The talk of big signings continues at Anfield – with chief
executive Rick Parry telling the Portuguese media that the club are looking to
try once more for the signature of Benfica's winger Simao Sabrosa.
Parry spoke to the Portuguese daily newspaper A Bola, saying
Simao is one of two players Rafa is hoping to bring into the squad this summer.
But Parry also confirmed that nothing had actually been done about it yet,
which is exactly what is driving the Spanish boss up the wall! Rafa feels
Liverpool are missing out on players because they aren't getting in quickly to
put bids in.
The under-fire Chief Executive was quoted in the newspaper
as saying: "There are players we are interested in and Simao is one. But we
have made no contact with Benfica. A swap with Cisse could be a possibility."
Djibril Cissé's year on-loan in France has now come to an
end and his performances were not good enough for Marseilles to take up the
original option agreed with Liverpool to sign him on a permanent deal.
Marseilles do want him, but not at the price originally agreed. But Rafa doesn't
want him, so Liverpool are working hard to get some kind of money back for a
player who cost a ridiculous £14m in 2004. He was signed for Gerard Houllier by
Rick Parry, and Liverpool couldn't get out of the deal despite sacking Houllier
prior to Cissé actually joining.
Cissé is understandably holding out for a move that suits
him, and his agent – Ranko Stojic – says Cissé would almost certainly be
unwilling to move to Benfica: "Anything is possible;" said Stojic, to the same
newspaper, "but Djibril's priority is to move to a club in either England or
Spain who are in the Champions League. Liverpool will not be able to decide
Cisse's future without the authorisation of the player."
What Stojic says is true; Cissé can dig his heels in and
refuse any move he doesn't like. But at the same time Rafa can tell Cissé he's
spending the whole of next season playing at the Academy if he doesn't accept a
move that also suits Liverpool.
Meanwhile Liverpool need to start actually speaking to the
clubs that their targets play for, before other clubs sneak in and take those
players from under our noses. We don't want to see Rafael Benítez leaving the
club in disgust at the incompetence he can clearly see going on in front of him;
we want Rafa's verbal prompts to have the desired effect.