As the transfer window heads towards a close, Liverpool FC finds itself as one of the leading names in the press for both players departing and arriving at the club. In recent days the club has seen deals concluded that have taken Alberto Aquilani to Juventus in a season long loan deal with the option of a permanent move at the end of the season. Added to this are the sale of striker Krisztian Nemeth to join Albert Riera at Olympiakos for a fee believed to be around the £1m mark and goalkeeper Diego Cavallieri, who heads to Cesena in search of first team football for £3m.
The revolving door at Anfield is showing little sign of slowing down as questions remain over the future of Dirk Kuyt, who remains on the Inter Milan radar and want a way midfielder Javier Mascherano who made himself unavailable for selection against Manchester City as he continues to try to conclude a move to Barcelona. Further deliberation exists over the future’s of Emiliano Insua and Soto Kyrgiakos who have attracted further interest from Italy, specifically in the form of Juventus.
Dirk Kuyt
On the on going saga concerning Dirk Kuyt, his agent has again continued to keep the situation very much open with his latest round of comments about his player.
“The two clubs [Liverpool and Inter Milan] continue to talk, but things are moving slowly,” claimed Kuyt’s agent Rob Jansen.
“The difference between demand and offer is important. It is something between the clubs but Dirk told Liverpool he no longer wants to be involved as this is something that regards his career and life.
“It doesn’t mean he wants to leave at all costs, but when a club like Inter comes along it’s normal to look into the situation further.”
Roy Hodgson has taken exception to the constant rumours that surround the Dutchman not being part of the Anfield set up come next week and has commented this evening that the player swapping Liverpool for Inter Milan is something “Dirk has not expressed that sentiment to me.”
Hodgson, speculating that the player’s agent maybe trying to engineer a move for the player, added further:
“When he left the club, Rafa Benitez signed an agreement that he would not poach players from Liverpool,”
“We haven’t received an offer from any club so this is something obviously going on behind the scenes, with the agent possibly talking to the manager of Inter Milan.”
“We don’t welcome any offers, we haven’t received an offer and at this late stage of the transfer window it would be remarkably unusual for us to accept an offer for a player we don’t want to leave for money we don’t need.
“Dirk Kuyt” has not told me he wants to go.
“I would suggest, with respect, if his agent had a serious plan to move him to the club he should have been working during the last four to five weeks and not the last few days.
“It is highly unlikely we could receive any offer from another club which we could seriously entertain.”
Javier Mascherano
While speculation continues to surround Dirk Kuyt, the position concerning Javier Mascherano and Barcelona has appeared to have made a little progression but is not at a conclusion just yet. Keen to settle his team and bring in a number of replacements at the club, manager Roy Hodgson has set a deadline of Sunday for Barcelona to conclude the transfer of the player.
“I wouldn’t want to say he has played his last game for Liverpool,” Hodgson said.
“The negotiations are ongoing between the two clubs and if he had played here it might have prejudiced the transfer and I didn’t wish to do that to the player.”
“I am seriously hoping that in the next couple of days it will be sorted out one way or another – although I have no idea which way that will be.”
“Tomorrow night was out of the question but Sunday is very much a question because I think by then I should know one way or another whether he is going to play for Liverpool this season or Barcelona.”
It is believed that Liverpool want €30 million for the player they plucked from West Ham reserves and turned into one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. Barcelona have already been credited with an initial bid of around the €15m-€18m mark plus the services of Hleb, surplus to requirements at Barcelona but this was immediately rejected by the club as an offer as they concentrate on a cash deal.