Injured Barry Sees Hope Of Liverpool Move Fade

Gareth Barry was last night facing up to the sobering possibility of starting the season as an Aston Villa player, after it emerged that Rafael Benítez was beginning to explore other options in the transfer market. The Liverpool manager has become exasperated with Villa's refusal to negotiate over their £18m valuation of Barry, leaving the midfielder, who picked up an injury on his return to training yesterday, increasingly unsure of his future.

The 27-year-old was expected to hold talks with Martin O'Neill on his first day back at the club - he was banned from reporting for pre-season training for two weeks after giving an unauthorised interview - but those discussions are now likely to take place today after the Villa manager spent yesterday in meetings. Barry is keen to push through a move to Liverpool, although there is no sense that O'Neill or Villa's owner, Randy Lerner, will drop their asking price.

The impasse has left Benítez deeply frustrated and prompted him to concentrate his efforts on making other signings before considering another move for Barry. Even then it is doubtful if Liverpool will offer £18m, increasing the likelihood that the England international will still be at Villa when the Premier League season starts in little more than four weeks' time. He will certainly play no part against Odense in the Intertoto Cup on Saturday after picking up a foot injury.

Liverpool FC Ready To Launch Robbie Keane Bid

Tottenham Hotspur are bracing themselves for a substantial bid from Liverpool for Robbie Keane.

Rafael Benitez has earmarked the Republic of Ireland international as he attempts to bolster his strike-force following the departure of Peter Crouch to Portsmouth.

And Liverpool are expected to make an official offer in the next few days as Benitez’s transfer priority shifts away from Gareth Barry.

Tottenham are keen to keep Keane, particularly as speculation increases over Dimitar Berbatov joining Manchester United, and will ask for £20million.

Liverpool consider that valuation exorbitant. But Keane is a lifelong Liverpool fan and is desperate for a move to Anfield to become a reality.

The development comes after Benitez opted to put a proposed move for Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry on ice, following the collapse of Xabi Alonso’s transfer to Juventus.

The Liverpool manager, working within specific financial constraints, still wants to bring Barry to the club, but will only move if Villa lower their asking price.

Benitez saw his players continue their pre-season preparations with a 2-1 victory over FC Lucerne in the Swiss town of Grenchen last night.

Lucas Leiva gave Liverpool the lead in the 10th minute following a fine pass from impressive youngster Dani Pacheco and although Mario Gavranovic equalised three minutes later, Andriy Voronin netted the winner with an exquisite chip eight minutes before the break.

“I think it was a good workout tonight,” said Benitez. “The idea was to continue improving the fitness level of the players, I thought it was a good game with many opportunities so it was positive.

“This was another game where their goalkeeper was man of the match.

“We scored two good goals and the understanding between Voronin and Pacheco was good. The team worked really hard, and that was main idea.”

The game was notable for the appearance of Sebastian Leto who, because of work permit problems, last played a competitive match for the reserves against Middlesbrough in December.

The Argentine caught the eye on the left wing, and Benitez revealed Liverpool hope his situation will be resolved in the next fortnight.

“Leto is a good player and he showed tonight the quality that he has,” said the Anfield manager.

“He has had some problems with his work permit but hopefully that will be okay because has a lot of quality.

“We are waiting to hear when that permit will come through and we should find that out in the next 10 days.”

Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt made their first appearances of pre-season as late substitutes.

Babel – who Benitez last night confirmed will go to the Olympics with Holland – was making his comeback after missing the recent Euro 2008 finals through injury. And Benitez said: “Ryan did well in his time on the pitch, and Dirk Kuyt also played at the end despite only arriving earlier in the day.

“We needed to use them both at the end as the rest of the team was tired.”

Steven Gerrard missed the game as a precaution after complaining of feeling tired, while Jermaine Pennant was also absent after receiving a knock against Tranmere Rovers at the weekend.

New signing Andrea Dossena is still waiting on international clearance, with Benitez hopeful the Italian can make his debut against Wisla Krakow on Saturday.

