Liverpool Await High Court Ruling

A High Court ruling on the future ownership of Liverpool Football Club is set to be announced by Mr. Justice Floyd at 1000 BST on Wednesday.

The judge will make his decision having heard arguments from both sides at a packed court 16 on Tuesday.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), the club's major creditor, is trying to force a sale that owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are objecting to.

The American duo bought the club in 2007 but owe RBS £240m.

Hicks and Gillett are blocking the £300m sale to New England Sports Ventures (NESV), saying it undervalues the club.

Richard Snowden QC for RBS said at the hearing Hicks and Gillett were in "breach of contract" and guilty of "breathtaking arrogance".

It was also argued in court by the legal team of Hicks and Gillett that the deadline for refinancing or repaying the £240m debt is not Friday, 15 October but Monday, 1 November.

There were fears that, if the deadline was this Friday, RBS - which is 70% owned by the British public - could take control of Liverpool and place the club's holding company into administration.

That would almost certainly result in a nine-point penalty and might prompt NESV to walk away from the deal - leaving the club and RBS with no potential buyers.

As Tuesday's hearing got under way on a day of drama, BBC News revealed rival bidder, Singapore business tycoon Peter Lim, had increased his offer to £320m in cash for the club and its liabilities, plus pledging £40m for players.

And during the court deliberations, Hicks and Gillett's QC said there was a third bid to buy the club from hedge fund group Mill Financial, which would pay off the Reds' debt and commit £100m to a new stadium.

The key issue for the hearing to resolve is whether chairman Martin Broughton has the authority to sell Liverpool to NESV against the wishes of the current American owners.

Broughton claims when the owners decided to put the club up for sale in April, RBS requested undertakings from them that only he - as independent chairman - could make changes to the club's board.

That was to prevent the two Americans blocking any sale as the format of the board meant Broughton, managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre could outvote Hicks and Gillett three to two.

However, minutes before a meeting last week to discuss the bid by NESV, which will clear all debt but leave the owners with losses of £144m, Hicks tried to sack Purslow and Ayre and install his son, Mack, and Lori McCutcheon, who works for Hicks Holdings.

Broughton rejected the proposal and continued with the meeting, with the England-based board members coming down in favour of the NESV bid.

Hicks, however, has denied there are such undertakings in place, and insisted Broughton's actions were illegal and therefore the sale to NESV - which is partly owned by Boston Red Sox proprietor John W Henry - is invalid.

In court, Snowden told Mr. Justice Floyd that Hicks and Gillett were committing "a calculated breach of contract" by seeking to change the constitution of the board without the consent of the bank.

He said they were doing this in order "to frustrate the sale necessary to repay the bank £200m by this Friday".

Hicks and Gillett's legal team admitted they had broken corporate rules in their attempt to keep control of the club.

But they argued the Americans had been forced to do this after the board failed to consult them properly and to consider other, potentially more lucrative, offers for the club.

Ahead of Tuesday's hearing, RBS secured an injunction to prevent them sacking Broughton or any other board members.

Snowden said that reconstituting the board "would derail the carefully planned process designed to achieve a sale of the club in a timely manner."

That process, he added, would avert the prospect of Liverpool going into administration and losing nine points.

Mr. Justice Floyd was also asked to impose injunctions on Hicks and Gillett requiring them to restore the original constitutions of the companies and managing directors, therefore removing the final stumbling block to a takeover.

But the new Lim bid could become a further complication.

"What may excite Liverpool's fans is that Mr. Lim is also saying he'll provide £40m in cash to Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson to purchase players during the January transfer window," stated BBC business editor Robert Peston.

"Liverpool's board will find it difficult to ignore Mr. Lim's new offer, raising yet more uncertainty about the ultimate fate of the football club."

BBC sports news correspondent Dan Roan added: "What this does is introduce a whole new element into this debate. It may mean certain people at Liverpool, for example Hicks and Gillett, have a little bit more support for their argument that NESV isn't necessarily the best route for the club to take."

Meanwhile, Henry has started his dialogue with Liverpool fans by expressing his hope that the ownership issue is "sorted out soon".

