Sunday, May 04, 2008

Crouch Set For Summer Exit?


Liverpool's final home league game of the season against Manchester City on Sunday could be the last time the Anfield crowd see Peter Crouch in a red shirt.

Crouch may play against City, even with Fernando Torres likely to have recovered from a hamstring scare, but there is a summer of transfer speculation awaiting the England striker.

He has failed to hold down a regular place in the side since 31-goal Torres arrived, with boss Rafael Benitez happier to play Steven Gerrard as a support striker with Dirk Kuyt and Andriy Voronin as back-up.

Crouch has had to live off scraps all season and has already admitted he will need to review his career at the end of the campaign.

Benitez has been told he must sell as well as buy and wants Aston Villa's midfielder Gareth Barry, a long-term friend of Gerrard's.

Villa are believed to want Crouch and John Arne Riise, while Scott Carson's loan deal at Villa Park ends soon. Any of those players could be used as a bargaining tool to get Barry.

Crouch understands the scenario but for now said: "I know the summer is going to bring speculation about my future.

"It is something we always have to live with in this game, unfortunately.

"And when a player is not playing as often as he would like, then people will always say these things.

"I am just going to ignore it and concentrate on my football like I always have with this stuff in the past."

Crouch knows his situation is unlikely to get any better next term. Benitez has offered a new contract and "wants him to stay."

But Torres will always be first choice and Benitez's need to generate capital is clearly going to mean departures in the wake of the Champions League failure.

Fourth place in the Barclays Premier League is assured already but that is one place lower than last season's finish and that will be a significant factor in serious attempts this summer to bolster the squad.

If Benitez had countless millions to spend, Crouch may well be a luxury on the bench he could afford. But that is not the case, money must be generated and Crouch would clearly not be happy with another campaign on the sidelines.

There are many who feel Benitez has a blind spot when it comes to Crouch, who has hit 10 goals this term from limited opportunities.

Crouch added: "I have not played anything like as much football this season as some of the other lads. I feel fresh and it has been great to be involved again.

"I know when I signed there was no guarantee about starting games. No one has that divine right to be picked so it is down to how you do when you get your chance and whether you can hold a place down.

"I'd like to think I have shown what I can do, I was given my chance recently at Arsenal (and scored) and kept my place for the European game that followed."

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