Steve Finnan, meanwhile, returned to Merseyside yesterday for treatment on an ankle injury suffered earlier in the week and will miss the rest of the training camp.

Promise Of Pacheco Has Fringe Benefits

Twelve months ago in Grenchen, a Spanish forward took the first step towards making his name at Liverpool.

But, with Euro 2008 hero Fernando Torres on a richly-deserved vacation, last night it was the turn of a younger striking compatriot to command the headlines.

Daniel Pacheco has been earmarked as one to watch ever since Liverpool persuaded him to leave Barcelona.

And in the sleepy Swiss town of Grenchen at the foot of the Jura mountains, Pacheco gave further compelling evidence of his huge promise as Rafael Benitez’s side continued their pre-season preparations with victory over FC Lucerne.

Pacheco created Lucas Leiva’s opener with a sublime pass and his overall display richly-merited the warm ovation he received on being substituted 12 minutes from time.

With Torres, who made his Liverpool debut in Grenchen last year, still on extended leave, Dirk Kuyt having only arrived in Switzerland earlier in the day and Krisztian Nemeth on international duty, Pacheco was again given his chance last night.

And, as at Prenton Park on Saturday, the Spanish youngster indicated why there has been much gnashing of teeth at the Nou Camp over his departure.

Pacheco possesses great pace and composure and it’s easy to see why the senior players have been impressed by his impact while training with the first team.

The 17-year-old’s potential was perfectly showcased in the 10th minute, turning away from his marker on the edge of the area and slipping a reverse pass for the incoming Lucas to finish confidently past Lucerne goalkeeper David Zibung.

Pacheco’s exuberance was evident throughout. Although guilty of over-elaboration later in the half when allowing Zibung to smother his effort after Yossi Benayoun had dummied Andriy Voronin’s pass, the Spaniard remained confident enough to assume set-piece duties, his right-wing corner headed wastefully over by an unmarked Daniel Agger.

The second half saw more of the same. However, Pacheco’s failure to turn many of his chances, often self-made, into goals underlines his potential role more as playmaker than clinical marksman.

It is a minor quibble. Even since his impressive cameo appearance as substitute in the reserves’ final against Aston Villa in May, Pacheco appears to have grown a few inches.

Continue this progress over the next 12 months and the youngster could easily be pushing for a regular place in the matchday squad at the very least.

Opponents Lucerne, who finished sixth in the Swiss Super League last time out, are much further down the line in their pre-season preparations, with their new campaign beginning at the weekend.

It was therefore a genuine work-out for Benitez’s side, with a surprisingly entertaining encounter helping further shake off the inevitable ring-rustiness.

Besides Pacheco, other fringe players also made the most of their opportunity. The lesser-spotted Sebastian Leto, his Liverpool career stalled by eligibility issues, was lively down the left and should have capped his 55-minute performance with a goal, instead dragging a presentable opening wide before the break.

With so few options available to Benitez on the left flank, an available Leto would be a definite asset on this showing.

Of course, pre-season can be notoriously deceiving. Voronin, for example, suggested goals aplenty following his exploits during last season’s summer warm-up programme but faded horribly once the serious stuff started.

The Ukrainian was at it again last night, sending a sumptuous chip over Zibung from 25 yards for Liverpool ’s second goal eight minutes before half-time.

But with the likes of Pacheco waiting in the wings, Voronin will most likely need a lot more where that came from over the next 10 months.

There were some warning signs for Benitez, however. When Philipp Degen was officially unveiled to media at Melwood last week, he cited pace and attacking ability as his main attributes.

By inference, even the right-back himself accepts defending is not his strong suit. And Lucerne’s 13th-minute equaliser was a case in point, Degen beaten in the air to a deep far-post cross by Djamel Mesbah, who nodded across goal for Mario Gavranovic to head in.

Early days admittedly, but such strengths and weaknesses do not bode well and are so similar to that of a foreign import of Anfield past that the Swiss may soon earn the tag Vegard Degen.