On Tuesday morning the 61-year-old futures and foreign exchange trading adviser wrote on his Twitter page: "Hello LFC supporters. Everyone is hoping for the best. There have been enough twists and turns. Hopefully all gets sorted out soon; LFC moves forward.

"It would be inappropriate and presumptuous at this time to respond to questions. In the interim, we're all rooting for the same thing."

Peter Lim Confirms €370m Offer For Liverpool With Hodgson Handed €45m To Spend In January Transfer Window

Singapore businessman Peter Lim has announced a fresh €370 million offer for Liverpool with a further €45m made available for transfers in January.

The billionaire initially lost out to New England Sports Ventures (NESV) in the bidding war to gain control of the club. While the John W. Henry-led consortium are in the High Court planning to force through the sale against current owners George Gillett & Tom Hicks' wishes, Lim has re-entered the race.

In a statement released to the media this afternoon, he said: "I respect and admire Liverpool Football Club, which is steeped in tradition and history. I am committed to rebuild the Club so that it can soon regain its position at the pinnacle of English and European football, where it truly belongs.

"This is why I have stepped forward with this offer. I believe that if its massive debt burden can be removed, the club would be able to focus on improving its performance on the pitch.

"My offer pays off the existing owners’ bank acquisition debt and also frees the club of its own bank debt. If the Board accepts this offer, the monies are available immediately thereby removing the threat of administration.

"The club needs to strengthen its existing squad. As part of this offer, I will be injecting £40m in cash into the Club for Roy Hodgson to bring in new players during the upcoming transfer window. Liverpool needs to start winning again!

"My offer provides a firm financial platform from which the club can rebuild. Given the manner in which the sale process has been handled, I feel Martin and the board owe it to me, to the club, and to the supporters, to consider my offer."

Lim's deal places an extra €23m on NESV's valuation and would similarly clear all its debt. The hope of an injection of cash into manager Roy Hodgson's kitty could add fresh uncertainty as the board could be forced to consider it.

Liverpool Takeover: Peter Lim May Sue Club Over Bidding Process

Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim, who on Tuesday submitted an improved, £320 million offer to buy Liverpool, could yet sue the club over the initial sales process which resulted in the Anfield board rejecting his bid in favour of New England Sports Ventures.

His advisers, the Wong Partnership, on Tuesday submitted a letter to the High Court detailing Lim's "surprise" at learning NESV had come to an agreement with Liverpool's three non-shareholder directors less than 12 hours after he was informed his offer was "preferred and superior".

Paul Girolami QC, for Tom Hicks and others, revealed Lim had taken legal advice on the decisions taken by the club's directors between 3pm on Oct 5 – when Lim was informed he remained the preferred bidder – and when the agreement with NESV was struck.

He has also submitted a request to discover whether the terms of his offer, which sources close to the billionaire believe was financially more attractive until NESV improved its own bid by promising to pay £10 million to the Royal Bank of Scotland in fees, were revealed to his rivals, breaching his confidentiality clause.

Despite that, on Tuesday Lim improved his original bid, believed to be worth the £300 million NESV wishes to pay, to £320 million, plus £40 million for manager Roy Hodgson to spend in the January transfer window.

Lim's offer, through his Meriton vehicle, would wipe Liverpool clear of debt and is funded entirely from the former stockbroker's own $1.6 billion (£1 billion) fortune.

He said in a statement: "My offer pays off the existing owners' bank acquisition debt and also frees the club of its own bank debt. If the board accepts this offer, the monies are available immediately, thereby removing the threat of administration."

Lim accepts he remains an outsider to land the club – his bid would be considered only if NESV walk away or Liverpool go into administration – but he is determined to push ahead with a deal.

Though his background running Manchester United-themed cafés in the Far East is unlikely to impress Liverpool fans, it is thought, should he land the club, he would pull out of that deal when his contract expires in 2012.

Liverpool Skipper Steven Gerrard Hits Back At 'Completely Over The Top' Criticism Of Fernando Torres

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has leapt to the defence of Fernando Torres and labelled criticism of him "completely over the top".

Torres, 26, has netted just one goal for the club all season as he has struggled to get up to pace. This return has led to fears about his form and fitness, but the England midfielder was quick to offer his support

"It's all completely over the top," Gerrard told LFC Weekly. "It's easy to watch a football match and, if the centre-forward doesn't score or pull a rabbit out of a hat, say his body language isn't right.

