With Rafa Benítez having already lined-up one new full-back in Swiss right-back Philipp Degen, the Liverpool boss is now linked with another in Italian left-back Andrea Dossena.
26-year-old Dossena made his one-and-only international appearance for the World Champions in a friendly against South Africa last October, getting the assist for Lucarelli’s only goal of the game. Italy coach Roberto Donadoni still hasn’t named his squad for the Euro 2008 finals and is giving little away as to who might be in it, but the Udinese number 8 will consider himself a possibility.
Tottenham have been linked with the Udinese defender too, but are no longer believed to be interested. The fee quoted in reports linking him with Spurs was £8m. Reports in the Italian press claim a deal with Liverpool is close, saying Liverpool have already agreed personal terms with the player’s agent, Federico Pastorello, and are now talking to Udinese about the fee.
Udinese director general Pietro Leonardi played down the links yesterday: “We have always said that we will not change the team. For Dossena to Liverpool there is nothing concrete, he has a contract with us until 2012 and the rest is speculation.”
Dossena has been with Udinese since 2006, and has had two red cards so far in this Italian season, which ends tomorrow. Udinese visit AC Milan who are hoping for three points and favours elsewhere to get them a Champions League qualifying spot. Udinese will finish in at least seventh place and have already qualified for the UEFA Cup.
With Liverpool set to release John Arne Riise, and Fabio Aurelio’s Anfield career so far suffering numerous injury-related interruptions the need for a quality left-back isn’t in doubt. Emiliano Insua is still considered one for the future, but can expect more involvement next season than this.
Despite Scott Carson’s recent complaints about feeling trapped at Anfield because of the fee Liverpool are asking for him, fellow reserve goalkeeper David Martin has just signed a new contract, keeping him at the club for two more years from now. Signed from MK Dons in 2006, Martin, 22, knows that getting to the front of the queue currently headed by Pepe Reina will be a tall task. He’s yet to make a first-team appearance but he’s been on the bench nineteen times in his two years at the club.
Carson, also 22, said earlier this week that the £10m fee Liverpool have reportedly put on his head is too high: “It’s too much. It’s stupid money really. You pay £10million for a goalkeeper who is 27, 28 and the finished article. To be honest, I’m far from the finished article. I have got another five years of learning. I don’t think Liverpool are stupid. They know what I’m worth. They would have recouped what they paid for me in loan fees over the last couple of years.” Liverpool paid £1m for him in 2005, Villa are believed to have paid £2m for his services just for this season’s loan.
Carson clearly feels it’s time to call an end to his Anfield days, and doesn’t particularly mind where he goes: “So hopefully, they can help me out and if there is a sniff of going somewhere, then hopefully they will respect my wishes and help me that way. I would like to get settled but it’s not up to me. Whether it’s Villa or anyone else, it’s up to them to try to sort it out. I haven’t got a clue what’s happening. I haven’t even spoken to Liverpool.”
A compromise is likely to be reached eventually; whatever Carson’s true value is he would be an expensive reserve goalkeeper. And he doesn’t want to be a reserve goalkeeper: “I want to play football. I have played football for the last two seasons and I don’t think I will be content with sitting on the bench. I still don’t know what’s around the corner. I have got a couple of weeks now to think about what’s going to happen. As it stands, I go back to Liverpool but I want to be playing first-team football. Liverpool have got a great keeper in Pepe Reina and he’s going to take a lot of shifting.”
Carson seems to be as much a victim of the uncertainty that is hovering over Anfield as anyone else: “It might be the time for me to move on but I don’t know Rafa’s thoughts and I don’t know if anyone is going to agree a fee with Liverpool. It’s going to be an interesting couple of weeks.”
One positive piece of news this week came in the small, some would say (or sing) rotund, shape of Sammy Lee. The former Reds midfield star was confirmed as the new assistant to Rafa this week and made his first appearance at Melwood in his new role, on the last day of training.