Yossi Benayoun, having netted a fantastic goal against Tranmere at the weekend, was far less effective last night, although young Damien Plessis’s stock continues to rise after another mature display.

Ryan Babel made his first outing after missing Euro 2008 through injury, while Daniel Agger continued down his long road to full fitness with another 45 minutes.

Diego Cavalieri enjoyed a full debut in goal, and Dirk Kuyt and Javier Mascherano returned to the fold in the closing moments.

However, as last year, it was the sight of Spanish forward that lingered most in the minds of the sell-out crowd.

Rafa Revels In Leto & Babel Returns

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has revealed his delight at the return of young guns Sebastian Leto and Ryan Babel to his side for their friendly win against Lucerne last night.

Leto joined the Reds last summer from Argentine outfit Lanus for just under ₤2million. He arrived on Merseyside alongside the better-known Lucas Leiva but expectations were nonetheless high.

An unorthodox-looking winger given his height (188cm), the 21-year-old starred for the reserves early in the season and impressed in training – so much so that he earned a start against Olympique Marseille in a crucial Champions League clash.

Liverpool lost that game and much of the blame was laid at Benitez’s feet for picking Leto, who has not played for the first-team since. Many thought this was because he had fallen down the pecking order, but it has since been revealed that bureaucratic red tape is the culprit.

Hence, Benitez was thrilled to see Leto play 55 minutes in Switzerland last night and hopes his permit problems will be sorted by the start of the competitive season.

"Leto is a good player and he showed tonight the quality that he has," he told the club’s official website. "He has had some problems with his work permit but hopefully that will be okay because has a lot of quality.

"We are waiting to hear when that permit will come through and we should find that out in the next 10 days."

Also featuring in the Reds’ 2-1 victory was Ryan Babel, who is on his way back to fitness after suffering an ankle injury that ruled him out of EURO 2008.

The Dutchman will miss the start of the season due to Olympic commitments, as will Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano, who also featured against the Swiss side. Dirk Kuyt also played, while Steven Gerrard and Steve Finnan sat out through fatigue and injury respectively.

"It was good to give Ryan Babel, Dirk Kuyt and Javier Mascherano their first games," said the Spaniard on the club’s official website. "Kuyt has only just joined us for training and wanted to play tonight.

"Steven Gerrard was a little bit tired so we didn't want to take any risks. Jermaine Pennant has a knock so like Gerrard we didn't want to take any risk.

"Steve Finnan has a problem with his thigh and he is back in Liverpool receiving treatment."

Liverpool To Snub Greek Offer For Lucas?

A reported approach to Liverpool by Greek side Olympiakos about the possibility of signing Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva is expected to be politely rebuffed.

Olympiakos have reportedly enquired about Liverpool’s Lucas Leiva, who is expected to feature for Brazil at this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing.

However, the Reds are expected to be distinctly cool about any sale, given their frustrating time so far this summer with midfielders.

One of manager Rafa Benitez’s prime targets, Gareth Barry, remains an Aston Villa player, and the prospect of his moving to Anfield remains up in the air. Meanwhile Xabi Alonso, who had earlier looked likely to join Juventus, bringing in cash to help fund a bid for Barry, is in limbo after Juve signed Christian Poulsen from Sevilla instead.

So with no Barry deal agreed, and Alonso's future uncertain, Benitez may be reluctant to let Lucas to leave the club - assuming the player was prepared to swap Anfield for Piraeus.

Benitez is thought to rate Lucas, 21, having bought him from Gremio a year ago for some £6million. And he is unlikely to want to see him leave so quickly - unless Olympiakos are ready top make him an offer he can’t refuse.

Lucerne 1-2 Liverpool

Goals from Lucas Leiva and Andriy Voronin saw Liverpool claim a 2-1 win over Swiss Super League outfit FC Lucerne in their second pre-season friendly.

Reds boss Rafael Benitez handed new goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri the gloves for his debut, while fellow newcomer Philipp Degen was also in a first XI which included Spaniard Danny Pacheco but not Steven Gerrard, who was left on the bench.

