Reds' quadruplet near Liverpool exit

Liverpool's gaffer, Rafa Benitez keen to recover as much as possible from this summer transfer window after splashing £18million on Robbie Keane to financed his other targets.

Four Reds' players reportedly heading for Anfield exit to enable Rafa to pursuit at least two more players before the season start. The quadruplet who will be leaving are Andriy Voronin, Jermain Pennant, Alvaro Arbeloa and Charles Itandje.

Blackburn manager Paul Ince has made contact with Anfield official on the availability of Jermain Pennant and had offered £4million for the Liverpool's winger. The figure could rise to £6million depending on Pennant's performances at Rovers. This move was triggered by the following move of David Bentley to Tottenham and Ince needs a cover for right side of midfield as he failed to hold on to Bentley.

Charles Itandje, last season second choice goalkeeper, has moved down the pecking order since the arrival of Diego Cavalieri as Reina's cover. But his move to Galatasaray was hindered by a contract's dispute at Anfield.

Although, Voronin featured in all Liverpool's pre-season matches and are regaining his form. The arrival of Robbie Keane and David Ngog spells the end of his Anfield career. He's being courted by Olympiacos, Borussia Dortmund and Hamburg. Rafa keen to sell him at £6million after he arrived on a free from Bayer Leverkusen a year ago.

While, what surprises us is Alvaro Arbeloa wants to leave Liverpool and return to his native Spain for personal reasons. Liverpool has received a bid in the region of £6million for the fullback. This news has thwarted Rafa's pursuit of Gareth Barry as Aston Villa wants Steve Finnan included in the deal.

Liverpool will be short of cover at right-back if Finnan was sold to Villa. With Philipp Degen set to miss the early part of the season due to groin strain, the deal for Barry was put on hold until Rafa could sign a new fullback. Reds are rumoured to have courted Schalke 04 right-back, Rafinha who are unsettled at his current club.

The sales of the quadruplet would bolster Rafa's coffer to £19million and it should be enough for him to try and sign a fullback and a winger. Rafa still hopeful of signing Gareth Barry after he went silence over this deal. But he won't jeopardize his move for a winger as money was again the main stumbling block.

Should we see Rafa going for Valencia's David Silva and Schalke's Rafinha? I still doesn't see where will Gareth Barry fit into our system since Xabi Alonso still a Liverpool member. We also have Lucas and Mascherano commanding the midfield area.

YNWA,
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Robbie Keane arrived for medical

According to today's Echo, Robbie Keane completed his medical and are edging closer of sealing a £20million move to Anfield.

The Irish international was booked in for a series of tests at a Merseyside hospital. A fee of £18million with add-ons of up to £2million has been agreed with Spurs and terms have been agreed with the player.

Keane's arrival would make him the second most expensive player ever signed by Liverpool, only Torres has cost more.

If there are no problem with the tests, he should be able to complete all the formalities and is expected to sign a five-year deal worth around £80,000 per week to join the club he has supported since boyhood.

Stay tune for more updates.

YNWA,
Red's Fury™

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Robbie set for Anfield

Which Robbie? Of course not Robbie Fowler, it's Robbie Keane who is set to sign for Liverpool. Rafa Benitez hopes to hand Keane his Liverpool debut at Rangers next Saturday.

The striker’s dream transfer moved a step closer on Thursday night when he was left out of the Tottenham side for the friendly in Alicante.

Keane is expected to complete a £20million switch to Merseyside early next week. It seems unlikely the deal will be done in time for him to line up in the Reds’ next warm-up fixture at Villarreal on Wednesday.

The trip to Scotland to play against Rangers at Ibrox three days later is the more likely option, assuming there are no problems with his medical.

Rafa Benitez is refusing to panic in his efforts to land Gareth Barry despite Martin O’Neill’s attempts to place a deadline on the transfer.

Rafa Benitez has refused to budge from his stance that Barry is overpriced at £18million while a growing cash crisis at Valencia is raising the possibility of the Kop manager moving for David Silva instead.

Liverpool’s Spanish stars Fernando Torres, Pepe Reina, Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa returned to training following their Euro 2008 heroics.

Benitez believes their success can inspire everyone at Anfield. But one of his Spanish stars will be wanting for an exit. Arbeloa leaving could left Liverpool short of cover at the right-side of defence as Steve Finnan was wanted in the deal for Barry.

Could it be all over for Barry? Rafa is set for a crunch talks with Alonso over the midfielder future at Anfield soon after he returned from his holidays.

Valencia have debts of £400million and the Spaniards are looking to fund a new £250million stadium.

And owner Juan Solares is desperately trying to sell the club.

But until he does, the need to raise cash has become desperate and some of Europe’s big guns are circling Silva, David Villa and Joaquin.

Solares was furious with figurehead president Juan Villalonga for rejecting Atletico Madrid’s £17million bid for Silva which is an obvious sign he was ready to do business at that price.

The figure is lower than Rafa has expected them to demand and, with no immediate end in sight to the war which is tearing Valencia apart, Liverpool could get the Spain winger for a cut price.

David Villa is Valencia’s jewel in the crown and Real Madrid will swoop if they are forced to concede defeat in their bid to sign Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo.

One good news for Liverpool is that Tottenham are going after David Villa as a replacement while having conceded that they'll lose both Berbatov and Keane.

Well Keane is only worth £20million, captain of his country and Barry just capped a few games for England, Aston Villa wants £18million.

That's ridiculous, don't you think?

YNWA,
Red's Fury™

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Reds youngsters out on loan

Godwin Antwi has taken a short trip across the Mersey to join League One side Tranmere Rovers on loan until January 2009.

The Ghana born reserve team defender, who joined Liverpool from Real Zaragoza in 2005, spent a season long loan at Hartlepool United last season.

Godwin is a very talented young defender who we've been watching for some time. When I heard he had become available on loan I jumped at the chance of bringing him in to play right back.

He is comfortable on the ball, already has Football League experience from his time at Hartlepool and he will add quality, strength and pace to our defence. - Tranmere manager Ronnie Moore, Liverpoolfc.tv

Jack Hobbs has signed for League One outfit Leicester City on a season long loan until May 9, 2009.

The former Lincoln City defender enjoyed a loan spell at Scunthorpe United last season and is looking forward to his spell with Nigel Pearson's side.

Leicester showed their interest and I had no hesitation in coming here. This is a massive club with a good manager and top class Premier League facilities.

I want to help this club get back to the Championship at the first time of asking. - Jack Hobbs, Liverpoolfc.tv

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Liverpool goes green for Europe

Liverpool new UEFA Champions League 2008/09 campaign football kit has been revealed. Next season, we'll dons green kit with black shorts and white socks.



Steven Gerrard is pictured wearing the new Liverpool European kit for the 2008-09 season, featuring adidas trademark technologies ClimaCool and ForMotion.

A close-up view of the newly launch kit are available for preview and pre-order.

What do you think of Liverpool's new European football kit?

YNWA,
Red's Fury™

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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.

YNWA,
Red's Fury™

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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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Red's Fury™

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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)

YNWA,
Red's Fury™

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