Benitez Unlikely To Add To Liverpool Squad In January

*

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has revealed that it is unlikely that the Reds will be active in the transfer market this month, with the Spaniard admitting that it would be difficult and expensive to add better players to the squad at the Merseyside club.

Despite not having star striker Fernando Torres available for more than half of the 20 Premier League games played to date through injury. Liverpool are still three points clear at the top of the Premiership as they head into 2009, with Benitez claiming that due to the good squad already at Anfield he feels that any new acquisitions are unnecessary and would not be easy to come buy in January without a significant price tag attached.

“It will be difficult to bring anyone in January because we have a good squad,” Benitez told the BBC.

"To bring in anyone better than what we’ve got isn’t easy and could be expensive.”

Benitez had been linked with a move for former Liverpool player Emile Heskey at Wigan Athletic along with Tottenham Hotspur winger Aaron Lennon, who is also reportedly a target for Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Andrea Dossena and Jermain Pennant both look destined to leave Anfield, with Pennant also linked with Real and Dossena failing to impress since his summer move from Udinese.

Man City May Be Rich Now, But Will They Just Chuck Money Around In January?

*
The New Voice Of Football column at FootballFancast.com

Manchester City broke the British transfer record on transfer deadline-day to sign Robinho from Real Madrid for £32.5million after the takeover at the Eastlands Stadium by the ADUG on the same day. Since then the media have come to the conclusion that the wealthy Arab owner’s will be prepared to chuck as much money around as is needed to land any player they fancy.

I for one do not think this will be the case. Wealthy? Yes. Stupid? No. While, City are in the position to outbid anyone for a player they want, they simply won’t pay massively over the odds just in order to get their man.

Take the case of Robinho (left), Chelsea wanted him and offered £30million, so City steal in and do a deal at £2.5million more, Real take that deal and so Robinho ends up in Manchester, despite the Brazilian revealing recently that Stamford Bridge was where he wanted to play.

So now look at the list of potential targets for the Premier League side in January, which include David Villa, Kaka, Gianluigi Buffon, Esteban Cambiasso, Fernando Torres and Roque Santa Cruz.

Now the name on that list that has cropped up most recently, with a World Record price tag attached is Valencia striker Villa, but how did anyone arrive at the figure of £60million? Valencia, are in dire straits financially and surely if City are to pay £60million. Then another club has to be willing to pay £55million, but I have not heard anything to that affect. So why would the City owner’s launch in at £60million?

Take what will probably be a much cheaper option in Mark Hughes former player Roque Santa Cruz at Blackburn Rovers, if offers are coming in for him at around £15million. Would it not make sense to just gazump them by a little in the same way City did with Robinho and Chelsea?

The only possible exception on that list is AC Milan playmaker Kaka, who if the Rossoneri decide to sell then a bidding war will ensue, starting at a pretty big fee and ending up anywhere. However, City will again only have to go that extra yard if they really want to recruit the soon to be former FIFA World Player of the Year to the Eastlands.

Yes, Man City will certainly be making a few big-money signings in January, but I can’t see them offering £10-20million more for a player just to get their man. You see my experience of rich people is they didn’t become rich by throwing it away when they simply didn’t have to.

Liverpool Boss Benitez: "Torres Has To Improve"

• 
  

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has told his Reds squad that everyone including Spanish International Fernando Torres will have to compete for a place in the first team at the Merseyside club.

The former Valencia coach has been playing a more settled team of late in the Premier League, with Benitez seeming to have ditched the rotation policy the Spaniard had become renowned for. This reluctance to change a winning side resulted in Benitez only giving EURO 2008 Winner Torres a place on the bench in their 2-0 win in the Premiership against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

Although last seasons top-scorer for Liverpool Torres came on as a second half substitute against the Trotters, Benitez insists that the former Atletico Madrid striker has to improve and compete like everyone else for a place in the Anfield side.

“The players have to compete for their positions in the side, be it Torres or anyone else,” Benitez said.

“Torres has to improve, if he does and he is fit then I will decide what to do, although I expect to be criticised.

“I did not have to explain to Fernando why he was not playing, it was very clear. The team had been playing well and he has to compete for his position.

“He played well when he came on, but then other players who come on as substitute also did well, not just him.

“That is the key if you want to have a winning mentality and a winning squad."

Torres, who has just returned from injury for Liverpool has been called up by Spain for their International friendly against Chile on Wednesday, but Benitez had bemoaned the Spanish call-up for Torres, who is lacking match fitness and revealed that he has asked the Spanish coaching staff not to take any chances with his talisman.

“Torres will join up with Spain. I am not happy, but I cannot do anything about it. We are talking to international managers and asking them to protect our players,” he added.

“We have asked that the Spanish set-up does not take any chances, that they protect the player.”

Benitez Urges Liverpool To Show Passion & Character Against Bolton

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is pleased to have a Premier League clash so soon to put right the “disappointing game” against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Wednesday in the Carling Cup, which the Reds lost 4-2.

Benitez rested several key players against Tottenham, with Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane, Jamie Carragher and keeper Pepe Reina just some of the star names missing from the Liverpool team-sheet on Wednesday, although Spanish International Fernando Torres did make his comeback from a hamstring injury.

However, Benitez, while disappointed with the loss to Spurs has insisted that the Premiership remains the most “important competition” for the Merseyside club this season and has called on his Anfield side to show the character and passion in their league encounter with Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

“After a disappointing game it is good to have another fixture so quickly and that is what is happening now," said Benitez.

“We have got to show the character that we have shown in the past and respond to defeat in the right way.

“That is the most important thing.

“We have enough quality in our squad, so if we show the right character and passion we will be okay.

“Everyone will be really focused because this is the league and we know this is the most important competition for us.”

Banks To Reposses Liverpool As Reds Face Financial Meltdown?

Premier League club Liverpool are on the brink of financial meltdown if they cannot refinance the £350million loan owed to the bank or pay the amount off in January, according to Keith Harris the person at the centre of several takeover deals in the Premiership.

Harris has expressed concerns that unless the Merseyside club can repay or get a six-month extension to the loan due in January. Then there is even the possibility of Anfield being repossessed by the banks that the loan is owed to in light of the recent credit crunch.

The Reds American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr owe a reported £350million to two banks, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia, both of which have suffered in the current financial climate, with Harris believing that Liverpool will have to cash in on some of their star players like Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane in order to balance the books at Anfield or face being repossessed in the worst case scenario.

Harris has also revealed that it is very much a buyers market in terms of selling clubs, with potential investors not so ready to part with their money to own a Premier league club.

“The one that worries me is Liverpool. It has never been more difficult to find buyers,” Harris said.

“It's no longer a question of price negotiation - it's should we? People are wondering if now is the time to spend.

“Liverpool's debt is due in January, with maybe a six-month extension.

“The two banks which are the principal lenders - the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia - are two of those that have suffered. Whether they want to lend it again or not, they may not be able to.”