Yeats: Skrtel's Got It All

Ron Yeats has hailed the impact of Martin Skrtel after the Slovakian overcame a difficult start to life at Anfield to enjoy a promising first season with the club.

The Reds legend - who Bill Shankly famously called his 'Colossus' - admits he had reservations about Skrtel following the defender's debut against Havant & Waterlooville in the FA Cup; but he is now a keen admirer of the 23-year-old and feels he can go on to have a big future on Merseyside.

"I go to all the home games and after watching his debut I wasn't very impressed," Yeats told LFC TV.

"When I say I wasn't impressed I mean, I thought he was a bag of nerves. But I thought he must have something about him.

"In the games that followed he showed that he was very good player. He's got a bit of pace and boy can he tackle and head the ball.

"That's what you want from a centre back. I think he's only 23 and with him Agger, Carragher and the boy Hobbs, we are well endowed with centre backs.

"And of course there's Sami Hyypia. He's my favourite player I must admit. I went twice to see him and then I recommended him because I thought he was something else.

"He doesn't have a lot of pace, he'll tell you that, but he can read the game. He's a super passer of the ball too."

Yeats feels Hyypia's experience and sheer professionalism will provide the likes of Skrtel with the perfect example to follow in terms of how to conduct themselves, both, on and off the pitch.

"Sami is a talker and a leader and I think you have to have that because football is made up of partnerships," he said.

"If you don't have that then you have no chance. Sami will talk players through where they need to be and where they shouldn't be and I think Skrtel, and the others I have mentioned, will benefit from that."

McAuley: U18S Will Improve

Liverpool Under-18s will continue their preparations for the new Academy league season when they host Plymouth Argyle in a friendly match this afternoon.

Boss Hughie McAuley feels his squad will have benefitted from the experience they gained during what was a tough 2007-08 campaign and is confident he will have a much stronger group of players at his disposal this time around.

"Today we play Plymouth and then we've got Bradford coming up too," he told LFC TV.

"So it gives us two home games to try a few things out on what is a really good pitch at the Academy. Hopefully we can push on and improve our overall game.

"It'll give us the chance to look at more players against sides we don't normally play against and set us up nicely ahead of our trip to Spain in a few weeks time.

"There's always a buzz when you come back for pre-season training because you haven't seen the boys or staff for several weeks and it's nice to get back as a full group and begin work.

"I think I learned a lot about the players last year because we had a particularly young group.

"They are now more experienced so it's good for their development and this year we are hoping that it will give the squad a bit more of a backbone. We obviously have some new players coming in too and we are looking forward to working with them, so I think we've got a decent squad of players.

"We've got the likes of Adam Pepper and Jack Metcalf who figured last season as well as some other new players.

"Then there's Michael Roberts and even Alex Kacaniklic, who's a very young under-18 player, so we've got a bit more experience but some very good first year players too."

Alonso To Sign For Fenerbahce So Liverpool Can Finally Land Villa's Barry?

Spanish International Xabi Alonso has been linked with a move to Turkish Fenerbahce as Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez tries to raise the funds to land main transfer target Gareth Barry from Aston Villa, according to The Mirror.

26-year-old Alonso had been linked with a move to Serie A giants Juventus all summer, but this fell through when La Vecchia Signora decided to sign Christian Poulsen from La Liga club Sevilla instead.

It is now believed that Liverpool have agreed a fee in the region of £12million (€15.2m) with Fenerbahce to allow Alonso to leave Anfield and give Benitez the necessary finances to finally prise England International Gareth Barry away from Villa Park.

Fenerbahce see EURO 2008 Winner Alonso as the ideal man to front their Champions League campaign this year, with Benitez already believed to have held talks with the Spaniard about his future.

Benitez To Bow Out Of Barry Race?

Liverpool are reportedly set to pull the plug on their lengthy pursuit of Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry, as they begin to explore other avenues.

According to News of the World, the Reds will officially end their chase for Barry to focus on wrapping up the signing of Robbie Keane from Tottenham Hotspur.

Even until recently it seemed inevitable that the England international would end up at Anfield, especially after he lambasted Villa boss Martin O’Neill in the press and declared his desire to make the switch.