Pacheco was the architect of the 10th-minute opener, combining well with Brazil midfielder Lucas before the latter slotted home coolly to round off the move.

Benitez's men were pegged back soon after when Degen failed to win a far-post header, allowing the ball to break to Gavranovic who converted an uncontested header.

Pacheco and Yossi Benayoun both shone in the first half and the visitors soon moved back into the lead through the equally impressive Voronin.

The Ukraine forward took control of the ball 16 yards from goal before producing a sweetly-hit lob to make it 2-1.

Voronin, a constant thorn for the Lucerne defence in the second half, went close to grabbing a second but there were no further goals.

There was, though, one further plus for Benitez who gave Dutch winger Ryan Babel his first 45 minutes since sustaining an ankle injury in his country's Euro 2008 preparations.

Valero Loving Liverpool Link

Real Mallorca midfielder Borja Valero left little doubt that he would seize the opportunity to join Liverpool in heartbeat.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez is reportedly considering making an offer for the 23-year-old midfielder, who responded by risking antagonising his own fans by proclaiming Liverpool to be the greatest club in the world.

"There's no club greater than Liverpool," Valero is quoted as saying by www.setantasports.com.

"I will stay here at Mallorca until I am told otherwise. If Liverpool are indeed interested in me then I feel very flattered by that.

"Mallorca would surely prefer to keep the squad in place that did so well last season but at the end of the day they are a selling club.

"My aim has always been to win trophies and to grow as a footballer."

The former Real Madrid prospect has been a revelation since signing for Mallorca in 2007, and the belief is that Benitez will move for him if they fail in their long-standing efforts to prise Gareth Barry away from Aston Villa.

Mallorca's sporting director Nando Pons have already indicated that they would be open to selling Valero to LIverpool should the right offer arrive.

“The club needs money but we don’t want to break up the team we had last season," he said last week.

"However, if a great offer arrives we will be forced to consider it”.

Gunners Keen On Alonso - Agent

Xabi Alonso's agent has claimed the Liverpool midfielder is aware of interest from Arsenal.

The Spaniard has seen a possible move to Juventus hit the buffers after the Italian giants signed Christian Poulsen from Sevilla.

However, reports continue to suggest that Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is prepared to sell Alonso to fund his own spending plans.

Alonso is rated in the £14million bracket and has now been linked with a move to the Reds' Premier League rivals Arsenal.

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is in the market for a midfielder after losing Mathieu Flamini, while Gilberto Silva is set to join Panathinaikos.

Reports in Spain suggest contact has been made between the two clubs and the 26-year-old's agent Inaki Ibanez says the player is waiting for Liverpool's decision.

"The player knows about this subject and now the decision lies with Liverpool," Ibanez told Spanish newspaper Publico.

Alonso's sale would give Benitez the funds to sign Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry, who has also been linked with a move to Arsenal.

O'Neill Expects Reds Contact

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill expects Liverpool to come in with a new bid for Gareth Barry.

Liverpool have been frustrated in their attempts to sign Barry, with Villa reportedly looking for in the region of £18million for the England international.

Barry is set to return to pre-season training with Villa on Wednesday after being suspended for two weeks for his public outburst against O'Neill.

Speaking after Tuesday's friendly at Lincoln, O'Neill says he expects Liverpool to get back in contact regarding Barry, after Villa outlined their demands for a deal to go through.

"I haven't heard anymore," O'Neill told Sky Sports News. "We should be in communication with Liverpool, but he is coming back (to training)."

Villa have been linked with a host of players in recent weeks, including David Bentley, Brad Friedel and Stewart Downing and O'Neill admits it is imperative he adds to his squad.

"I think umpteen players have been linked with us, but definitely we would need a proper squad," added O'Neill.

"I have said it before that last season we worked with the smallest squad in the Premiership and that is the situation we want to address this year."

Rafa Benitez Wants Assurances Over Ryan Babel

Rafael Benitez will seek reassurances from Dutch officials after Ryan Babel’s Olympic call-up yesterday.