Rafa said of his new assistant: “He is a very experienced and very well respected coach in his own right and his reputation in football made him the outstanding candidate when we knew we were looking for a new member of our coaching staff. We are very pleased because he is someone who knows the club really well. He also knows about the passion of the club and about the standards that we set here so that will make it much easier for him to settle into his new role.
“But we have not brought Sammy back simply because he used to play for the club and used to work here as a coach. He will add something different to what we already have and it will be good to work with him. I already have a good relationship with him and I will be looking to build on that in the weeks and months to come.”
Lee said of his return: “When a club the size of Liverpool comes in for you, and when a manager of the magnitude of Rafael Benitez wants you, then you cannot say no. When I found out they were interested in me I was really thrilled. After the sabbatical I have had I just wish the season was starting tomorrow, but the players have had a long, difficult and demanding season and they need to get away and get their batteries recharged.
“I have been around the Melwood training ground this morning and seen a lot of old faces but a lot of new faces as well. I have shaken hands with everyone and introduced myself. There are some great people here and I cannot wait to get working with them. It is so nice to be back.”
Of his time at the Reebok Lee said: “I was very honoured and privileged to be given the position as Bolton manager. The pride and the honour I felt to be their manager was only outweighed by the sheer disappointment that it did not go well. I have to say the Bolton fans were fantastic towards me. I have not had the chance to say that before but I want to thank them. Even when results were not going well they were very supportive towards me and, most importantly, to the players.”
Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie denied his club had been talking to Peter Crouch the night before: “It’s a lot of nonsense to say we were negotiating to buy him last night. We are all concentrating on the FA Cup final.” That game is this afternoon at Wembley, against Cardiff, and unfortunately Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler didn’t quite make it back to fitness in time for a place on the bench for the South Wales side.
Blackburn winger David Bentley’s name has cropped up again as a target of Rafa’s, with Jermaine Pennant’s name again on the list of likely departures. Gareth Barry’s potential arrival won’t be as a replacement for Xabi Alonso, but Martin O’Neill needs to calm down a touch first before any constructive discussions over a fee can be had.
Two Italien defenders in our squad. Italien are very good players, the majority f them still play in serie A, which is also the reason why they do so well in the world cup. I think if we get Bently and Barry then I believe we will need to buy a striker to play with Torres who will fit in with the 4-2-3-1 formation then I feel we will do alot better next season than we did this season. The thing is though all the teams around us, especially the ones above will also be strengthening their squads. I cant wait until next season, only 90 days away.
I feel that Benitez got it wrong with degen he should have got Alvez ,Dossena .will be a good addition as italian [layers are quite good at defending and I am sure that Dossena being an Italian international is one of those, we need a left and right winger of the highest standards possible and also someone like David villa to partner torres.
Kuyt & Babel are in the Dutch provisional squad for Euro 2008:
Forwards: Ryan Babel (Liverpool FC), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AFC Ajax), Danny Koevermans (PSV Eindhoven), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool FC), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid CF), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic FC), Robin van Persie (Arsenal FC), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid CF).
@Edward: Kuyt & Babel are in the Dutch provisional squad for Euro 2008:
Spotted that earlier.
My decision not to bother with Euro 2008 is melting away slowly actually, what with the Spanish contingent and now this! Assuming they get into the finalised squads.
Philipp Degen’s in the Swiss squad too.
red dawn – Alves will cost you about 20+ million. Liverpool could have had him for 12 million a couple of seasons ago but the board would not pay more than 10 million for him so we got stuck with Pennant instead.
Jim – Whats that SD on Sammy Lee’s top suppost to mean?
Like you say Jim, it really does depend on whether they make the final squads and then get games.
Babel is the player I really want to see do well!
I have changed my photo nd my user name. So
Jim I am not going to give you the run a round
I really have to disagree with what Red Dawn said about getting Alves. Yes he may work well but remember we are not Chelsea and to get him Sevilla would want a massive fee which is something we dont have. Since Rafa wants probably 3-5 players he has to spend wisely.