But proceedings have stalled recently as both the Midlands club and their Merseyside counterparts have refused to compromise their respective positions regarding the transfer fee. Villa have not shifted from their ₤18million asking price, while Liverpool will not go any higher than ₤15million plus add-ons.

The deal was further jeopardised when Juventus dropped their interest in Xabi Alonso, whose proposed ₤16million move to Turin was supposed to fund the Reds’ bid for Barry. But the Basque playmaker appears to be staying now, despite some reports claiming that he is unsettled and will discuss his future his manager Rafael Benitez this week.

And Barry’s dreams of a North West move could be shattered if Liverpool complete the capture of Keane within the next few days. Benitez wants the Irish striker in his squad for next weekend’s friendly against Rangers, and is willing to stump up all of ₤20million for the ex-Internazionale man.

Furthermore, the former Valencia coach is closely monitoring the situation of David Silva, who is likely to leave the Mestalla this summer as the Spanish club seek to wipe away their massive debts. It is believed any offer above ₤17million would be enough to prise the 22-year-old playmaker away from los Che.

As such, Barry’s future is well and truly up in the air, and he now faces the very real possibility of having to remain at Villa Park for the upcoming campaign. O’Neill has made a peace offering to his want-away skipper, but the Villa fans may not be quite so forgiving.

Argentine Bruna Scores Against Stockport

Gerardo Bruna secured a score-draw for Liverpool as they take on League One outfit Stockport County.

Liverpool took of the 'Hatters' today, and after Stockport paraded their play-off trophy to the crowd before kick-off, they took to the pitch with a game plan to get stuck into a fairly young Liverpool side, coached by Gary Ablett.

Within 20 minutes, however, Vincent Weijl darted down the left flank and set a cross over to the far post that Ryan Flynn nodded through to the grateful Gerardo Bruna, who sent a hard shot past the Stockport keeper.

The home side could have equalised straight away but 17-year old Aussie goalkeeper, Dean Bouzanis responded well to Thompson's shot and pulled off a good save.

After the break Brouwer and Bruna linked up well and could have doubled the scoreline but County glovesman Owain fon Williams denied the move a goal.

After much diligence the Hatters drew level just after the hour mark, unmarked Michael Raynes nodded the equaliser.

Stockport County: Williams, Rose (McNulty 65), Owen, Pilkington (Green 83), Dicker (Blizzard 65), Thompson, Baker (McNeil 65), Rowe, Raynes, Turnbull, McSweeney (Vincent 77). Unused subs: Astbury, Havern.

Liverpool XI: Bouzanis (Hansen 46), Kelly, Huth, San Jose, Ayala (Eccleston 46), Spearing (Metcalf 83), Flynn, Bruna (Simon 56), Lindfield, Weijl (Kacaniklic 56), Brouwer (Amoo 77). Unused subs: Nemeth.

Dossena: No Catenaccio At Anfield

Liverpool’s new signing from Udinese, Andrea Dossena, has told the club’s fans they needn’t fear an outbreak of Italian-style catenaccio defence next season.

Italian football sets the benchmark by which defensive excellence is measured, with the catenaccio blanket-style defence perfected in the 1960s as the bedrock of the 1-0 win and forever associated with Serie A, even though things have evolved and been refined since then.

It is a highly effective tactical approach, though not necessarily conducive to the most entertaining football; and Andrea Dossena, the new left-back at Anfield following his £8 million move from Udinese this summer, is not a great catenaccio fan.

Indeed, he positively dislikes it, and told Liverpool‘s fans not to expect it at Anfield next season.

"I am not a fan of catenaccio, it's not for me," Dossena told the club‘s official LFC Magazine. "I don't like it when teams just try to pass the ball around to waste time.

"If you concede a goal in the last minute of a game, it could be that all your efforts have been wasted. I don't really like the talk about Italian football being all about the defence and attacking on the break.

"Of course, I see myself as a defender but I like to be flexible too. If there is a chance to attack I am very happy to go forward. I am not the type of player who is happy to settle for a 1-0 win.

"I believe in always playing to win and trying to score more goals."

Steven Gerrard Models Liverpool's New Champions League Kit

Steven Gerrard shows off Liverpool's new Champions League bluey-green strip which he hopes will inspire the Reds to a Rome hat-trick.

