Chelsea to auctioned off ex-Liverpool striker for £20M

Andre Villas-Boas was reportedly thinking about sending the Spaniard out on loan to try and rebuild his confidence but has now decided the club should cut their losses on Torres and remove his £150,000 per week wages from their books.

Torres has struggled since moving to Stamford Bridge for £50million from Liverpool at the end of January and has scored just three league goals in total.

The arrival of Juan Mata from Valencia looked like it would help as he scored against Manchester United and Swansea, although both games ended badly with an incredible open goal miss at Old Trafford followed by a red card against the Swans.

Two more goals followed in the Champions League tie against Genk but since then the most expensive signing in British history has found himself behind Didier Drogba and now Daniel Sturridge in the pecking order and he failed to make an appearance against Manchester City on Monday.

Despite Nicolas Anelka being set to leave for China and rumours that Drogba might not sign an extension to his contract which runs out at the end of this season, it appears that Torres’ unhappy spell in west London could soon be at an end.

David Villa’s rumour has resurfaced – Barcelona putting Villa “on the list” for January transfer window.

Which player you prefer Liverpool to sign in January?

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.

Source: Goal.com

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Liverpool to sign a new striker next month

It’s hardly a conspiracy theory or wild rumours that Liverpool FC and Kenny Dalglish longing for a new striker next month when the January transfer window re-opens.

We all know that Luis Suarez will be indefinitely be suspended at some point by the FA on the racism allegation and the finger gesture during the Fulham match. Unless, Andy Carroll can step up to the plate and proved his critics wrong in the next few games, which I’m highly doubt he can. While, Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy can’t run the show for the full 90-minutes week in, week out as both players are in their twilight years of their career. Who else can we call upon to lead the front-line?

A Scottish international has been named as a target, along with Rangers’ Nikica Jelavic and Polish striker Robert Lewandowski name resurfaced yet again.

Liverpool are pondering a January move for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Steven Fletcher. Dalglish is desperate to sort out the Reds’ profligacy in front of goal and has identified the 24-year-old as a possible solution.

Liverpool are also preparing an £8million bid for Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic. The 26-year-old has scored 12 times in 17 appearances this season and is believed to be attracting interest from a number of clubs. Newcastle United have also been linked to Jelavic’s signature this January.

Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski is back in the frame again with Liverpool his most likely destination. Lewandowski is not your typical out and out scorer but has still managed to notch up 10 league goals in 16 matches this season. He was instrumental in helping Dortmund lift the Bundesliga title last season and could see a move to Merseyside as a fresh challenge. The 6ft Polish striker would be the perfect player to complement Luis Suarez as he holds the ball well and likes to feed people through.

The Polish youngster moved to Dortmund on a four year contract in 2010 for a fee of around €4.9 million and will take some doing to lure the youngster to leave Dortmund having just signed with the club a year ago. However Liverpool’s new owners have shown enough steel that they are willing to spend big in a bid to put Liverpool back on the map, having already spent over £100 million since their takeover.

Which of the trio of players you would like to see donning the red shirt this January? Leave your thought in the comment box below.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.

Source: Transfer Tavern

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Liverpool and Suarez given new extension date on FA charges

Liverpool have been given more time by the Football Association to respond to the two charges that followed last week's defeat at Fulham.

Reds striker Luis Suarez was charged with improper conduct over an allegedly abusive hand gesture, while the clubs were charged with failing to control their players following the sending off of Jay Spearing.

Liverpool were originally given until 4pm on Monday to respond to the charges but have now been given an extension.

Suarez is also the subject of another FA disciplinary case after he was charged last month of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in October.

Spearing has already served one game of his three-match suspension after missing the weekend win over Queens Park Rangers, and the midfielder will serve the final two games of his suspension against Aston Villa and Wigan.

Liverpool's next game comes away to Aston Villa on Sunday. The Reds are currently three points outside the top four heading into the busy Christmas period.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.

Source: Sky Sports

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Liverpool 1-0 QPR Match Report

With Liverpool’s unbeaten run ending last Monday at Fulham they were hoping to bounce back quickly in their return to Anfield. But Liverpool have not found it easy at Anfield this season, having drawn five matches and especially struggling to beat newly promoted teams, with draws against Norwich and Swansea already this season. QPR have started pretty well this season and Liverpool would have to be at their best to overcome Neil Warnock’s side.

THE TEAM

Dalglish brought Maxi and Kuyt back into the team for this match. With Jay Spearing suspended and Lucas out for the season, Jordan Henderson was drafted into the middle of midfield. Andy Carroll was once again relegated to the bench alongside Jamie Carragher who is struggling to win his place back because of the outstanding Skrtel and Agger.

THE MATCH

Liverpool started the match brightly with 3 corners inside the first 3 minutes but the first real chance came when Downing crossed to Suarez but his header was tame.

Then Kuyt and Suarez combined before Suarez shot inches wide. Liverpool were dominating and QPR were struggling to cope. Maxi then set up Suarez but he shot against the hoardings. Suarez was causing all sorts of bother in the QPR defence and he almost turned provider with a dangerous cross after wriggling free of his marker.

Then Kuyt sent Maxi clear but he was thwarted by a great save from Cerny. QPR had to wait until the 41^st minute for their first attempt on goal from Wright-Phillips but it ballooned into the Kop.

Liverpool responded with Downing sending Suarez clear but his dinked effort was saved by Cerny who was proving hard to beat. Liverpool went in at the half wondering how they had not scored with all their dominance of the first half.