I’m not prepared to judge the players based on how much they cost because that woudl be inaccurate and unfair. I think an exciting season is ahead and if the new signings say the same as Pennant did but actually put the effort in all of the time then we could close the gap from 11 points to something less next season
rafa has got an eye for talent, hope we sign this guy, has there been any news on barry yet???
Dossena, great! I’m sure he’ll make the difference in getting number 19!
We’re in trouble in all we do is sign like for like players.
@ Jim
I bet you’re a football (not liverpool) fan first and foremost so there’s no way you’d miss – or not be engaged with – the Euros.
I’ve said it before I think I’ll probably enjoy this tournament even more than if England were in it – the (unrealistic) media-hype is just too much for me, alot of the time.
I think it’ll be a good tournament – goals, skillful play and great knowing that Stevie G will start the season as fresh as a youngster.
Actually, now I think about it, let’s hope Spain go out early so Torres, Alonso and Arbeloa don’t get injured or tired out for next season. Does this last bit of selfish-thinking rule me out as a football (and not liverpool) fan first and foremost. I guess it does. Now I see where you’re coming from, Jim! 🙂
Me, its Liverpool first always has done always will do, you only have to ask my wife!!! I don´t care about the euro´s, our english players will be nicely rested, and i hope we get Torres back in one piece, and now my wife will enjoy the 3 month break….but, only 3 months hehe
@Anthony Fakir: “Jim – Whats that SD on Sammy Lee’s top suppost to mean?”
They stuck “SL” over the top of someone else’s initials by the look of it.
Since we’re on the subject of transfers.
Here’s a piece of audio from Youtube in which Bill Shankly talks about Sir Matt Busby.
About 1 minute 40 seconds into it he talks about transfers:
“Matt Busby had the courage to go and buy players……….He was never afraid to dabble, he had tremendous courage”
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmqbKBl22CA
midlands – I think that it’s much better for players to get the confidence and experience of the big occasion that playing in a tournament such as the Euros gives them than to be worried about injuries.
midlands-red – Stevie G has not had much rest during the closed season for a couple of seasons, so I think that the rest will do him thye world of good. I agree with Phil not really an England fan so I will not be losing tom much sleep with England not being in the Euro’s.
Jim – How come the picture won transfere over to my new user name?
But with this name it will!
@I am the Egg Man: Jim – How come the picture won transfere over to my new user name?
You missed a “c” out of your email address.
Jim – Thanks for pointing that out!
If LFC had beaten the mancs both times this season then we would have won the league, or finished above them.
I saw a ridiculous post on another forum earlier, I can’t remember what forum, I’ll search later, Anfieldtalk maybe? Anyway, someone had been posting complaining that because we are going to sign Dossena, ‘Rafa doesn’t know what he’s doing’. Outrageous, I hope that the readers and posters on this site have a little more brains about them than to jump on Rafa’s back like that.
ST. Chris – I think Rafa has to dabble like that because he has got a limited budget. I have just watched the press box that was on LFC.tv last night which I recorded and they said that Alves will cost 35 million to buy. That will teach the board a lesson on investing for the future. I think that it will probably turn out to be a good buy or the club.
http://www.anfieldred.co.uk/2008/05/12/chelsea-fans-rob-liverpool-fans-torres-song#comment-20385
That’s the link, this kind of talk is rife, the sad thing is that it seems to be a growing number of ‘fans’ who are just too impatient and think everything can be done overnight.
Just as PS, does anyone else get a bit frustrated at the bickering over ‘terrace chants’. I saw a thread earlier with a bunch of people from different team arguing over who sung what song first, a lot of it got really below the belt aswell.
Pathetic!
ST. Chris – I was not aware that people argued over any who sang what songs on the terraces. With regards to people saying that Rafa isn’t right for the job, the people in Liverpool have to the conclusion that it is generally people from downsouth (not meant as a go at you as I know that you are from down south) who are called Tarquin. People in LFC are alot more patient and will give Rafa time and will understand that Rome can’t be built in a day.
@ ST. Chris – doesn’t even scan properly. The Chelsea song that is.
As for the actual first comment you linked to, I stopped reading half-way through because of the txt spk in it!