Rafa Benitez's side will be bidding to lift the European Cup for a record third time in Rome's Olympic Stadium when they begin their latest campaign next month.

Robbie Keane On Brink Of Joining Liverpool FC

Liverpool are putting the finishing touches to a deal that will make Robbie Keane one of most expensive signings in the club’s history.

Keane is expected to undergo a medical early next week to finalise his transfer from Tottenham Hotspur.

The fee could ultimately rise to £20m given the add-ons and incentives that have been negotiated.

Only Fernando Torres will have cost Liverpool more, with Rafael Benitez now confident he will be able to pair the Spaniard with Keane in attack this season.

Spurs have already accepted Keane’s future lies at Anfield, with the player having been omitted by Juane Ramos from the friendly against Spanish side Hercules on Wednesday night.

With Keane’s signature almost secured, Liverpool manager Benitez will now turn his attention to bringing a successful conclusion to the Gareth Barry transfer saga.

Liverpool have already tabled what they consider a reasonable for the Aston Villa midfielder, despite comments from Villa manager Martin O’Neill suggesting he “does not know where Liverpool stand” concerning the transfer.

Barry was jeered by Villa supporters during a friendly at Walsall earlier this week, his first appearance since declaring his desire to join Liverpool.

He was not involved in the first leg of Villa's Intertoto Cup tie at Danish side Odense last weekend, and it is thought O’Neill will not select the England international for the return game today.

And Scott Carson, a team-mate of Barry when spending last season on loan at Villa Park from Liverpool, believes an agreement should be reached to allow the player to move to Anfield.

Carson, who recently completed a permanent move to West Bromwich Albion, said: “I think if he wants to leave he should really.

“However, people have got their price and if Liverpool cannot match the price then they have got to come to some sort of agreement.”

Jamie Carragher Happy To See Daniel Agger Return

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes the return of fellow centre-back Daniel Agger could be the biggest signing of the pre-season for the Reds.

With two new full-backs from the continent and a new goalkeeper already recruited plus a couple of big money signings from the Premier League seemingly on their way, much has been made of Rafael Benitez’s transfer targets this summer.

But Carragher reckons the biggest “addition” to the squad at Liverpool next season could be the return of Danish international Agger.

The lofty Dane was missing from Liverpool’s ranks for the vast majority of the 2007/08 campaign which saw the team eventually fall short of their silverware ambitions both at home and abroad.

The £5.8m signing from Brondby made a major impact following his arrival on Merseyside in January 2006 and went on to make 43 appearances in his first full season in 2006/07.

However, a metatarsal injury ended his season early last campaign and the problem niggled with the player for many months.

But with Agger’s injury woes seemingly now behind him, Carragher, the most experienced defender at Anfield, believes that the Dane’s return could be crucial as Liverpool embark on what could be a watershed season as they look to end a wait of what would be 19 years for their 19th league title and in doing so prevent Manchester United from equalling their record haul.

He said: “It’s been really tough for Daniel. He was a big miss for us last season and we’re delighted to have him back.

“He’s a great player but there are a lot of good players in a lot of different positions fighting for a place now.

“We’ve got a big squad but we need to keep everyone fit.”

With four centre-backs with international experience now in place at Anfield, Benitez has looked to strengthen the wide areas of his defence this summer by bringing in new full-backs on both the right and left sides.

Although 25-year-old right-back Philipp Degen has arrived on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund, he brings with him the pedigree of 29 caps for Switzerland.

On the opposite flank, Andrea Dossena replaced the Roma-bound John Arne Riise, who joined the Reds from Serie A side Udinese for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £7m, eclipsing Liverpool’s previous transfer record for a defender.

In the last game on Tuesday, a goalless draw with Budesliga club Hertha Berlin at the Olympiastadion, Benitez used two entirely different back fours in each half with Stephen Darby, Emiliano Insua, Carragher and Agger making way for Degen, Dossena, Sami Hyypia and Martin Skrtel at the interval.

The switch gave Carragher the ideal opportunity to see his new team-mates in action and he is pleased with their integration into the side both on and off the pitch so far this summer.