But Liverpool finally broke the deadlock in the 47^th minute when Adam crossed from the left to find the unmarked Suarez who headed past Cerny to the delight of the Kop. Liverpool went in search of the killer second goal with Kuyt going close with a couple of efforts and Maxi once again being denied by another brilliant Cerny save.

Liverpool continued to create chances but between bad finishing and great goalkeeping they could not find the second goal and as the game entered the latter stages QPR started to believe they had a chance of scraping something from a match that they had been outplayed in. The visitors started to make Liverpool defend for the first time and had a penalty appeal waved away when Skrtel made a challenge in the box.

Liverpool had to defend a few corners in the latter stages but they almost doubled their lead in the final seconds when Bellamy’s cross was diverted of the bar by Wright-Phillips. There was great relief around Anfield at the final whistle.

SUMMARY

Great to see Maxi and Kuyt start and Henderson play in his favoured position. Liverpool totally dominate the match, but once again not converting the chances created into goals, which is becoming a common theme. Thankfully we got the goal that was enough to win the match, where in previous games at home we have too often failed to net a winner. Hopefully this win will get another run going. We are playing some tremendous stuff right now and it is far more enjoyable to watch than in previous years.

Man Of The Match – Suarez- unplayable at times, a constant threat, terrorised the QPR defence and thoroughly deserved his goal.

Written by Jamie McLaughlin, who writes for Anfield News

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Liverpool transfer target signs for Shanghai Shenhua

When the rumour mills reporting that Liverpool FC are to enquired about the possibility of signing Nicolas Anelka on the cheap this January from Chelsea. The Chelsea forward has agreed to join China's Shanghai Shenhua on a weekly salary of around $300,000.

If the deal goes through, the former Arsenal and Real Madrid star will be the biggest name to appear in China's Super League, which is growing in stature despite significant corruption problems that have left several officials facing jail.

Chinese media quoted a report by sports network ESPN saying Anelka had agreed a two-year deal with Shenhua for a weekly salary of just over $300,000, reportedly a marked rise from his $160,000 a week at Chelsea.

Chinese soccer teams are increasingly resorting to buying foreign players in a bid to boost the sport, which people in the Asian nation adore.

In July, Argentine midfielder Dario Conca became China's most expensive signing - and reportedly, one of the world's best paid players - when he inked a $.8 million deal with Guangzhou Evergrande.

When the Super League kicked off in July, there was no title sponsor and state broadcaster CCTV refused to show games on national television.

Shanghai Shenua, 11th in the Chinese league last season, is the latest stop on Anelka's nomadic career, with spells also at Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers and Turkey's Fenerbahce.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.

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Liverpool 1-0 QPR: Suarez on the mark

Luis Suarez clinched the points as Liverpool returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over QPR.

The striker headed his eighth goal of the campaign during a game which the home side dominated.

The A-team theme blared before kick-off and the plan eventually came together for Kenny Dalglish and co despite a wasteful first half.

For his part, skipper Pepe Reina was a virtual spectator.

Dalglish switched Jordan Henderson to a central position in the absence of the suspended Jay Spearing and injured Lucas Leiva.

The Reds applied the early pressure, winning three corners inside the first three minutes.

The first opening arrived on 10 minutes, Stewart Downing crossing from the right towards an unmarked Suarez. The Uruguayan's limp header did not trouble the goalkeeper.

Shortly after that Suarez and Dirk Kuyt exchanged possession in the box before the former daggered a shot within inches from a ludicrous angle.

Soon it would be a hat-trick of chances gone when Maxi rolled the ball into Suarez's path and watched his fellow South American skew against the Anfield Road hoardings.

Some of Liverpool's football was scrumptious, but the scoreline remained blank.

Read more: Liverpool FC Official

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Video Highlights: Liverpool 1-0 QPR

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Source: FootyTube

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Liverpool considering Chelsea wantaway striker

Liverpool are reportedly considering making a move to sign Chelsea attacker and France international striker, Nicolas Anelka in January. The Frenchman has slapped in a transfer request that boss Andre Villas-Boas has accepted and Anfield director of football Damien Comolli is keen to persuade the 32-year-old to make the move to Merseyside as he could be available for as little as £4million.

Anelka has previously had a successful loan stint at Liverpool back in 2002 after which boss Gerard Houllier opted to make a move to sign El Hadji Diouf instead of the Versailles born adaptable forward.

Dalglish is keen to beef up his attacking options as he looks to secure a place back in the top four and may well feel that a deal to bring Nicolas Anelka to Liverpool could help in that goal. The hugely experienced Chelsea man can play either out wide or as an orthodox striker and may well consider such an offer to return to the side he helped secure a runners-up finish in 2001/02.

Liverpool have had to rely heavily on Luis Suarez for goals and the Uruguayan could do with some effective support after pairings alongside Andy Carroll and Dirk Kuyt fail to bear fruit. Though Dalglish also has Craig Bellamy as a back up option he doesn’t have a great many players to call upon and as a result the club have managed just 17 goals in 13 Premier League matches thus far this season.

Anelka has chosen to put in a transfer request after falling far down the Chelsea pecking order behind the likes of Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres, Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge. This is despite the fact that he finished last season as the top scorer in all competitions with 16 goals in total.

Though Liverpool have a policy of planning for the future there is also a strong desire to clinch Champions League qualification for next season and a move to bring in such another top notch striker, despite his advancing years, would certainly help in this regard.

The biggest obstacle to such a deal may lie in the fact that Chelsea may not be keen on offering one of their players to a team challenging them for a top four spot, which may lead Liverpool to make a nominal offer of around £4million for a player who will be out of contract in the summer.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.

Source: CaughtOffside

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