Liverpool Signings and General Rumours Thread

Mitch Connor

millersangel wrote:

But we still don't have those qualities in his position

what is his position though? to me, he plays best off the front man (especially in Europe) and i feel a free roaming gerrard would be just as good, and provide a much better goal scoring threat.

zing

millersangel wrote:

But we still don't have those qualities in his position

But short of a load of injuries he wouldn't get his game in the league given the competition for places and the more physical nature of the game - he's perfect for a lot of cl games though.

Hopefully Torres & Voronin playing in the hole, some decent wingers & Crouch & Kuyt up front can give us some of that creativity we've been lacking.

Mr Alan

supposedly Athletico have released a statement saying . . . . .

"At the moment nothing is happening, there is no negotiations taking place, although things can change. The player is on holiday at the moment and will report back for training on july 9th. At the moment, any talk of a move is just speculation and we are still hopeful that Fernando will be with us next season"

This saga is starting to wreck my head

evil_seed

http://www.thisisanfield.com/news/2007/06/fridays-news-torres-deal-agreed/

Mitch Connor

http://www.teamtalk.com//Images/121158.jpg

Didn't know sissoko was such a big max and paddy fan.

mike65

I'm a bit sceptical about the Torres news.

Mike.

Chardee MacDennis

which part the one that says we've got em or the part that says we dont!?!?

griffdaddy

BBC TeleText says the deal is more or less done. But i hate the phrase 'more or less' it leads to arguments and no players!

Chardee MacDennis

which deal the cisse deal to marseille or torres?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/6254338.stm

griffdaddy

Torres, page 309. Just saw that Cisse story now that you mentioned it!

Dr Galen

any idea how much we are getting for cisse?

Vokes

Well, last year when he first went on loan, it was rumoured to be a £7mil first option deal for Marseille.

But only time will tell. Fingers crossed.

mike65

If this is a done deal and Garica is going the other way does this mean Yossi Benayoun is more likely?

Mike.

~Rebel~

id say so. If so, its nice work out of the lads. Unsettle Yossi so he's raring to leave, while pool just sit back and see how things pan out. If we need him good stuff, the deal should be done in short order since he's ready to leave, if not grand, just let interest die. would be poor form on Yossi, but still.

Would like to see him arrive anyway, good player who could unlock tighter teams who are parking the bus infront of goal.

~Rebel~

Nice little overview of things. I do like where it says "on the bring of the major signings", though theres no direct quote form Rafa on this, just that they're working on new signings all the time.

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_2458100,00.html

BENITEZ CLOSES IN ON MAJOR SIGNINGS


Rafael Benitez believes he is on the brink of the major signings, including Fernando Torres, that he needs to boost Liverpool's squad ahead of the new Barclays Premier League season.

The Anfield chief was guarded on the belief that Liverpool and Atletico Madrid had struck a deal in principle to bring striker Torres to Merseyside.

But sources close to the club insist that only personal terms with the Spanish international now need to be concluded when he returns from holiday next week.

Although the Madrid club officially played down talk of an imminent move on Friday, a spokesman insisted that no deal had been agreed "but things might change," privately they have accepted that the 23-year-old wants to leave.

Benitez did nothing on Friday to deny that a deal is close when he said: "All I can say is that Fernando Torres is one of the players we have looked at."

But after the first week of pre-season training, Benitez clearly believes that his top target is within his grasp.

He said: "You must always be excited at the start of a new season. You must also have confidence in your team and hopefully we will soon bring in the new players that we want to make the squad better.

"We are working on new signings all the time. As I've already said, the spine of the team is in place and now we just need to add to that."

Anfield officials are now very confident that the Torres deal is set-up. They will pay close to the £27m buy-out clause in the player's contract.

However, it is expected that Torres will have to say he wants to leave to allow Madrid to escape the wrath of their fans, who idolise the player they have called 'the kid' since his debut as a 16 year old.

Djibril Cisse has refused to be a make-weight in the deal, but Liverpool are expected now to sell Luis Garcia to Atletico for £4m.

Benitez would prefer not to lose the adaptable midfielder, but with Mohamed Sissoko signing a new four year-contract on Thursday and Javier Mascherano also competing for a midfield slot alongside Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, Luis Garcia's chances of regular football have diminished while he has been recovering from the knee injury that wrecked last season for him.

Benitez is delighted with the new Sissoko deal, saying: "It's good that we will be able to see the energy of Momo all around the pitch for a few more years. It's a major positive for us.