He said: “I think the two new lads at full-back (Degen and Dossena) have done very well.

“The pre-season has been a time for them to get to know everyone really, not just from a football point of view but off the pitch too.

“It’s been a period in which we’ve been integrating the new players and they’ve settled in very well,” the defender added.

The game in the German capital saw Benitez hand the coveted number nine jersey to another Spaniard, with 17-year-old Danny Pacheco deputising for compatriot Fernando Torres.

And the young Spaniard certainly did not disappoint in his performance.

Carragher said: “Danny Pachecho was as good as anyone on the trip. He’s been superb.

“He’s always looked like a great one for the future but we might not have to wait too long, because the way he’s playing he looks like he could be a great one for right now.”

As a player who is well-known for being a keen student of the game, Carragher is pleased with the way Liverpool have progressed so far this summer, and he was delighted to captain the club for which he has played his entire career in such a historic stadium, in front of a crowd of more than 50,000.

He said: “It felt more like a proper game than a friendly to see the big crowd in a great stadium where the last World Cup final was played.

“It think that we did all right and we finished the tour well. After a few days back at Melwood we’re going to be looking forward to the other games.”

“Things have progressed over the past couple of weeks from a fitness point of view – that’s always the way in pre-season. You build things up slowly and as we get fitter now towards the start of the season, the games are becoming more difficult.”

Torres Desperate For Kop Glory

After steering Spain to glory at EURO 2008, Fernando Torres hopes to guide Liverpool back to winning ways this season.

Torres capped off a remarkable 2007-08 campaign by scoring the only goal in the final as la Furia Roja downed Germany last month to claim their first title since 1964.

The silky striker established himself as an undisputed Kop favourite during his first term at Anfield, netting 33 times and forging a near-telepathic understanding with Reds captain Steven Gerrard.

But even that was not enough to secure silverware, as a mid-season slump saw the Merseyside giants bow out of Premier League contention by January, while they also fell short in cup play.

It is now 18 years since Liverpool collected their last league title, and Torres is desperate to help end that drought.

"Euro 2008 was my first major title, but I don't want it to end here," he said in The Mirror.

"I want it to be the first of many titles because I want to win trophies with Liverpool. I know how much that would mean to the club and the fans.

"They gave me terrific support during Euro 2008 and I know that they were cheering for Spain, which is something I will never forget."

Torres went on to praise Rafael Benitez, insisting the Reds boss played a huge part in his success for both club and country.

"The goals I scored for Liverpool last season gave me the confidence I needed to take into the Euros," the ex-Atletico Madrid man continued.

"I have to thank Rafa and the staff for the help they have given me. I improved as a player because of them.

"Rafa is obsessed with details and he even had a programme worked out for me before I got here last summer. He makes crazy demands on us. At the end of training, when we're all tired, he can still make us repeat routines 20 or 30 times."

Jack Hobbs Joins Leicester On Loan From Liverpool

Liverpool defender Jack Hobbs has joined Coca-Cola League One side Leicester on a season-long loan.

The 19-year-old, who has made five senior appearances for the Reds, becomes the second young defender to go out on loan after Godwin Antwi moved to Tranmere.

Hobbs told Leicester’s official website, www.lcfc.co.uk: “I am really pleased to have signed and can’t wait to get started.

“Liverpool have some world-class centre-backs so I spoke to the boss (Rafael Benitez) and he said I was free to go out on loan and gain some experience.

“Leicester showed their interest and I had no hesitation in coming here. This is a massive club with a good manager and top-class Premier League facilities.

“I now want to start playing and get to know the lads. I can assure everyone that I will be giving 100%. I want to help this club get back to the Championship at the first time of asking.”

Pacheco Yearns For Torres Union

Liverpool starlet Daniel Pacheco is relishing the prospect of lining up alongside compatriot Fernando Torres when The Reds take on Villarreal next week.

The 17-year old has impressed during his appearances for Rafa Benitez’s men in pre-season, adding credence to the growing reputation he has enjoyed in recent months.

Nothing, however, can match Torres’ meteoric rise up through world football, with El Nino scoring 33 goals in his debut season at Anfield before notching the winner for Spain in the Euro 2008 final.