"If a player's form isn't there or he's fighting for full fitness after injuries it's normal that their body language isn't perfect. I'm the same. If I'm not playing at the levels I know I can, or if I'm struggling with an injury, people say the same things about me.

"The only time a centre-forward's body language is 100 per cent right is when they're scoring in every game, that's the way they are. That's why players like that are the best in the world, because if they come off the pitch without scoring or producing a nine out of ten or ten out of ten performance they're not happy. That's what helps to make them so good.

"You only have to look at Fernando's record since he walked through the door to know how good he is. He's had a bad time with injuries of late. He wasn't 100 per cent going into the World Cup and he had a lot of criticism over the summer. But he'll bounce back.

"We all believe in him, he's our top man. He's a top player and he's our goal-scorer. We all need to get behind Fernando and help him to get back to the form he showed in his first season here. On that form he's the best centre-forward in the world."

Manager Roy Hodgson has borne the brunt of the blame for Liverpool's descent into the Premier League relegation zone. Gerrard stated that the playing staff were ready to "accept responsibility" for the poor results along with the coaching staff.

"It's unfair for people to just blame the manager for the bad start to the season," he added. "We're all in this together, everyone at the club, from top to bottom. We've all got to accept responsibility and pull together if we are to turn things around. A good win in the derby would be the perfect way to start doing that.

"We've had some wonderful Champions League nights at Anfield and I'm sure the supporters would agree with me when I say we want all that back.

"Obviously the only way to bring it back is to finish in the top four places. That's the main priority for the club and the players. It's where we belong. Over the last five or six years we've proved that we're one of a number of clubs that deserve to be at that level and we are all determined to get back to it."

Malaga Line Up Loan Swoop For Liverpool's Ryan Babel

Malaga intend to tempt Liverpool with a loan offer for Ryan Babel, according to Spanish daily AS.

Babel, 23, has struggled to make an impression at Anfield since he joined in 2007 and has made just two substitute appearances in the Premier League this season. He had been expected to be jettisoned last summer but an upturn in form in the final months of the previous campaign secured his squad place.

Malaga have made a promising start in the Primera Division and intend to bolster their playing staff in the New Year. A conclusion for the bid for Babel will have to wait until Liverpool's ownership issues are cleared up, however.

Reds Wait On Duo Fitness

Liverpool face an anxious wait to assess the fitness of Dirk Kuyt and Daniel Agger after the pair limped out of the action during the Euro 2012 qualifiers on Tuesday night.

Kuyt started for Holland but was stretchered off and replaced by Jermain Lens after 29 minutes, while Agger returned from a groin injury but only lasted 39 minutes for Denmark before he had to replaced by former Everton defender Per Kroldrup.

Christian Poulsen captained the Danes and played the full 90 minutes of the 2-0 win over Cyprus in Copenhagen, and Holland beat Sweden 4-1.

Both Kuyt and Agger will be assessed now when they return to Melwood to see whether they will be available for Sunday's Merseyside derby.

Raul Meireles enjoyed a great night for Portugal when scored a fantastic goal for Portugal in their 3-1 win in Iceland.

Liverpool's No.4 was impressive throughout and let fly with a rocket of a shot from over 30 yards out that flew into the net. He played the full 90 minutes.

Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson played the full 90 minutes for England against Montenegro at Wembley but it was a frustrating night as the match ended goalless.

Joe Cole didn't make the bench.

Pepe Reina also didn't make the bench as Spain won a five-goal thriller 3-2 against Scotland in Glasgow.

Martin Skrtel didn't play because of suspension as Slovakia drew 1-1 with the Republic of Ireland. Former Red Robbie Keane missed a penalty for the Irish.

Milan Jovanovic also didn't feature as Serbia's match in Italy was abandoned after eight minutes because of crowd trouble.

Fabio's Special Fitness Plan

Liverpool’s Sports Science and medical team have devised a special training program for Fabio Aurelio in a bid to help him eradicate his injury problems.

The Brazilian full-back made a successful outing when he played for 30 minutes in yesterday's behind closed doors friendly with Crewe Alexandra, and he could be back in contention for a first team place in next week's Europa League trip to Napoli.

