Birmingham City winger Jermaine Pennant is set to sign for Liverpool after the Reds latest bid was accepted, according to The Mirror newspaper.
Reporter David Maddock, a friend of Robbie Fowler amongst others at Anfield, has made the claim in his column this morning, saying Birmingham have accepted the offer of £6million.
According to Maddock, the attempts to sign Alves are over, his £12million asking price far too high a value in the eyes of Rafa Benitez. Maddock says: “Benitez admitted Liverpool simply could not afford to buy Alves and instead switched his sights to 23-year-old former Arsenal midfielder Pennant.”
Steve Bruce says Liverpool had a bid of £3.5m turned down in the past few weeks, Maddock says it was £3m: “Liverpool had an initial bid of £3m turned down by City manager Steve Bruce, but last night Benitez went back with double that amount and Birmingham – relegated from the Premiership last season – had little option but to reluctantly accept.”
Maddock says Pennant will complete talks today and then undergo a medical.
See the Mirror article in full here: Benitez lands £6m Pennant.
The Guardian also claim Pennant will join Liverpool this week, in their case the fee will be “in the region of £7million” and the deal will be done by the end of the week. My belief in the credibility of their claims is taken away completely by the fact they refer to Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso as “Xabier Alonso”. Link to Guardian article.
The Guardian’s line on things is repeated pretty much throughout the other nationals, suggesting that the newspapers are taking a little bit of a guess. Whether Maddock is also taking a guess remains to be seen, but that does seem something of a hike in the transfer fee.