Pacheco admits he one day hopes to emulate his fellow native, though the striker is prepared to exercise patience as he looks to break into Benitez’s first-team plans.

"I would love to play with Torres because he is such a great striker and it would be very special for me to be in the team with him," said Pacheco.

"He is Spanish also and he is a big hero for everyone in my country after he scored the winning goal in the Euro 2008 final.

"He is one of the best strikers around so I think I would learn a lot from him if I played in the team with him.

"I would have loved to have played in the team with Stevie as well but he had to go back to Liverpool because he had an injury.

"But I have really enjoyed playing alongside the other first team players and they have really helped me.

"I'm really happy to be playing with these players and to be involved during pre-season and until the boss tells me otherwise I will keep on playing and enjoying myself."

The youngster admitted that the transition from reserve football to first-team action caught him by surprise, but stated that he is prepared to train with vigour to continue his development.

"Everything is different to the football I have been playing in the reserve team," the Malaga-born player added.

"It is more competitive, faster, more difficult and you have to work harder but I am trying my best and now I just have to keep going.

"I don't know if I will still be in the team when the season starts though because that would be very difficult for me.

"The Spanish players have come back now and we will maybe have some new players as well so it would be tough for me to stay in the team.

"But I will continue to work hard every day and keep on going.

"I feel that I am playing quite well and that things are going well for me but, as I say, I cannot afford to stop working because that is the most important thing."

Alan Hansen: Liverpool Must Look To Their Wings To Have A Prayer

Liverpool legend Alan Hansen has warned Rafael Benitez that signing wide players is more important than bringing Gareth Barry or Robbie Keane to Anfield.

Benitez has made no secret of his attempts to sign midfielder Barry and striker Keane - but neither would add much of the width Hansen feels Liverpool need if they are to challenge Manchester United or Chelsea for the Barclays Premier League title.

Hansen, speaking at the launch of The New Football Pools, said: "They are getting closer but still need three or four players. Gareth Barry would be a great acquisition but really they need wide players, a couple of full-backs and wingers.

"The movement of United’s frontline is phenomenal and they look like they can score goals from anywhere.

"Liverpool rely too heavily on the goals of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. Take them out of the equation and I don’t see too many goals coming from any other areas.

"If they go with the squad they already have, their 11 best players can compete. It’s when you go deeper. Modern-day Premier League football is not about one team, it’s about two. United and Chelsea can replace quality with quality but Liverpool can’t.

"We won the championship in the 70s and 80s sometimes with great teams, sometimes with average teams. You can no longer do it with an average team, you have to be great to win the championship."

Hansen believes United and Chelsea will be the Premier League’s top two next season, although he feels Cristiano Ronaldo could decide where the title goes depending on whether he stays at Old Trafford or not.

He added: "If Frank Lampard went from Chelsea they would get by. If Ronaldo went from United it might make the difference between winning the championship or not."

However, Hansen also insists Lampard would be irreplaceable if he were to leave Chelsea for Inter Milan.

"If he does go the money is irrelevant because Chelsea will be looking at the wider picture of how they are going to be successful," he said. "They have a much better chance of being successful with Lampard in there.

"He’s a great player, playing all the time and he’s English so he has that heart and team spirit that can set teams and players apart.

"How do you replace him and with whom? They would be struggling because they wouldn’t be able to get Gerrard."

Hansen believes Sir Alex Ferguson was testing Luiz Felipe Scolari’s reaction with his comments regarding the age of the new Chelsea manager’s squad.

He added: "You’ll never win anything with kids, now you’ll never win anything with the older generation, according to Sir Alex. It’s just mind games, he’s the master of mind games and he always has been.

"He’s probably just testing Scolari out. Chelsea will be his biggest rivals, there’s no doubt about that, and he’s just trying to get set for the start of the season."

Xabi Alonso Set For Talks On Anfield Future As Alvaro Arbeloa Edges To Exit Door

Xabi Alonso will hold talks with Rafael Benitez today to clarify his future at Liverpool – as Alvaro Arbeloa edged towards the exit door.

Alonso and Arbeloa return to training at Melwood today along with fellow Euro 2008 winners Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina.