Liverpool’s 21-year-old was named in the Holland squad for the Beijing Olympics, meaning he could miss the first two games of the Premier League season.

But of more concern to Anfield manager Benitez is the forward being rushed back into competitive action after his recovery from the ankle ligament tear that ruled him out of Euro 2008. Benitez has already lost Brazilian Lucas and Argentinians Javier Mascherano, and – probably – Emiliano Insua to the Games next month.

And as Babel has battled back to fitness earlier than expected, it has allowed the Dutch to call him up to coach Foppe de Haan’s 18-man squad.

As part of their preparations for the Games, Holland will face Belgium on July 23 before flying to Hong Kong for the ING Cup.

The team will then move on to Tianjin in China, where they play their first Olympic match against Nigeria on August 7 before also facing Japan and the United States in Group B.

This schedule is galling for Benitez given the recovery program Babel has begun at Melwood last week, but he cannot stop the player going under the competition rules.

Benitez said recently: “Obviously, we are really pleased that Ryan has come back to training because he is an important player for us and he has worked hard to recover from the injury he suffered with Holland.

“But we are really worried because after getting him fit we will lose him again. This is a big problem – we prepare him and then he goes away with the national team.

“This season is very important for him. In his first season he was settling in but this time he has more experience and we are looking for him to give something from the beginning, so it is really important for him to start working with his team.”

It is likely that Babel will clash with Everton’s Victor Anichebe when their countries meet in the first group match.

Liverpool FC Confident Of Signing Gareth Barry

Liverpool remain confident of sealing the signature of Gareth Barry despite his return to pre-season training with Aston Villa today.

That is also despite Arsenal monitoring the Barry situation after the Gunners joined the race to sign the midfield ace.

Villa released a statement last night confirming their captain – who they value at £18m – would return to their Bodymoor Heath HQ this morning.

It came less than a fortnight after Martin O’Neill fined Barry a reported two weeks’ wages and declared he wouldn’t be allowed back to training after the player publicly criticised his manager for the handling of the transfer saga a fortnight ago.

But with O’Neill also admitting Arsenal have asked to kept informed of Barry’s status, he is aware of the need to avoid too much disruption to his pre-season preparations.

Villa have accepted the midfielder’s desire for Champions League football but know that he will only yield their asking price if he is kept to the peak of his fitness during the summer.

Barry’s return to training is merely more evidence that his club are prepared to accept his departure for something more in the region of the £15m Liverpool are prepared to pay.

Manager Rafael Benitez is reluctant to abandon the deal at this stage and is pondering a fifth bid as Arsenal’s interest gathers momentum.

But his chances of netting both Barry and Tottenham striker Robbie Keane still hinge on pushing through a big-money departure to subsidise his outlay.

Those hopes were dealt an emphatic blow yesterday when Juventus confirmed they are not in the market for any more players after Monday’s capture of the Danish international Christian Poulsen, thus calling off their pursuit of Xabi Alonso.

“If I have to be honest, unless something extraordinary happens, we can say that we have concluded our transfer activity,” said Juve president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli.

Alonso may well attract interest from Premier League clubs despite his £14m asking price. Allowing him to leave for much less would defeat the object of selling him to raise funds.

Liverpool Must Bid Big For Keane

If Liverpool really do want Tottenham Hotspur striker Robbie Keane, they will have to be prepared to bid up to £20million for the Irishman.

According to The Sun, Liverpool must offer big money for Spurs striker Robbie Keane.

The newspaper reckons Tottenham are prepared to sell their talismanic striker, provided the price is right.

It says Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is "waiting for an offer he can't refuse from Liverpool," and that means around £20million, a fairly astronomical figure which the Reds will almost certainly baulk at paying, given that Fernando Torres cost them only a little more than that - and that the Anfield club are reluctant to meet Aston Villa's £18 million asking price for long-time target Gareth Barry.