"The best is yet to come from him. He enjoyed a really good first season but last campaign he suffered some injuries. We have a lot of confidence in him though, and I'm sure we'll see the real Momo again now that he's free from injury.

"He's a player with a lot of energy. For his fellow midfielders and the rest of the team he's really important."

Liverpool will also have young Brazilian midfield star Lucas Leiva - a £5m capture from Gremio - fighting for a place in an increasingly congested midfield department.

The arrival of Leiva along with Ukrainian striker Andriy Voronin, could mean that Craig Bellamy will also be sold to raise the cash for Torres capture. Benitez also wants to sell Cisse and will not allow him another year on loan at Marseille. The French outfit are negotiating for a permanent deal which could go through this weekend.

The sales of Bellamy, Cisse and Luis Garcia could raise £16m, which will make the record-breaking Torres fee easier on Benitez's finances.

And while Benitez seems to at last be getting the top European talent he craves, his end-of-season desire for more youthful recruits is taking shape.

He has signed 18-year-old Athletic Bilbao defender Mikel San Jose, Bulgarian U21 goalkeeper Nikolay Mikhailov, 19, plus Hungarian youngsters Krisztian Nemeth, 18, and Andras Simon, 17, from MTK Budapest.

And Liverpool have also confirmed two more 16-year-olds will be joining the academy from abroad. The Anfield club have signed striker Marvin Pourie from Borussia Dortmund and Alex Kacaniklic from Swedish club Helsingborgs.

zing

Indications are that we'll get around 6m pounds for Cisse which wouldn't be bad really. Deal could even be agreed over the weekend.

Now to get shot of Bellamy..

griffdaddy

They should try and get Cisse and Bellamy out before Torres comes in, I don't want him catching whatever they have!

zing

Liverpool are ready to try to hijack Real Madrid's £6m move for United defender Gabriel Heinze. Real look to have edged ahead of Juventus in the race for Heinze, but Liverpool could now present him with an opportunity to stay in the Premiership after earmarking him for their problem left back spot.

Manager Rafa Benitez is considering lodging a bid but is aware that United may be reluctant to sell to one of their main rivals for honours next season.

From http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=465243&in_page_id=1779&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=picbox&ct=5

Would have thought the chances of this happening are somewhere between slim & none but Rafa wouldn't be entertaining this if he didn't think it was even a remote possibility.

raven136

Sid Lowe(madrid based soccer journalist) was on sky this morning saying Torres deal will go ahead with or without Garcia and also that even if that deal falls apart Athletico will still buy Garcia.

Heinze would be a good signing for us but i cant see United selling him to us

zAbbo

We're still signing young fella's.

Daniel Pacheco 16 year old from Barce has signed, he's highly rated and has played regularly for the u18a side.

Videos 1/2/3 - http://www.airfutbol.com/videodanipacheco2.htm

like a young Owen.

Ardent

raven136 wrote:

Sid Lowe(madrid based soccer journalist) was on sky this morning saying Torres deal will go ahead with or without Garcia and also that even if that deal falls apart Athletico will still buy Garcia.

Heinze would be a good signing for us but i cant see United selling him to us

Heinze can buy out his own contact for 6 mill under new FIFA regulations. Very astute business by Rafa if he gets Heinze, great defender, just what we need at LB.

kronsington

most liverpool fans ive spoken to are a bit apprehensive about the immiment signing of torres, some expressing major doubts...

not being a liverpool, iwas quite surprised to hear this.. what do guys think?

is he the man or would you prefer someone else? i would have thought diego milito would have been a good shout

futuredeath

he's the balls,
and if nothing else proof that we're not going to sit back and miss out on all the big players.

raven136

have no problem with the torres signing,quick,strong and scores.Milito it seems hasnt enough pace for rafa.

Heinze is a better left back than what we have and an excellent athlete

~Rebel~

What im worried about is the expectations people have on him..he's not gonna score more then 20 league goals for a few years id say. Hes a very good player, and a good addition, but is definately overpriced, though such is the way these days. He was a fantastic youth, but his development kind of stopped at Atletico, so hopefully Rafa can kickstart that again. Hopefully in a better team with less pressure to single handedly win games he'll do better as well.

raven136

we'd bite your hand off for someone to score 20 league goals next season.20 would be enough with the goals that come from the rest of the team

PHB

I think he'll hit about 15 next season, be surprised if he gets 20. I think if he joined Arsenal he'd get 30 goals next season, but in terms of how Liverpool play, they get more goals from all around the team rather than from a lead striker.

zAbbo

Liverpool to land £26.5m Torres - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/6239286.stm

Liverpool's Luis Garcia is likely to go in the opposite direction for £4.5m, but the Torres deal will not collapse if he rejects the switch.