That’s nonsense eggman to be honest – a similar proportion of “local” Liverpool fans have got it in for Rafa, even if they usually only mention it after a dropped point!
A lot have actually thought through their reasons for wanting Rafa to leave, but far too many seem to just be jumping on a little bandwagon.
Yeah all this text speak is getting blamed for illiteracy in youngsters. Skyrtel and Agger where both unknowns, and so I believe was C Ronaldo as well as Henry.
@I am the Egg Man.
I’m not from down south, I’m from Liverpool, I grew up 20 minutes from the ground and i still live there now.
@Jim,
Yeah good point about the text speak, I guess I’m easily frustrated by what i perceive to be the majority indulging themselves in rubbish.
I certainly won’t be judging Rafa’s transfers until the next season is under way!
Jim – Alot more of late have jumped on he bandwagon yes, but its still not as bad as the people from outside the city. I think that Rafa gets stick he does not deserve. He has finished above Wenger twice and won two trophies since he has been here. Wenger hasn’t done anything of late but the media or the Arsenal fans do not call for his head. I think the team has to take some of the blame for the stick that Rafa is getting. They should have won the games that Rafa gets stick for rotating on, but instead Rafa shoulders the blame for them which is probably the reason they are gettig off loaded.
ST. Chris – Sorry I am mistaking you for someone else who I insulted for being from down south by accident the other week.
When Rafa first come to the club he had to off load a load of dead wood that he was stuck with, since then LFC have become a better team we have taken a step forward. We are alot stronger as a squad and we finish in the top 4 consistenly, now all Rafa needs to do is offload a bit of dead wood that has accumulated and then I think we will take another step forward.
One thinks that Rafael doesn’t know what one is doing!
I hope Mr Hicks get’s control and not these oh so improper Arab folk. When he does, one would be most obliged if he saw fit to rid Rafael of his duties and instead install a more suitable fellow.
I wanna see Torres and Babel light up the euros. Michael Jordan was a winner, I never heard him complain about playing near 150 games per season, plus Dream Team trials and Olympic games. Winners must want to play, win and grow. It will only increase their expectations as players should they win… Look at how Ronaldo has grown since the World Cup…
YNWA
@ St Chris. Agree with what you are saying, Rafa is signing the best possible players he can with the money available to him, no doubt about that.
I just think that it’s a massive shame that the owners don’t seem to be able to support him in the transfer market properly at the moment. I really don’t think the arrivals of Barry, Degen, and Mossena will make much difference.
@I am the egg man: Why the name change anthony?!?!?
@Tarquin: Welcome to the site Tarquin. You seem familiar, somehow, can’t quite put my finger on it…
Why thank you James. Most obliged!
I felt like a change, and I would rather see Alex Carran in her Bikini when I log on instead of me.
Martin – And also it is quite a unique name so I would not want to piss anyone of on the site from around mine and for them to come around and do me in.
Yeah,
I agree that Rafa should be left to get on with transfers that fit in with his vision for the club.
He had identified left-back as a priority at the beginning of last season and was unlucky to miss out on Heinze. I’m presuming that Dossena is a similar class of player.
Tarquin – Are you basing your views of Rafa on what you hear in the newspapers and on Soccer Saturday? Or are your opinions based a facts?
Edward – Whatever new players he brings in will be alot better than Riise and Finnan. These twom players have been good servants to the club but they have seen better days. Dossena is going to be playing in the Euro’s this summer for Italy so he must have something about him, he would not get into the Italien side otherwise.
Anthony, Soccer Saturday – well yes I have to admit to liking that wonderful Mr Merson, he is most knowledgable in what he says, but then I suppose one might expect him to be, considering he is from the South like me. I find that he so detests Benitez and therefore so do I. As Mr Merson points out it is ludicrous how Rafael rotates him so. Why doesn’t one play him every week?
In the News of the World, Chris Bascombe talks-up Dossena and Reira moves – with Leto thrown in possibly on loan – and even mentions Downing, if we don’t get Barry. I can’t say I’m too excited based on the money spent – and maybe the lack of an household internationally regarded name.