And Alonso is expected to waste no time in asking Benitez whether he remains part of the manager’s long-term plans.

Liverpool were willing to sell the midfielder for £16million to Juventus earlier this month before the Italians pulled the plug on the deal and signed Sevilla’s Christian Poulsen instead.

The Anfield outfit had planned to then use the transfer fee to finance their move for Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry.

But if Benitez decides Alonso remains an integral part of the squad, it could severely test his intent on pursuing Barry, with Liverpool refusing to raise their most recent offer for the England international.

Alonso has previously intimated he would have “no problem” staying at Liverpool.

One player likely to leave Anfield in the near future, however, is Arbeloa, who is understood to want a return to his homeland for personal reasons.

Liverpool should have no problems in cashing in on the defender, whose stock is at an all-time high following his part in helping Spain win the European Championships last month.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old French striker David Ngog – the cousin of former Newcastle United defender Jean-Alain Boumsong – has penned a four-year contract after yesterday completing his £1.5m move from Paris Saint-Germain.

Ngog, who is expected to challenge for a first-team place, has scored goals at every youth level for France including two against England under-19s last season.

A young forward to have already caught the eye for Liverpool during pre-season is Dani Pacheco.

The 17-year-old, prised from Barcelona last summer, has appeared in every one of Liverpool’s friendlies so far and is hopeful of playing alongside fellow Spaniard Torres.

“I would love to play with Torres because he is such a great striker and it would be very special for me to be in the team with him,” said Pacheco.

“He is Spanish also and he is a big hero for everyone in my country after he scored the winning goal in the Euro 2008 final.

“He is one of the best strikers around so I think I would learn a lot from him if I played in the team with him.

“But I have really enjoyed playing alongside the other first team players and they have really helped me.”

Meanwhile, Sebastian Leto has revealed he is close to agreeing a loan move to Olympiakos.

Leto hasn’t played a competitive game for the first team since the League Cup game against Cardiff City last October after problems concerning eligibility.

The Argentine currently holds an Italian passport to enable him to win a work permit, but Italian authorities are carrying out an investigation on the validity of a number of citizenship decisions.

Although Liverpool are confident the issues will be resolved next week, Benitez is allowing the 21-year-old to leave on a season-long loan.

“I spoke with Liverpool and our decision is to leave the club and to play somewhere else on loan for one season,” said Leto.

“I have to play football next season. My agents are in Athens.

“They speak with Olympiakos for my loan.

“I have some offers from Italy and Spain but Olympiacos is the best club for me at the moment.”

Leto, who has appeared in all four of Liverpool’s pre-season friendlies, added: “I am still waiting for the community passport. Liverpool will wait for it until July 31.

“Of course, my dream is to play football in Liverpool.

“I spoke with Rafa Benitez and he told me that he wants me but I can’t stay without the passport.

“He advised me to go somewhere else to play for one season and to return next summer.

Martin O’Neill Warns Liverpool FC To Hurry Or Lose Gareth Barry

Martin O’Neill has warned Liverpool he is ready to set a deadline for them to meet his valuation of want-away Aston Villa skipper Gareth Barry.

O’Neill insists Villa cannot continue to be at the "behest" of the Merseysiders who have failed to offer the £18million he is seeking for the England midfielder.

The former Celtic boss is aware he has to make his own plans for the new campaign and needs to know whether he will have the services of Barry.

Already O’Neill is considering using the 27-year-old in Saturday’s home Intertoto Cup clash with Odense BK.

But that would not make Barry ineligible to play Champions League football if he eventually moved to Anfield.

O’Neill, who has rejected four bids for Barry from Reds counterpart Rafael Benitez, said: "It’s been unfortunate. We don’t know where we stand at this minute.

"Liverpool have not officially come back to us in any form of writing. It is a really awkward position here at this minute.

"At some stage or other there will have to be a timescale on it because we cannot just keep going on like this.

"We have got our own plans to make - and we shouldn’t be at the behest of Liverpool Football Club.

"We have to pick up the pieces and I could go on for forever and a day talking about it. It doesn’t really matter. We have to see what develops.

"As I say, we have not heard back from them in an official capacity."

O’Neill is ready to consider Barry on Saturday even though he was the target of abuse from Villa fans during Tuesday’s friendly at Walsall.