Boss Rafa Benitez is being linked with Manchester United's Gabriel Heinze.

Argentine defender Heinze is currently playing in the Copa America, but there is growing speculation Liverpool will try to do a deal for the 29-year-old.

~Rebel~

bugger, i phrased that badly for what i was trying to say, meant to say I dont think he'll be a 20league goal player for at least a year or 2, we have to kickstart his progress again.

Pacheco could be a potentially great signing looking at Fabregas and Pique. Have to feel sorry for Barca though! Wonder will Chelsea go in and rob Dos Santos just to finish the trend of the English big 4..

Hopefully he can help us get a hattrick of FA Youth Cups next season!

Who knows maybe in 5years we'll have a forward line of him and Lindfield!

PiE

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=474479&CPID=8&clid=14&lid=&title=City+try+for+Torres&channel=&

Just... why?

Every time I've seen Heinze over the past season or so he's looked nowhere near as good as he did in his first season at Utd. He was injured for a good while wasn't he?

mike65

He had a season about as bad as Riise at LB! and was injured yes. Not sure if Rafa is'nt just looking for rather expensive cover. Aurelio needs to make that position his really.

Mike.

~Rebel~

yeah was injured ages, and then lost his place to Evra. With a full preseason would expect him to back to himself..if he was, he'd be a good buy.

mike65

SSN have just said Athetico have signed Diego Forlan. Can only mean one thing.

Mike.

Stky10

~Rebel~ wrote:

yeah was injured ages, and then lost his place to Evra. With a full preseason would expect him to back to himself..if he was, he'd be a good buy.

He's 29 though.. so 6m would be a bit rich for a reserve. I'd say its to do with "possibilities" again though. Left back, or centre back he'd do well, but still...

zing

zing wrote:

Indications are that we'll get around 6m pounds for Cisse which wouldn't be bad really. Deal could even be agreed over the weekend.

L'Equipe now saying 7.5m EUR (just over 5m pounds) + a percentage sell on fee.

http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lequipe.fr%2FFootball%2Fbreves2007%2F20070630_101037Dev.html&langpair=fr%7Cen&hl=chrome://global/locale/intl.properties&ie=UTF8

A bit pissed off with him doing the I don't want to go to Bolton, Atletico or anyone other than Marseille as it doesn't exactly leave us with much bargaining options but at the same time I can understand why a player would want to do that - particularly if he moved his family last year and they're settled where they are now.

Kanney

From what ive heard, the only way the torres deal will fall through if he doesnt want to go. No one else can bid in likelihood. Heh, Man City tried.

Stky10

Another kid, 18 year old Bulgarian midfielder

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/29062007/58/premiership-reds-eyeing-bulgarian.html

Where they find all these kids I have no idea. They're going to be spending a fortune on translators though

mike65

I was wondering myself esp as so many are from far flung locations, whats wrong with scouting closer to home? Or are we to conclude there are no prospects in Britain/Ireland worth the money?

Mike.

Tusky

I cant understand why Man City would make a bid for Torres?!?

Average-Ro

Because they need a good striker? I think Sven knew he wasn't going to get him, he just wanted to show the fans that he has "ambition", try to win them over:D

Stky10

mike65 wrote:

I was wondering myself esp as so many are from far flung locations, whats wrong with scouting closer to home? Or are we to conclude there are no prospects in Britain/Ireland worth the money?

Well they're restricted to within a certain geographical area of the UK (within 90 mins travel isn't it?), and there are lots of clubs in Manchester and Liverpool fishing from the same pond, so its easier from abroad I'd imagine. This is a good sign though

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=474544&CPID=8&clid=14&lid=&title=REDS+REWARD+YOUNGSTERS

Average-Ro

How much of these youngsters do you think will make it though? I mean, think back to what Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs etc. were like when they were 18, and the level they were playing at.

Tusky

Average-Ro wrote:

How much of these youngsters do you think will make it though? I mean, think back to what Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs etc. were like when they were 18, and the level they were playing at.

Very few...but even if one in 20 makes it its worth it.