£13m’s on 2 players – presumably starting players – compared to the money our rivals at home and abroad will spend suggests another ‘maybe/if’ season coming up.
My despondency is based on ‘raised expections’ by our current owners, I know. Particularly when you read Everton may, yes may, put in a bid of £11m for one player (albeit an overrated one in my view.)
Raised expectations, perceived new reality, whatever you want to call it is a real bugger!
If the Moores regime had dipped its hand into its pocket and come up with these players I’d have thought ‘we’re not trying to buy the title and Rafa’s not going to buy any old player. In Rafa we trust. Etc.’
But under the current regime, I just think ‘they promised us snoogy doogy and we’re getting a Man City reject and someone who’s not made it into the Italian Euro Squad’.
It doesn’t mean Rafa can’t make them better players. Or that we’re trying to buy the title – I suspect Ambramaovich would prevent that in any case. On that basis, I should, maybe, think the same as under the ‘Moores regime’. But the bile from our owners, formerly known as custodian, (and to them) is so much that the psychology of it all means there appears little they can do to bring me round _ other than delivering on their own hype!
Any psychologists out-there? I/we need you to get us through these trying months ahead (maybe year) as I/we battle the demons trying to forget what was promised (by H&G) and to cope with the team Rafa’s going to have to shape (with un-cut diamonds or worse, as the opposition are said to be signing Villa, Eto’o, Berbatov etc.)
We’re doomed!…….Actually, it’s not we, it’s just me. No, it’s the club. No, it’s me. No, it’s Rafa. No, it’s me….. On second thoughts, I don’t know who’s doomed anymore. I just know, something not’s quite right. I need a psychologist. And soon.
Off to bed now, I may need some medication to get me to sleep though……
PS:
I know everything’s not bad. In fact most things are great – 4th spot, goals galore and Rafa, Torres, Gerrard and plenty more…….but the only way I can decribe our owners is by drawing parallels with the recent Ronaldo story when he was looking for a good time in Brazil.
If you’ve not heard it: Ronaldo was out looking for a good time with some ‘women’. He picks up 3 strangers for hotel activities (which I’ve never done I hasten to add!!). Only to find out, at the hotel, they’re not women but transvestites ie not what was said on the tin. Ooops!
I wonder if Hicks and Gillett may reveal themselves to be Howard Kendal and Peter Reid! Then all this madness, all this psychological trauma, would make sense!
Tarquin – I’ve often wondered wether Merson actually knows how to tie his own shoe laces or even how to spell his name, but if from coming from down south makes you automatically inteligent then I must be wrong about Merson. I’m just wondering what it was that made me come to the conclusion that made me think that Paul Merson was so thick.
@MR
Excellent post, I agree with everything and have all the same worries. Shanks famously said there was a holy trinity, were directors don’t come into it, they just sign the cheques…
Oh how I wish this was true today.
St Chris, I agree see how it used to be done.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/columnists/2008/05/17/liverpool-fc-off-field-season-review-admiration-has-turned-into-disbelief-100252-20922908/
Tarquin // May 17, 2008 at 10:22 pm
One thinks that Rafael doesn’t know what one is doing!
I hope Mr Hicks get’s control and not these oh so improper Arab folk. When he does, one would be most obliged if he saw fit to rid Rafael of his duties and instead install a more suitable fellow.
One thinks you don´t know what your on about!!! Who would you think to instal as manager??
We have moved on alot since Houlier and for the better. Rafa does know what he´s doing, unlike some???
Improper Arab Folk, is that a Racist comment your making there??
Hicks might get control, but you think that he is doing a good job, would this be the type of person you think should lead out club forward, then given his way of doing things your sadly mistaken. I think your coming on here to annoy people, and i think your opinion is “Very unqualified”, and that you have little or no knowledge of Liverpool or football for that matter
Thanks for the link Jofrad, that was a good read!
I’ve not taken to Barret’s writing as easy as Bascombe’s but his heart is in the right place!