Saturday, August 06, 2011

Liverpool Offer Double Swap Deal In Exchange For England International

Liverpool is to offer both Sotirios Kyrgiakos and David Ngog to Bolton Wanderers in exchange for their defender Gary Cahill - according to Footybunker.

The Merseyside club value Ngog at £4.5m, which Bolton boss Owen Coyle is reluctant to pay outright, but the swap deal could prove more enticing.

It is unknown what the Trotters think of Kyrgiakos though - and the Reds defender is now somewhat of a veteran at the age of 32, and can only be considered a short term solution wherever he plays.

Liverpool is to offer a cash sum in addition to those two players, meaning they will abandon their pursuit of Birmingham City defender Scott Dann.

That would leave Jose Enrique as the only remaining target for the summer, meaning Kenny Dalglish could have assembled a formidable line-up for the coming season.

Liverpool Join Arsenal In Race To Sign Everton Star

Liverpool will attempt the impossible and try to prise Leighton Baines from crosstown rivals Everton.

The Reds have been stung into action after Arsenal expressed their interest in the England left back with a view to placing a bid for the player who was the best in his position in the Premier League last season. Manager Kenny Dalglish is desperate to sign a left back with Fabio Aurelio's continual injury problems a cause for concern and the lack of a senior back up option at the club. Glen Johnson performed admirably when called upon last campaign but Dalglish would prefer him to play in his natural position on the other side of the defence.

This has led to the interest in Baines though in an effort to keep relations between the two Merseyside club's cordial, the men from Anfield initially disregarded the option of making an approach knowing the answer would be an emphatic no. However, the Gunners interest - which has supplanted their desire to sign his Baines Goodison Park team mate Phil Jagielka - has prompted a change of heart.

Even so, it seems inconceivable that Everton would let one of their prized assets move across Stanley Park unless a truly jaw-dropping amount of money was on the table. Arsenal, it would appear, are still in the box seat should the Toffees decide to sell.

Dyer Linked With Liverpool Switch

Swansea may be bracing themselves for a shock bid from Liverpool for Nathan Dyer, after clinching the signing of Wayne Routledge.

It's been suggested that the Swans have moved to secure the signature of another winger as they fear losing Dyer due to a dispute over a new contract.

Routledge, who has just the Premier League new boys from Newcastle for an undisclosed fee, certainly shares many qualities with his fellow wide man, but manager Brendan Rodgers would ideally like to have both players in the same team.

However, the Swans can't afford to risk letting the 23-year-old walk away for nothing as Dorus de Vries and Darren Pratley did this summer, as he is now in the final 12 months of his existing deal.

Rodgers was initially optimistic that Dyer would put pen to paper on a new deal, but the reported interest from Liverpool is a concern, particularly with the Reds' new policy of signing top young British talent.

I Am Not Here To Replace Xabi Alonso – Charlie Adam

Charlie Adam has dismissed suggestions that he has been brought to Liverpool in order to replace former midfielder Xabi Alonso.

The Spaniard moved to Real Madrid in 2009 shortly after the Reds finished second in the league, but his departure from Anfield triggered a dramatic collapse in form as replacement Alberto Aquilani struggled with injuries and the side failed to qualify for the Champions League.

While Alonso continues to impress in Madrid, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has brought in midfielders Adam and Jordan Henderson to compete with the players already at the club.

However, Adam insists he is not worried about trying to replace the Spanish World Cup winner and is focused on just cementing a spot in Dalglish’s side.

“Xabi Alonso was a top player at this club. He's a World Cup winner, he's won the European Championships,” he told reporters.

“He's done everything as a player and he's at one of the best clubs in the world with Real Madrid, so it's nice to know that people think I might come in and replace him - but I'm coming here to be Charlie Adam and not to replace anybody else."

He added: “I was young when I was at Rangers and I only played a few games so I had to go on loan and went to Blackpool. Some people said it was a step backwards but I saw it as a step forward and now with this move to Liverpool I see that as another step forward.

“I'm just fortunate enough that I've been able to play with some good players who have helped me get to this position but I don't want to rest and just say that I'm here to make up the numbers. I came here to play and to hopefully help the team.”

Adam moved to Merseyside after impressing with Blackpool last season.

Blackpool competed in the top flight despite having a very limited budget, something Adam believes is the biggest achievement in English football, but he says that he is glad that his move to Anfield finally came through after missing out in January.

“It was a long four or five months and obviously with all the speculation in January it was tough," he said.

“When you get an opportunity to come to a club like this, you think that it might never come back.

“Fortunately I've got a manager who wanted me to come again in the summer and I was just delighted to get that reward and join this club.

“They're both very different things. Liverpool is a worldwide club but it was still an honour to play for Blackpool and to achieve what I achieved.

“Nobody expected it with Blackpool and I think it was the biggest achievement ever in the history of the English game, considering the budget the manager had and the players we managed to get in.

