Monday, July 23, 2007

Finnan Signs New LiverpooL Deal


Liverpool's Republic of Ireland full-back Steve Finnan has agreed a new three-year contract to stay at Anfield.

Finnan joined the Reds in a £3.5m deal from Fulham in 2003 and has made 181 appearances for the club.

The 31-year-old is expected to sign the deal when the Liverpool squad returns from their pre-season tour of Asia.

Liverpool is currently in Hong Kong for the Premier League Asia Cup which also features Portsmouth, Fulham and South China.

Finnan was signed by former Reds boss Gerard Houllier but has remained first-choice under the Frenchman's successor Rafael Benitez.

He was part of the Liverpool teams that won the Champions League in 2005 and the FA Cup in 2006.

Personal comment: Good old Finnan, never doubted his loyalty for the Merseyside club. Always been playing consistently. Great move of extending his contract.

Liverpool Consider Legal Action To Force Heinze Move




Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has confirmed the club's lawyers are working on forcing through a deal for Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze after his initial bid for the player was rejected.

Recent speculation has linked the Reds with an offer in the region of £7million for the Argentina full-back, but any move appeared to have been ruled out by United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

But Benitez has refused to back down in his pursuit of the 29-year-old and has revealed: "We made an offer which they rejected.

"The lawyers are now working on it and so we have to wait. He's a good player."

Ferguson last week poured scorn on any suggestion he might allow the former Paris St Germain player to leave for his club's bitterest rivals.

He said: "I can assure you, Liverpool will not be getting Gabriel Heinze.

"We can put that to bed right now and we have done so. We have had a couple offers for him and we have turned them down."

It later emerged that Heinze had a letter signed by chief executive David Gill promising he could leave if United received a big in excess of £6million - a figure Benitez is thought to have topped.

His representatives were reported to be considering legal action to push through the controversial deal - the first between the two clubs since Phil Chisnall moved to Anfield in 1964 - and it appears the Reds are also now willing to go to court to get their man.

My comment: I don't understand the fuss is all about....Ferguson knows pretty well that Heinze has the right to buy out his contract. Why would the Red Devil manager choose the hard way instead of releasing Heinze straight away?.....Some say he's the most brilliant football manager in the world.....well, think again.