Sebastian Leto keen on Greek move

Liverpool winger Sebastian Leto is eyeing a loan move to Olympiacos as his stay at Liverpool has been placed in doubt because of a passport fiasco.

The Argentinian winger has been told by Reds boss Rafa Benitez that he can leave Anfield on a temporary deal.

I spoke with the people of the club [Liverpool] and our decision is to leave the club and to play somewhere else on loan for one season. I have to play football next season.

My agents are in Athens. They speak with Olympiacos for my loan.

Their manager, Ernesto Valverde called me. He told me that he is really interested in having me at his team. He told me about his thoughts and everything. For me it’s really important to have a manager who speaks my language. - Setanta Sports

Elsewhere, Aston Villa has issued a deadline warning for Gareth Barry's transfer to Liverpool. Martin O’Neill admits he could throw boo-boy Gareth Barry into the lion’s den as Aston Villa look to come through Saturday’s Intertoto Cup clash with Odense BK.

Barry’s participation would not cup-tie the midfielder if he then moved to Liverpool, but O’Neill warned The Reds he is getting fed up with their procrastination.

Villa have reportedly demanded £17 million plus Steve Finnan for their captain, and O’Neill moaned that Liverpool’s lack of reply has hindered his own transfer plans.

Meanwhile, Rafael Benitez has completed the signing of French striker David Ngog from Paris St Germain.

The highly-rated 19-year-old has penned a four-year contract at Anfield for an undisclosed fee and he is Liverpool's fourth signing of the summer.

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Olympiacos in for Voronin

Olympiacos have made contact with Liverpool for striker Andriy Voronin. The Ukrainian has been linked with a move away from Anfield this summer is also interesting, Bundesliga outfits, Borussia Dortmund and Hamburg.

Rafa is keen to recover as much as possible from player sales to help fund the move for Robbie Keane and Gareth Barry. Voronin is reportedly made available for £3million. He may be the fourth player from first team roster after Crouch, Riise and Kewell to leave Anfield before the season start.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have confirmed the signing of teenage Spanish right-back Emmanuel Mendy on a three-year deal.

The Reds today said on their official website that the 18-year-old arrives on a free from Murcia Deportivo and will compete for a place in Gary Ablett's reserves. He is also known to play at left-back.

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Stalemate in Berlin

Liverpool had to settle for a goalless draw against Hertha Berlin in their fourth pre-season friendly in Germany.

The excellent Andriy Voronin missed a penalty in what was a low key affair in the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Reds now head back to Melwood after 10 productive days on the continent to continue their preparations for 2008-09.

They had to wait 14 minutes for their first effort on goal in the German capital when Voronin, who turned 29 this week, pinged the ball wide to Jermaine Pennant. The winger cut back to Olympic-bound Javier Mascherano but his long-range effort blazed high and wide.

Sadly, that was pretty much it from the visitors in a fairly non-descript first half. Up front, Voronin and 17-year-old Daniel Pacheco were starved of the kind of service which has seen them impress in the three pre-season friendlies to date.

via Liverpoolfc.tv

Hertha Berlin: Drobny, Dardai, Chahed, von Bergen (c), Ebert, Kacar, Stein, Pantelic, Piszczek.

Subs - Arguez, Bigalke, Domovchiyski, Fieldler, Hartmann, Lustenberger, Radjabali-Fardi, Riedel

Liverpool: Cavalieri, Insua, Agger, Carragher (c), Darby, Leto, Mascherano, Plessis, Pennant, Pacheco, Voronin.

Subs - Benayoun, Degen, Dossena, Hobbs, Hyypia, Kuyt, Martin, Skrtel, Spearing

Referee: Christian Schossling

July 12: v Tranmere (Wirral) 1-0

July 16: v FC Lucerne (Grenchen) 2-1

July 19: v Wisla Krakow (Friborg) 1-1

July 22: v Hertha Berlin (Berlin) 0-0

July 30: v Villarreal (Villarreal)

August 2: v Rangers (Glasgow)

August 5: v Valerengen (Oslo)

August 8: v Lazio (Liverpool)

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Rafa makes Ngog his fourth signing

A deal of £1.5million for a French teenager, David Ngog, has been accepted by Paris Saint Germain. Should the proposed deal go through later this week as expected Ngog will join up with his new team-mates after they have returned to Melwood from their Swiss training camp on Wednesday.

Rafa Benitez is ready to make the 19-year-old his fourth signing of the summer, coming hot on the heels of the acquisitions of Philipp Degen, Andrea Dossena and Diego Cavalieri, as he re-shapes his squad for the coming season.