He said: "If Gareth is in the right frame of mind then we will explore everything. He will be in contention for Saturday.

"I have never not been impressed with him in two years as to his attitude on the football pitch.

"In fairness the Intertoto gives us that chance to get into the UEFA Cup, which we set out to get into by one way or another, and Gareth was a major part of that last year."

O’Neill, who is hoping to complete the signing of Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel, is aware of the need to bring in new blood with the start of the Barclays Premier League campaign only three weeks away."

Spurs' Robbie Keane On The Verge Of Sealing Liverpool Transfer

Tottenham Hotspur forward Robbie Keane is set to complete a transfer to Liverpool within the next 48 hours after it emerged that the Republic of Ireland captain had been left out of the north Londoners' 19-man squad that played a friendly at Hercules in Alicante last night.

Keane is expected to put pen to paper on a £18 million deal over the weekend, despite his employers at White Hart Lane having lodged a formal complaint with the Premier League over Liverpool's conduct in this whole affair, although Spurs themselves made no comment before the fixture kicked off regarding their captain's subsequent absence from the team line-up.

It is believed that Keane, 28, has already informed Tottenham coach Juande Ramos of his desire to join Liverpool, the club he supported as a boy and the fact that the player was removed from the Spurs squad in Spain without suffering any apparent injury, unlike his strike partner Dimitar Berbatov, who played the whole 90 minutes, only heightens the sense that the transfer is a fait accompli.

However, that is not the case concerning Gareth Barry's on-off move to Anfield. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez may now have £20m at his disposal following the close-season sales of Scott Carson, John Arne Riise, Danny Guthrie and Peter Crouch, but that has since been earmarked for Keane's transfer, a situation that threatens to leave both Barry himself, as well as his club Aston Villa, in limbo for the foreseeable future at least.

Benitez welcomes Xabi Alonso, Jose Manuel Reina and Alvaro Arbeloa all back to pre-season training today after the Spaniards were given more time off in which to recuperate following their country's triumph at Euro 2008, but unless he can find a club willing to part with £16m for Alonso, then it looks as though Barry may have to remain at Villa Park, at least until the next transfer window reopens in January.

It does appear though that one Spain international, full-back Arbeloa, will be departing the club, with the 25 year old said to be leaving Merseyside due to unspecified personal reasons.

Gerrard: Barry Would Be Perfect For Liverpool

Gareth Barry is a “class act” and would enjoy the perfect partnership with Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard if his transfer to Anfeld is ever finally secured.

That is the view of the Liverpool captain’s cousin, Walsall defender Anthony Gerrard, who lined up opposite Barry on a night of a tense drama at the Banks’s Stadium on Tuesday night.

Villa fans booed and jeered their want-away former skipper for almost all of his hour-long appearance in the friendly following a turbulent summer of transfer rows and wrangles between Villa and Liverpool over the midfielder.

Liverpool-born Anthony is the younger cousin of Reds’ skipper Steve and himself a huge Liverpool fan and described Barry as a “quality player” after seeing him turn in an assured performance to help Villa secure a 3-2 victory over their League One neighbours.

The central defender - Walsall’s Player of the Season last year - believes Barry would be a huge asset to his home town club and said his man-of-the-match winning performance underlined just what a true professional Barry was when put under immense pressure by a crowd of some 2,200 travelling Villa fans.

Villa supporters are angry that their former skipper - who wants to leave to pursue his Champions League dream after ten years at Villa Park - publicly criticised manager Martin O’Neill in a newspaper article. Barry took a swipe at O’Neill because he felt his boss was too busy away commentating on the European Championships to deal with the transfer issue.

Anthony Gerrard said: “After seeing that performance it would seem that whatever is going on in Gareth Barry’s football life has not affected him on the pitch and that was evident in his performance against us.

"He showed he was a class act and a class above any of the other players. He is an absolute quality player and as a Liverpool fan, I believe he would be a great addition to the team.

“Gareth Barry is a credit to himself. He was as professional as always. He wants to better himself and play in the Champions League and fair play to him for that. Everyone wants to excel in their career and hopefully, if he moves to Liverpool, he can do that.