“Coming to a club like Liverpool and walking through the door everyday and seeing the European trophy sitting there you realize it's such a special club, and there are not many clubs like it in the world.

“Hopefully I can get the opportunity to play for us and do well.”

He added: “Now I'm a Liverpool player I don't just want to just rest and say 'That's me done' for the next however many years. I want to be here and I want to stay here. This is a wonderful club with wonderful people in charge and hopefully I can repay their faith with my performances on the pitch."

Anderlecht Complete Signing Of Milan Jovanovic

Anderlecht has completed the signing of Milan Jovanovic from Liverpool after the forward failed to make an impact at Anfield.

The Serbian international joined the club following the 2010 World Cup, while previous boss Roy Hodgson was at the helm.

The 30-year-old found first team opportunities hard to come by though and was regularly on the fringes of matchday squads.

Jovanovic's departure follows the arrival of a host of midfielders at Liverpool this summer, with Kenny Dalglish bolstering his squad for the new Premier League season.

Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson have arrived from Aston Villa, Blackpool and Sunderland respectively as the Anfield club's spending has passed far beyond £40 million during this transfer window.

Paul Konchesky has also departed Liverpool this summer for Leicester City, while the futures of a string of other Reds players remain in doubt.

Jovanovic returns to Belgium having previously played for Standard Liege.

LFC Change Lives In West Africa

Liverpool FC and Oxfam have joined forces to change lives in West Africa.

The Standard Chartered strip, which was worn proudly by the likes of Luis Suarez and Dirk Kuyt last season, has been donated by the club's award winning Community Department to Oxfam.

The full strip, including training gear and boots, is going to a project in Dakar, Senegal, called Frip Ethique.

The football kits will be sold in the local community by a project supported by Oxfam which will help to create jobs and re-inject cash in the local economy.

Serena Tramonti from Oxfam, said: "We are extremely grateful to Liverpool Football Club's Community Department for giving us the kit.

"About 14 months ago Liverpool FC Community Department and Oxfam went to South Africa just before the World Cup and we visited various projects there. Together with the LFC community coaches, we worked with local organizations and small football clubs to raise awareness of HIV and Aids.

"Everyone loved the community department and all of the coaches were absolutely fantastic with the kids, so it's a real pleasure to work with them again on this project.

"The Liverpool badge is famous all around the world and it grabs everyone's attention. It's a great way of being able to communicate with people.

"The kit will go Frip Ethique, a textile recycling centre in Dakar, Senegal where Oxfam provides work for over 40 women sorting clothing for the local markets. This is an important project in a country where half the population is jobless and below the poverty line.

"In a country like Senegal which has been devastated for years by conflict, being able to inject money and generate employment is vital to make a difference long term and help people to get themselves out of poverty.

"Frip Ethique is very unique as normally donated clothes get distributed through our shop network, but the Liverpool kit is going to go directly to the people of Senegal and will make a huge difference there."

Liverpool FC Community Coach Eddie Sullivan said: "It is a pleasure for the football club to give this kit to Oxfam. They are an organization that is renowned throughout the world for the work it does.

"It is a very humbling experience when we go all around the world and meet these people. They are fantastic and we are just delighted to be able to make a difference.

"We have been all over the world with the community department including Russia, China, India, Sudan, South Africa and we work with underprivileged children and homeless children as well.

"When the kids see the badge of the club their eyes light up and it's fantastic for us to help try and make a difference to their lives."

Reds Honoured In Switzerland

Ian Ayre used an international conference to speak of his admiration for several members of Liverpool's Ability Counts squad earlier this week - but how did the lads react when they saw what he had to say?

Speaking at the Football Is More forum in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland, Ayre explained why good role models are vital to the Reds.

But it was not only the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Steven Gerrard and Ian Rush mentioned by the Managing Director as he took the opportunity to praise the Ability Counts team.

Ahead of the European disabled football tournament, the squad watched Ayre's speech at their team hotel in Switzerland - and our cameras were on hand to capture their reaction.

Spirit of Shankly Exhibition Charts Rise Of Fans’ Group

Its a celebration of the long but ultimately successful battle to rid Liverpool of Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

‘Spirit of Shankly: The noise that refused to be dealt with’ is an exhibition of 16 photographs taken by group member and photographer John Johnson.

They are on display at Unit 28 on the first floor of Liverpool’s Met Quarter shopping centre until September 2.

From the big dig protest to the marches, the images highlight the impact of the fans’ organization which was formed in January 2008.

Johnson said: “As a photographer and lifelong Liverpool supporter I felt compelled to document those dark days of rule at the hands of Hicks and Gillett and more importantly the subsequent uprising from fellow fans.

“An uprising which would lead to the formation of the Spirit of Shankly, the first independent football supporters’ union in the UK.

“I hope that this exhibition gives some small insight into that birth, struggle and eventual triumph.”