. At least with DIC we knew what the club itself would get from the deal. With Gillette all anyone seems to be sure of is that the shareholders, and not the club, are getting an improved offer.

I hope there is some way DIC will change their minds. I know at the end of the day its just business, but of all the takeover talks theirs was the one that seemed best for the club.

Stky10

Yeah the reaction of the crowd towards Moores could be very interesting on Saturday. I can't see it being very favourable judging by the reaction on various forums. The deal might have already gone through by then though.

el rabitos

i'm pissed off to say the least

Thrill

I think all liverpool fans will see this as moores only being interested in the extra 8 million he will get out of this deal and not caring what the fans think.
The majority of which were hoping for the DIC deal imo.
Including me. I must admit to being stunned and disappointed at this turn of events.:(

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_sports/view/255928/1/.html


This doesn't make good reading either. It suggests moores was trying to get more money out of DIC...

http://www.anfieldroad.com/news/latest/2007101/a40263962b.html

Moores has been painted, certainly by the local press, as only being concerned about the good of the club, the extra £8million he'd get from Gillett's offer being unimportant to him. There are now hints though that Moores wasn't quite the person he is being made out to be, and he'd actually gone to DIC demanding more money or the deal was off. When Gillett came in with his bigger offer, suddenly Moores was more interested in that than in the deal that seemed - on the face of it - much better for the club.

.

Chardee MacDennis

i disagree - lets not blame Moores for looking at another offer, it is a business after all. also as pointed out in this article http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A19411256
Moores has never been about money and has put liverpool first while investing in the team why should that suddenly change over 8m or an extra 10%....

Thrill

Call_me_al wrote:

i disagree - lets not blame Moores for looking at another offer, it is a business after all. also as pointed out in this article http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A19411256
Moores has never been about money and has put liverpool first while investing in the team why should that suddenly change over 8m or an extra 10%....

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then.

One other thing that i read earlier was that Gillett has already tried to buy four or five other clubs in Europe. The article did not say why he did not succeed in those other efforts but it seems to me that this man just wants to get his hands on a football club.
And it appears he has finally succeeded.

Chardee MacDennis

2:20 till the window closes - looks set for no mascherano, Arbeloa or francis - very dissapointing..

lets hope i'm proved wrong.

Thrill

Call_me_al wrote:

2:20 till the window closes - looks set for no mascherano, Arbeloa or francis - very dissapointing..

lets hope i'm proved wrong.

Seems wishes do come true. Sometimes. Two out of three ain't bad.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N154850070131-2135.htm



Looks like dudek is on his way out. No surprise really.

http://talkingsoccer.blogspot.com/2007/01/dudek-set-for-anfield-departure.html

Chardee MacDennis

Liverpool have completed the signings of Deportivo La Coruna defender Alvaro Arbeloa and Malaga midfielder Francisco Manuel Duran.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N154850070131-2135.htm

RE*AC*TOR

Call_me_al wrote:

Liverpool have completed the signings of Deportivo La Coruna defender Alvaro Arbeloa and Malaga midfielder Francisco Manuel Duran.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N154850070131-2135.htm

two relative unknown quantities...

not a lot spent, so no harm. lets hope the mascherano deal can be squeezed through in the next hour and a quarter... it would be a shame not to after the trouble went through to to get clearance.

~Rebel~

Sky sports news reporting now that Mascherano will be signed before the deadline, but possibly only just! The main problem was who the player is actually registered to West Ham or MSI. They're waiting to get that through and attached to the actual contracts that are ready in place. Apparantly very close to being done right on the deadline.


Off topic from Liverpool the guy has also said he expects another bigish transfer to go through involving a striker of a team playing tonight. He suggested possibly Andy Cole or Mido so i guess watch this space!

~Rebel~

According to Sky sports News, Mascherano is now officially a liverpool player and he is now registered to Liverpool. Waiting on Premierleague registering, but that doesnt need to be done before the deadline, so Job done

3 from 3. Happy out if not for the whole DIC shenanigans

zing

~Rebel~ wrote:

Off topic from Liverpool the guy has also said he expects another bigish transfer to go through involving a striker of a team playing tonight. He suggested possibly Andy Cole or Mido so i guess watch this space!