Ngog, the 19-year-old cousin of Jean Alain Boumsong, the former Rangers and Newcastle defender, has been told by PSG coach Paul Le Guen that he could leave the club after he refused to sign a new contract.

Born in the Parisian suburb of Gennevilliers, Ngog has come through the ranks at PSG and made his debut last season.

Ngog arrival has signalled the end of the road for Andriy Voronin, who has interested Borussia Dortmund. Although, the Ukrainian has shown a glimpse of form during the pre season friendlies with two goals so far but Rafa still need to raise fund to capture his transfer targets before the new season kick-off.

Rafa Benitez is looking for more pace, movement and variety from his side in attack in the forthcoming season and the impending capture of Ngog fits into that strategy.

The move for the striker has no bearing on Liverpool’s bid to sign Robbie Keane and though the move for the Irishman is taking longer to be completed than first expected, senior Anfield figures remain confident a deal will be struck this week.

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Baggies bags Carson for £3.25million

West Brom have completed the £3.25million signing of England international Scott Carson from Liverpool.

The 22-year-old goalkeeper, who played in 35 Premier League games for Aston Villa last season, has put pen to paper on a four-year-deal.

The club also have the option of adding another year to the deal.
West Brom's newly-promoted rivals Stoke yesterday ruled themselves out of the running for Carson - who could cost the club £3.75million depending on performance-related criteria.

His arrival takes the Baggies' summer spending on transfers to an initial £13.75million after the signings of Roman Bednar, Luke Moore, Do-heon Kim, Graham Dorrans, Gianni Zuiverloon and Marek Cech.

via ESPNsoccernet

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Reds held by Wisla Krakow

Liverpool saw their 100 per cent pre-season record come to an end after they were held to a hard-fought draw against Wisla Krakow in Fribourg.

The Reds went into the clash with the 11-times Polish champions hoping to stretch their winning streak to three matches, but despite taking the lead courtesy of Andriy Voronin's sixth minute strike they were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw.

Prior to the kick-off a Swiss army of fans welcomed the Reds on to the pitch and it wasn't long before they were cheering the opening goal of the game when the Ukrainian pounced to fire home at the second attempt.

A delightful move involving Lucas Leiva, Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun ended with the Israeli picking out the unmarked striker, who saw his initial, tame effort well blocked by the keeper, but was on hand to steer the rebound into the roof of the net to collect his second goal of the pre-season.

via Liverpoolfc.tv

Wisla Krakow: Pawelek (c), Brozek, Glowacki, , Baszczynski, Zienczuk, Cantoro, Sobolewski, Boguski, Brozek, Jirsak.
Subs - Cebanu, Dawidowski, Diaz, Kowalski, Maczynski, Malecki, Niedzielan

Liverpool: Cavalieri, Dossena, Agger, Carragher (c), Darby, Leto, Leiva, Plessis, Benayoun, Babel, Voronin.
Subs - Aurelio, Hobbs, Hyypia, Insua, Kuyt, Martin, Mascherano, Pacheco, Pennant, Skrtel, Spearing

July 12: v Tranmere (Wirral) 1-0
July 16: v FC Lucerne (Grenchen) 2-1
July 19: v Wisla Krakow (Friborg) 1-1
July 22: v Hertha Berlin (Berlin)
July 30: v Villarreal (Villarreal)
August 2: v Rangers (Glasgow)
August 5: v Valerengen (Oslo)
August 8: v Lazio (Liverpool)

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Ian Rush backs Keane to set Anfield on fire

Liverpool Kop legend, Ian Rush believes Robbie Keane would increase Rafa Benitez's options in attack.

If you're going to be successful you do have to have different options especially with Peter Crouch leaving.

I think we need two or three and maybe four different options if you want to be successful. - BBC Sports

The former Liverpool striker has told BBC Radio Merseyside yesterday. And I agreed with him that Robbie would boost Reds strikeforce next season. He doesn't need any introduction as he already proved that at White Hart Lane.

Will Rafa spend £20million on Keane?

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Stoke withdraw from Carson, Blackburn and West Brom interested

The path would appear to be clear for West Brom to press home their pursuit of Scott Carson after rivals Stoke pulled out of the running for the England keeper.

Both Stoke and West Brom were given permission to speak to Carson after tabling bids with Liverpool.

But West Brom will have to wrestle with Blackburn, who are believed to be on the verge of making an offer for Carson, with their first-choice keeper Brad Friedel a target for Aston Villa.

Read about other Reds transfer rumours.

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