Average-Ro

I suppose. Sure Gerard and Carragher were 'late bloomers' as such were they not? Excuse me if I'm wrong, I only started following soccer three years ago:)

Stky10

Average-Ro wrote:

How much of these youngsters do you think will make it though? I mean, think back to what Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs etc. were like when they were 18, and the level they were playing at.

Well (a) All those players were exceptionally precocious for their age (b) Rooney had two years of first team experience at Everton, and Ronaldo had a season at Lisbon, before they were exposed to the first team at ManU. Would Giggs get the same expose at the same age these days as he did when he make the breakthrough?. Maybe but standards have increased a lot since, so I'm not so sure.

Besides, defenders usually break through at a later age than wingers/strikers, as their mistakes aren't so critical to a teams results. I think all of those players would do a decent job at the moment for a lower premiership team or a good championship team, and it would help bring them on a lot. I think we're going to see a lot of that this year as has been shown with Guthrie to Bolton, and it looking like Hammill will be sent out again. With the numbers of underage players they've signed, to give everyone a game they're going to have to send a lot out on loan.

eirebhoy

Change of topic here but has any player ever won all 4 divisions in England? Finnan has won Division 1, 2 and 3.

mike65

Good pub-quiz question that. Finnans running out of time! :eek:

Mike.

Tusky

These put a smile on my face.

Fernando Torres has been ahead of everyone else throughout his career, thanks to natural power, pace and explosiveness.

He’s an ambitious player who has achieved all the goals he has set himself including recovery from a bad injury at a young age. He’s become a household name, a difficult task playing at a club which isn’t having one of it’s better spells in recent years, and he’ll probably become world famous because he is developing fully- without a doubt his name will mark a footballing era. Directness, pace, power, excellent in the air and the mindset of a born winner make Fernando an extraordinary player.

"
Abraham Garcia
Coach at Junior levels

---

He is a different player, as the best. With the National team against Belgium he was inspirated, he kick two and the two were goals. Is a player with great qualities

"
Alfio Basile
Argentina's National Team coach

---

Fundamentally, Fernando is a very mature player in all aspects of the word. I particularly notice that he always chooses the best available option in any situation- that’s where his goalscoring prowess comes from.

Off the ball he plays the game very well, he has a remarkable change of pace and innate skill. These three factors are what make a player great. All that, added to excellent technical ability are what make Torres a special player.

Work off the ball, a change of pace and natural skill are the things that make a great player great, and Fernando brings together all three.

"
Carlos Garcia Cantarero
Coach of Atletico Madrid 2001

---

Atletico team has a great player like Fernando Torres, and with Aguero are going to give great moments to the club. ‘El Niño’ seems to me an exceptional boy. With him, the Atleti’s future is brilliant.

"
Claudio Ranieri
Parma’s trainer and Atletico’s ex-trainer

---

For me Fernando Torres is one of the best players I’ve come up against in Spain, and he’s one of the best forwards in Europe. The problem is that, as he is a forward, people only look at his misses but he’s a great player"
David Beckham
Real Madrid Midfielder

---

Fernando Torres is a forward’s forward, and he gives a team depth. He’s fast, direct and dangerous in the box. He’s still very young but he’s doing really well. He accepts responsibility and he has a great future."
Frank Rikjaard
FC Barcelona Coach

---

I would like better to play with Fernando Torres than with Ibrahimovic because the Spanish forward scores more goals, he has a great quality and he is younger. Ibrahimovic scores less, but it isn’t my decision who would play at Milan.

"
Gilardino
A.C. Milan forward

That must hurt Jens Grin

---

He is still a young player, I think. We have to be careful not to put him under too much pressure. So far I’ve seen that for many people he is the symbol of Atletico de Madrid, but he is only twenty years old and has hardly played two years at the top level. Nonetheless, he is very talented. But we have to remember that all this is very difficult for him. He’s young, he’s an idol, he’s the captain, he’s under a great deal of pressure. Just like everyone, he’s still got a lot to learn, but he has the advantage of having great potential. He plays for Spain, a lot of clubs are talking about him. I’m not about to tell him what he should do because he has to take his own decisions. He’s a great player who is still young."
Jesper Gronkjaer
Atletico forward

---

Torres is a good player but we shouldn’t rush to decide exactly how good. He’s only twenty years old and at Atletico he’s a lone centre forward; he’s still developing as a footballer.