O'Neil has apparently mentioned they're hoping to land Shaun Maloney from Celtic.

Chucky the tree

zing wrote:

O'Neil has apparently mentioned they're hoping to land Shaun Maloney from Celtic.

I am guessing he was talking about a more well known striker.

~Rebel~

Still no official word on Mascherano, just the sky sports news corrospondant at anfield, so hopefully it has actually gone through!

Thrill

The daily mail claims the Mascherano deal is done.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=432920&in_page_id=1779

lfc online

http://www.lfconline.com/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=322427

PiE

BBC:

"And would you believe it - there was a final twist regarding Javier Mascherano's move from West Ham to Liverpool. Mascherano's registration documents were sent to the Premier League before the transfer window closed but the top-flight's governing body wants to "take time to satisfy itself with the proposed arrangements". Until it does the Argentine cannot play for Liverpool."

Rolleye.

Chucky the tree

I think that can be done outside the transfer window though.

DaBreno

PiE wrote:

BBC:

Mascherano's registration documents were sent to the Premier League before the transfer window closed but the top-flight's governing body wants to "take time to satisfy itself with the proposed arrangements"

My God, Thats an appalling image. I hope they at least wipe those documents before handing them back to Javier.

Chardee MacDennis

DaBreno wrote:

My God, Thats an appalling image. I hope they at least wipe those documents before handing them back to Javier.

ROFL

Stky10

The backlash against the board seems to be continuing. I didn't realise that DIC were now barred from making another offer for 6 months. So it must have been that they were truely sick and tired of being messed about. And by association the board is now either faced with going with Gillett no matter what even though no matter what commitments he makes are not binding, or else go through the whole process again and try and find another investor.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liverpoolfc/0100news/tm_headline=angry-lfc-fans-speak-out%26method=full%26objectid=18559078%26siteid=50061-name_page.html

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liverpoolfc/0100news/tm_headline=dic%2D%2D8217%2Ds-shock-move-hands-all-the-cards-to-gillett%26method=full%26objectid=18559076%26siteid=50061-name_page.html

http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=27339

http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=27335

griffdaddy

is the premier league stalling that deal just a flex of their muscles for the sake of it, or could they genuinely want to scupper the deal?

TheMonster

griffdaddy wrote:

is the premier league stalling that deal just a flex of their muscles for the sake of it, or could they genuinely want to scupper the deal?

Possibly they think rules actually mean something :eek: however crazy they may appear to be

griffdaddy

TheMonster wrote:

Possibly they think rules actually mean something :eek: however crazy they may appear to be

one would think that a fifa ruling would supersede their doubts though?

redspider

From what I've read up about Gillet, I'm not happy about the sound of it as his track record has shown that he will take as much money as he can out of the club. He will also use leverage, etc, borrowing to finance the deal, and pay himself large dividends when he can. If he does buy the club, it will be a bad move financially imo and Liverpool will be worse off than we are today.

How the Dubai people feel now is anyone's guess, and whether they will be interested to bid again, who knows. It all seemed to be going so smoothly.

Dubai felt they had made a fair offer and were insulted to be drawn into a bidding war. If Moores was playing a last minute poker game of trying to seek an exta few million (10 or so), then he perhaps misunderestimated the culture of the Arabs and Sheiks. They may like trading in horses but I can assure you they would be affronted by being asked to do some last minute 'horse trading'. The language they used in their press release was akin to fury.

Back to Day-to-day business:
> 18 year old Duran from Malaga

Another stab in the dark for Rafa. Lets hope its an Alonso-like result and not a Pellegrino.

> Deportivo La Coruna defender Alvaro Arbeloa
He's played 20 games so could be a Josemi or a Garcia. Lets hope he's even better.

> Mascherano has spoken of his delight after FIFA gave him the green light to sign for Liverpool. The deal is still to be ratified by the Premier League.