Barry's position at Villa has become strained if not unsustainable since he was barred from the club's facilities, with Liverpool continuing to haggle over that £18m price tag. and Arsenal apparently poised to move on with a bid.

So Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez seems unlikely to meet Tottenham's asking price for boyhood Reds fans Keane, suggesting that Spurs will have to lower that price to do business - or keep an unsettled player at White Hart Lane.

Mark Lawrensen: Bringing In Goal Machine Must Be Top Of Agenda

With a month to go until the new Premier League season ask yourself this: As it stands, have Liverpool for the players that can score the goals to give them the title?

Personally, I don’t think they have. My biggest bug-bear with Liverpool is that they need to realise it’s okay to lose some games as long as you’re trying to win them.

Put another way, the defence is fine, especially now Daniel Agger is back. So forget playing things safe because that’s where draws come from – and Liverpool had far too many of those last year.

They took only one point from almost a third of their games but draws mean nothing now. When it was two points for a win, a draw was half a win but now it’s a third, it’s worthless. Especially when Manchester United and Chelsea are winning so many week-in, week-out.

So my point is, who is going to make sure that if Liverpool go all out to win games that they will score the goals to ensure it happens?

Obvious answer is Fernando Torres.

But 33 goals weren’t enough to sustain a challenge last year and the odds are he won’t score that many again this season. He needs help.

And what if he falls over at Sunderland on the opening day of the season and is out for months?

Now Peter Crouch has gone that currently leaves Andriy Voronin and Dirk Kuyt – and he can’t really be trusted to come in and bang the goals in as he’s been more used to a role wide on the right.

There is of course the possibility of Robbie Keane coming in but good player though he is, he’s more of a streaky scorer.

He’ll go on a run and get 10 in 10 but the that’s half his average season’s tally gone in one go.

He can’t guarantee the kind of regular goalscoring Torres was making a habit last season.

I have to admit that being negative this early on isn’t always wise – I’m sure Rafael Benitez does have some ideas up his sleeve for when the market speeds up.

The Spaniard David Silva would be an exciting addition and although that is unlikely to come off, at least some-one of that ilk would at least get Liverpool some way towards matching the top two in terms of firepower.

But at the moment I think it must be a worry for the Anfield faithful that there isn’t that kind of player they can pinpoint as being good enough to turn them into genuine contenders.

And with Javier Mascherano and Ryan Babel looking set for the Olympics it could be a very tricky start to the season if Benitez is unable to boost his forward line before the big kick-off.

It’s even got to the stage where I’m reading reports of Jermaine Pennant leaving for Blackburn and being concerned about losing him.

After all, he’s quick and creative and in terms of players who can operate in the vital wide areas he is an option.

And Benitez is going to have to gather an awful lot of those in the next month.

Torres Targets Liverpool Captaincy

Liverpool's Spanish sensation Fernando Torres has vowed not to become complacent after he managed to top his record-smashing debut season in England by scoring the goal which ended his country's 44 year trophy drought.

The 24-year old moved to Anfield from Atletico Madrid in a £22 million deal last summer, and despite doubts from several leading pundits, went on to score 33 times for The Reds in his debut campaign.

His transition from the Estadio Vicente Calderon to Anfield has been so seamless, that he even has designs of succeeding Steven Gerrard as captain of the storied Merseyside club one day.

Torres told The Mirror: "I really admire Steven Gerrard because I know the pressure he is under every day, everybody talking about him all day long, in changing rooms, in the pubs, in the stadium.

"I've heard people say that he should be stronger, have a stronger personality. And I know from experience how difficult it is to deal with all that. He is at another level of course, because Liverpool is a huge club.

"But I was captain of my team from a very young age and I know everybody was talking about me. I could feel it. I could see it out of the corner of my eye - especially when things weren't going right.

"People look at you from a distance and challenge you with their eyes. All that happens every day to Stevie and he copes with it - he copes with everything that is expected of him all the time.

"He's always under tremendous pressure to perform and everyone looks to him to show leadership, to lift the team.

"He has been a great example to everyone and those of us who have been in a similar situation know how difficult it is to handle.