“I know Steve would like Gareth Barry to join him. They are good friends and they got on whenever they join up together with the England squad. I have no doubt at all that they would make a good partnership on the field.”

Barry’s run-out at the Banks’s Stadium ended when he was subsituted and disappeared in a waiting car without joining his Villa team-mates and manager Martin O’Neill who was watching the proceedings from the stands.

Villa won the game thanks to a brace from Shaun Maloney and a third from Wayne Routledge - cancelling out goals from Saddlers’ Alex Nicholls and triallist Patrick Suffo.

Maloney admitted afterwards that he hoped those goals would stake his claim for a place in O’Neill’s starting line-up for the visit of Odense BK to Villa Park in the second leg of the Intertoto Cup this weekend.

He said: “Hopefully I have shown the manager I am ready if the call comes against Odense on Saturday. Fingers crossed I can play a part.The boys played pretty well in patches against Odense last weekend so I think it will be difficult breaking into the starting line-up for the second leg.

“But I have done all I can now so hopefully I will be ready if the manager calls.”

Liverpool Sign Spanish Teenager

Liverpool have signed 18-year-old right-back Emmanuel Mendy on a free transfer from Spanish third division side Murcia Deportivo.

The Spanish teenager, who can also play at left-back, is expected to compete for a place in the reserve set-up overseen by Gary Ablett.

The Reds have made several youth signings over the summer.

Mendy joins Christopher Buchtmann, Nikola Saric, Zsolt Poloskei and Vincent Lucas Weijl at Anfield.

Manager Rafael Benitez has added Philipp Degen, Andrea Dossena and Diego Cavalieri to his senior squad.

Fernando Torres Will Have Prem Defences Quaking Says Dirk Kuyt

Fernando Torres will terrify Premier League defences again next season, claims his Liverpool team-mate Dirk Kuyt.

Torres bagged 33 goals in his debut campaign for the Reds before crowning his season by scoring the winning goal in the Euro 2008 Final for Spain.

And Kuyt claims no one in the Premier League will relish playing against the hitman when he is unleashed next month.

Torres returns to pre-season training tomorrow - along with his victorious Spanish team-mates - and Kuyt is backing him to score even more goals.

"He's only 24 and at that age he can only get better and better," said the Dutchman. "He showed that last season and he can only improve again.

"He knows that and the defenders know that as well. They will be afraid of him because of that. If he stays fit he can do even better than last season."

Kuyt has warned Torres he will be a marked man because of his stunning success last season, but he doesn't believe anyone will be able to contain him.

"I think Fernando already knows how difficult the Premier League can be, but he still did really well last year," he said.

"The only thing he has to be careful about is that people are starting to know him now. However, for a player like him, with his qualities, it's always going to be difficult for anybody to play against him.

"The most important thing is you always have to keep focused. There can always be a bad tackle coming in, but as long as you are focused and quick on your feet, you shouldn't get a bad injury."

Kuyt also praised Robbie Keane, who is set to join Liverpool in a £20million deal from Tottenham, and feels the Irishman will bring goals to the team.

Keane's arrival will push Kuyt further down the strikers' pecking order, but he insists his signing would greatly bolster Liverpool's attack.

Now Even Steven Gerrard's Cousin Is Telling Gareth Barry To Join Liverpool

Steven Gerrard's cousin has waded into the Gareth Barry row by advising the star not to go back on his plans to quit Aston Villa for Liverpool.

Walsall defender Anthony Gerrard faced Barry in Villa's 3-2 preseason friendly win at the Banks's Stadium on Tuesday where the midfielder was jeered by Villa fans.

But Gerrard reckons the flak Barry is getting will be worth it when he finally links up with England team-mate Steven at Anfield.

"I am a Liverpool fan and he would be a great addition," said ex-Everton trainee Gerrard, 22. "Gareth Barry was a class above against us.

"Whatever goes on in his football life, he does his talking on the pitch.

"Decisions on his future are down to him because he has aspirations of playing in the Champions League and Liverpool are there already. Everyone wants to excel in their career and hopefully he can do that.

"He would make a good partnership with Steven as they are friends from the England squad.

"And I have no doubts at all they would complement each other well in the centre of midfield."