I think this could be a good signing, if it is allowed. The problem is also related to actually who owns Mascherano. West Ham or MSI. It could be a loan from MSI. Its all a bit messy. Let's hope for the player and for the club that they get the administration side of things worked out. He could be a good acquisition if he gets back to his form of old. For the moment though, he will be very very rusty. I'd like to see where he is in one month.

By the way, are there now more native Spanish speakers at Atletico Liverpoolo than native english speakers ????

Redspider

Chardee MacDennis

MASCHERANO THRILLED WITH FIFA DECISION

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N154855070201-0932.htm

zing

Interesting enough article from Bascombe on it all. Doesn't necessarily read as his usual mouth of the club stuff but still has his usual bias towards LFC
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liverpoolfc/0100news/tm_headline=gillett%2D-the-perfect-choice-for-reds-or-best-a-club-can-get%2D%26method=full%26objectid=18560409%26siteid=50061-name_page.html

Most interesting imo is the bit that they hadn't actually made a formal bid but had instead just submitted an expression of interest - again something very different to what the rest of the media have been reporting

Regardless of Gillet's revised offer was anyone else starting to wonder why the whole process was taking so long ? I know we were being told it was being complicated by the new stadium but it did seem to be taking a long time.

tbh I've never been entirely comfortable with the idea of a state owned investment house owning the club but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the idea of Gillet owning it either. The debt stuff doesn't bother me - that's just business and would have gone with whichever party buy the club (maybe X will borrow more than Y but so what). It was the fact that they are an investment house so are ultimately in it for one thing - which just didn't go with RP's comments about them being best for the long term future of the club, blah blah blah..

Looks like DM/RP had learned a thing or two from StevieG's dramatic last minute u-turns I'm just wondering is there going to be another twist in this saga..

Kimbot

I think the DIC deal was the best in the long term for LFC!!
Just something about it screamed "We care about the club" and Gillet will do a glazier on it now if he gets it!!

Chardee MacDennis

according to the daily mail DIC ar elooking into buying Newcastle now - very confusing....

Chardee MacDennis

lfc.tv wrote:

Rick Parry has moved to assure supporters that the future of the club will be in safe hands whenever any takeover is complete.
“The overriding message is – ‘don’t worry’," he said. "Whatever decision is finally taken will be done in the best interests of Liverpool Football Club. When we have more to say, we are sure it will be good news and the right news.

“We had a duty as directors to consider a very interesting bid from George Gillett. The price is not a factor in David Moores’s mind. He is not after cash for himself, absolutely not. But he felt compelled to consider the rival bid. The DIC response to this was to give the club 12 hours to make a decision, but the chairman was not prepared to have Liverpool Football Club bullied like that.

“We would also stress this is not a question of going for the second choice. David has always given George Gillett serious consideration while at the same time we didn’t want to rush into any decision, and we were aware DIC might walk away.

“Be assured the only thing David Moores is concerned about is the club being in the right hands for the future. You can be certain he has done his homework carefully and will make a decision in the best interests of the club. The fans have trusted David to do the right thing in the past and can be sure that’s what he’s doing now. If they thought the Dubai bid was good, rest assured he is now considering a different course for the right reasons.”

In other news Momo wont make it back for Everton and Arbeloa will be given the number 2 shirt and unveiled later today...

mike65

Glad Momo is'nt playing in the derby, he'd proberly break something!

Mike.

Thrill

Another twist in the takeover saga. I really dont trust gillett at all. He may not be buying liverpool on his own.

News is breaking in the States that George Gillett Jnr may be buying into Liverpool jointly with another major sports owner Tom Hicks, who has the Texas Rangers baseball team and
Dallas Stars ice hockey team as part of his portfolio.

http://blog.redandwhitekop.com/2007/02/01/another-twist-in-the-takeover-saga-gilletts-joint-bidder-revealed/

mike65

Why can't a local business magnet buy the club? *goes to find Sunday Times Rich List*

Mike.

ps 6000th reply W00t!