"
Johann Cruyff
Ex- Ajax, Netherlands and Barcelona

---

Torres’ development in recent years has made him the number one forward in Spain. He has demonstrated that he has strength of character, proving wrong the criticism he received during his recent bad patch in front of goal- which was due to his getting little decent service. This affected his performances and meant that he sometimes tended to snatch at chances through anxiety. But the psychological factor is the most important thing and Torres passed that test with flying colours.

"
José Eulogio Gárate
Atletico Madrid legend

---

Torres played an almost perfect game against Madrid. So he missed a couple of chances? OK, but lets not forget that he tore apart the flanks with his agility, he lost his marker explosively on various occasions, he broke the Madrid defence five times, he went through their central defence like a knife through butter and made his team-mates' job easier, putting pressure on when the opposition tried to play the ball out. Torres is a born goalscorer, as he’s been demonstrating for years. If he played for Barça he’d score more goals than we’d know what to do with. The problem is that at Atletico everyone expects him to be the saviour and he’s still just a kid. You put all that on a twenty year old lad’s shoulders, ask him to carry the whole team. If he was playing alongside Ronaldinho, Xavi, Deco or Eto’o I’m sure he’d show his true greatness. Torres is faster and more direct than Van Basten was. The Dutchman only betters Fernando in that he was more deadly in the box. "
Julio Salinas
European Cup Winner with FC Barcelona

---

The first year I had Fernando he made a big difference, and that difference came from his intelligence. It wasn’t normal to see an eleven year-old kid with such touch, movement, and ability to lose his markers. He had an innate quality that others simply don’t possess.

He was a kid with a big personality and the rest of the group conceded to the obvious and handed him the mantle of leadership. Fernando was a quiet, even a shy child, he never wanted to be the leader but the role was decided for him by his peers.

I was sure Fernando would make it into the first team from when he was eleven. From that time on I’ve advised him to be humble, to learn, but one thing’s for sure- Fernando demonstrated a huge sense of responsibility moving into the first team at the age of eighteen, and taking the first team back to the First Division.

His assertiveness, his will to win and that touch of pace that few footballers the world over can claim- these are the great qualities that make him stand out from the crowd and although every great player could improve in some aspect Fernando is at the very highest level.

"
Manolo Rangel
Coach at Youth Levels

---

I got to see the best of Fernando in the youth teams. It was the period of the Nike Cup and the European Championship Fernando won with the under-16s, when he was named Best Young Player in Europe.

Even as a lad he had the mean streak he’s got now, talking about on the pitch- something vital in people, same as Fernando’s other qualities like courage, ambition and the will to win. He was captain, which wasn’t easy at that time because of the differences between the lads who’d just arrived from outside Madrid and those who had been in the organization for a while. Nevertheless he knew how to handle the responsibility, young as he was, and to top it all he had to put up with the odd undeserved telling off without letting his team-mates get in trouble. That kind of responsibility that he acquired so young together with his footballing prowess have propelled Fernando into the elite.

In as much as the game is concerned he’s always been a technically superior player, he especially stood out from the rest in that he was always in the right place in the tough situations, thanks to which, without wanting to put the other lads down, we managed to win the Nike Cup. The day Fernando was missing we had problems, and that was something all his team-mates were aware of.

He was and is a footballer who makes the difference. "
Pedro Calvo
Junior level coach

---

Torres is already an important player. He has a great responsibility and sometimes the environment puts too many pressure, but he possesses very good qualities. In his club and in the National team he will be an important player and he will demonstrate the good he is "
Raul
Real Madrid player

06-06-2004
"
I look at him and see myself in that bad-boy face. He’s got a lot of character. There are plenty of talented players who don’t have the desire that Torres has. Since I saw him make his debut, I’ve always said: this guy’s the real thing. He’s going to be the player of his generation for club and country.

He can take advantage of his pace, youth and desire. He’s a great football player and in a few years time he’ll be even better. He’s got it all, it’s frightening, his speed is overwhelming. He’s big and strong and his head’s in the right place too.

"
Raul
Real Madrid forward

---

The things I would say most stand out about Fernando Torres are that he’s one of the greatest players in the world, he’s young and he’s going to learn a lot, although he’s already an eye-catching player. "
Ronaldo
Real Madrid forward

---

Zapp Brannigan

Wow, lotta glowing comments. They kinda got me excited, you just know now he'll choose Inter over us...

Nephew

I know the Torres deal isn't finalised yet but I honestly could never have seen David Moores sanction such audacious bid on a single player. Even if Torres ends up having as much impact as Morientes did, at least it proves the Americans are willing to invest in the squad.