It's incredible how he carries himself regardless of what's going on."

"I'd love to be captain one day - Steven has shown me how to be a great leader."

Torres also was keen to give Rafa Benitez credit for his career reaching a whole new stratosphere over the past year.

"Rafa has taught me to demand a lot of myself daily, not to relax. When you are in a team where things are going mostly well, players tend to relax.

"But you must always push yourself and never become complacent, try to do your best every single day. At a club like Liverpool, you can't sit back after scoring 20-odd goals and say, 'Well, that's it'.

"After you score 20, Benitez is on at you during the next training session and stays on top of you all day, all week. He tells you to go off on your own and do new exercises.

"There are days when you think, "My God, this guy does not let you breathe'. At times like that you don't realise that all he wants is for you to improve.

"I want to progress in life, not relax, not be complacent. And you need someone close to you telling you to keep at it. It is impossible to do it otherwise.

"We don't always fancy having someone like that so close. But in the long term, I'm sure everybody will thank him for it."

Toon In For Insua

Newcastle United are thought to be keen on a loan move for Liverpool's promising full-back, Emiliano Insua.

The Argentine was kept at Anfield for this coming season supposedly under express orders from manager Rafael Benitez, but the Toon are still hopeful of securing his services, if only for a year on loan.

With new signing Andrea Dossena and Fabio Aurelio more established internationals in Insua's position, the move may remain an outside possibility, particularly as John-Arne Riise has left for Roma.

The 19-year-old would most likely head straight into the Magpies' starting line-up ahead of Jose Enrique, who has failed to live up to his £6.3 million billing from Villarreal.

Nicky Shorey of relegated Reading and Wayne Bridge, Ashley Cole's deputy at Chelsea, are other targets being eyed up by the Toon.

"I've got to sign another left-back, as I've only got one at the club," said coach Kevin Keegan.

"That's not to say I don't fancy Jose [Enrique], I do, but I need another left-back."

Rovers To Replace Bentley With Pennant?

With Blackburn Rovers looking increasingly likely to have to sell winger David Bentley, however reluctantly, Liverpool's Jermaine Pennant is emerging as their main target to replace him.

Blackburn Rovers manager Paul Ince is being tipped to make a move for Liverpool midfielder Jermaine Pennant as soon as David Bentley leaves Ewood Park, which is looking increasingly imminent.

According to The Independent, Tottenham Hotspur have offered Rovers a range of player options as makeweights in their bid to secure Bentley's signature, but Blackburn are said only to be interested in cash - and apparently they see Pennant as a ready-made replacement.

Pennant, who like Bentley was developed at Arsenal but couldn't command a regular starting place in Arsene Wenger's side, has been told by Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez that he can leave Anfield.

He would be happy to join Ince's exciting new project at Ewood, but Liverpool will demand £6million for the 25-year-old. Rovers, though, are reportedly prepared to pay no more than £4million at this stage, so there could be some hard bargaining ahead.

Ironically, earlier in the summer Liverpool were one of the clubs being most strongly linked with a move for Bentley.

Satisfied Juve Rule Out Alonso

The chances of seeing Xabi Alonso in a Bianconeri jersey have dropped dramatically after Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli confirmed that the club's summer spending is over.

Cobolli Gigli's comments come a day after Juve manager Claudio Ranieri announced that Christian Poulsen would be their last addition ahead of next season.

The fact that the Dane plays the same position as long-term Juve target Alonso combined with the club's announcement means that if the Spaniard is to leave Liverpool in the summer it almost certainly won't be for Turin.

"We will not make any other buys. We have opted for the Dane because we have a very strong attack and needed a wall in the midfield," the Juve chief told local reporters.

"Everyone knows that the transfer market ends on August 31," but if I have to be honest, unless something extraordinary happens, we can say that we have concluded our transfer activity.

"I am convinced that we have made a good choice by acquiring Christian Poulsen," he added.

"This signing is not a bet made by (Claudio) Ranieri but rather a tactical decision taken by Juventus, knowing that a powerful attack can only be supported by a strong midfield."

Gigli's comments also have a direct impact on the future of Inter midfielder Dejan Stankovic, who was all set to join Juventus last month only for the fans to effectively veto the deal through an online protest which the club simply could not ignore.

Hyypia Not Afraid Of Competition As Agger Finally Plans To Return From Injury

Liverpool veteran Sami Hyypia today welcomed back young rival Daniel Agger from his 10-month injury nightmare and vowed to fight for his first team place.

Hyypia, 35 in October, has a new one-year contract and the chance to complete a remarkable 10 years at Anfield in style before considering his future options.

And the big Finnish defender figured in over 44 matches for the club last season when 23-year-old Agger was out with a metatarsal injury.

But although Agger made his comeback in Saturday's 1-0 friendly win at Tranmere, and would expect to become first-choice as the season progresses, Hyypia has promised the young Dane that he will be battling to keep his place in the team.

He said: 'It's nice to have him fit because players always want to play and it will have been hard for Daniel to deal with not being fit for so long.

'It must have been devastating for him to be out for almost a whole season.

'It is not something I would really know about because I have never suffered that kind of thing but I'm sure it was very difficult for him.

'But I am really glad that he is back and he can help the team to win trophies.

'I am sure the manager is happy because it means he has five centre-backs to choose from now.

'That means we all have to fight for our place but that is the way it has always been at Liverpool and this season will be no different.

'It is good to have that kind of challenge, though. I will be fighting for my place and I am sure the other defenders will be doing exactly the same.'

And Brazilian full-back Fabio Aurelio underlines the strong competition there will be in Liverpool's defence now that boss Rafael Benitez has brought in two new full-backs, Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena.

Both made their debuts at Tranmere, and Aurelio told liverpoolfc.tv: 'At a club like Liverpool there is always massive competition to get into the starting XI because of the players we have for each position, but that is good and it can only improve the team.

'We are trying to fight for every title and we have more possibilities this season.'

Carson In Talks With Stoke

Scott Carson is holding talks with Stoke City after Liverpool accepted a £3.5million bid for the goalkeeper, according to Sky Sports News.

Carson moved to Anfield from Leeds in January 2005, but has been unable to force his way into Rafa Benitez's first-team plans.

He spent all of last season on loan at Aston Villa, after a similar arrangement with Charlton Athletic for the duration of the previous campaign.

The Whitehaven-born shot-stopper was handed his competitive England debut for the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia at Wembley last November.

But he endured an evening to forget as his early howler handed Slaven Bilic's side an early advantage, with the visitors going on to record a 3-2 triumph in the Wembley rain to deny England a place at Austria and Switzerland.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis has been scouring the market for a new goalkeeper this summer and it will be something of a transfer coup if he can bring Carson to the Britannia Stadium.

Villa considered a deal to make their former loan star's move permanent, while West Brom and Middlesbrough were also credited with an interest in the No.1.

Reds Starlet Set For Loan Move

Liverpool starlet Robbie Threlfall is set for a loan move away from Anfield as Rafa Benitez looks for him to gain valuable first team experience.

The 19-year-old full-back is highly regarded at Anfield having come through the youth ranks and recently signed a three-year deal at the club.

Threlfall had a spell with Hereford last season and Benitez is keen to send him out on loan again as he continues his policy of farming out his best young players to aid their development.

The Reds have made the talented left-back available for loan and the news has alerted a number of clubs north and south of the border.

A couple of League One sides and SPL clubs are believed to be tracking the defender as they look to secure his services.

Threlfall is looking forward to the chance of moving out on loan as he looks to get regular action under his belt.

"I have been informed that Liverpool are willing to let me go out on loan and I am relishing the prospect of playing on a regular basis," Threlfall told skysports.com.

"I am aware of some interest in me and I am prepared to go anywhere to continue my development.

"I believe going out on loan will prove a valuable experience in my bid to establish myself in the Liverpool first team in the future."