He has been on the sidelines with an achilles problem since our 2-1 win in Trabzonspor on August 26, but Head of Sports Science and Sports Medicine Peter Brukner revealed he is not far off a return to action.

"Unfortunately he's had a bad run with the injury and a few weeks ago he had an achilles tendon problem, but we decided to back off and really try and give him some good pre-season training which he needed," said Brukner.

"This is to try and make him a little bit stronger and more resistant to the sort of injuries that have plagued his career over the last couple of years, so time will tell.

"So far he's on track. He played 30 minutes for the reserves against Crewe which was planned. He was fine and we will see how he is, but we are optimistic that over the next couple of weeks he will be able to increase his game time, whether that be at reserve team level or the first team and contribute to the rest of the season.

"Sunday's derby is too early for him to return but he will certainly be available for the trip to Napoli next week and that's up to the manager to decide.

"The problem of course is he hasn't played for a while so you can't really throw him into big games too quickly but hopefully he will get a couple of games to build up his match fitness.

"There's no point in taking shortcuts with Fabio. We want him available for the rest of the season and if that takes an extra week or so to get him back then that's the approach we take.

"He's a lovely guy who works very hard, as hard as anyone on his rehabilitation. Hopefully the strength work we are doing with him will make him able to resist the enormous stresses that come on the body with playing Premier League football.

"Every player at the club has a specific program that they undertake both in the gym and on the training ground.

"We are working hard to make them all fitter and stronger so they will pick up less injuries."

Liverpool High Court Hearing To Be Held On Tuesday After RBS Gain Injunction Against Board Member Firings

Liverpool's hearing to decide if NESV can finally take over the club, will take place at 10:30 am on Tuesday, at the High Court.

The Royal Bank of Scotland, who are the club's major creditors, have taken the case to court to ascertain a legal decision on whether NESV's proposed takeover of the Reds is legal.

One of the club's current American owners, Tom Hicks, is contesting the legality of the sale because he says board members Christian Purslow and Ian Ayre were sacked before they and chairman Martin Broughton agreed to the sale of the club to NESV (New England Sports Ventures).

Broughton, Purslow and Ayre agreed to the sale despite owners George Gillett and Hicks voting against it, and the Premier League subsequently approved the new owners. But the dispute over the status of the board had thrown the takeover into some doubt.

RBS have now revealed that they obtained an injunction against Hicks on Friday, preventing him from changing the make-up of the board (by removing Purslow, Ayres and Broughton) until after the case had been heard.

They are claiming Hicks and Gillett breached their agreement with the bank by attempting to remove Broughton, the British Airways chief, after all parties agreed to his appointment in April so he could find a suitable buyer for the club.

"RBS, in its capacity as lender to the Kop group of companies, received the benefit of various contractual undertakings from Mr. Hicks and Mr. Gillett in relation to the corporate governance arrangements that Mr. Hicks and Mr. Gillett agreed would apply to the Kop group of companies with effect from April 2010," a statement from the bank reads.

"Those undertakings provided for the appointment of Mr. Broughton as chairman of the board and the appointment of the chief executive and commercial director of LFC to the Kop boards.

"As is well known, Mr. Hicks and Mr. Gillett purported to make changes to those corporate governance arrangements on 4 October. This was in breach of those contractual undertakings.

"In light of that purported breach of contract RBS sought and obtained on Friday 8 October 2010 an interim injunction against Mr. Hicks and Mr. Gillett until a further hearing scheduled for tomorrow [Tuesday].

"Among other things, that interim injunction prevents Mr. Hicks or Mr. Gillett taking any steps to remove or replace Mr. Broughton from his position as chairman of the board of the Kop companies or from taking any other steps to appoint or remove any directors from the board of the Kop companies."

The sale will likely go through as planned if the court finds in favour of RBS. If Hicks is successful in his argument, however, he will have to find a new buyer before the bank's crucial loan deadline of October 15 or the club could fall into administration.

The American owners are unhappy with the sale to NESV because they will leave the club without a return on their £140 million investment.

NESV's takeover will completely wipe out the debts owed to RBS by Gillett and Hicks, including the interest payments owed on the debts.

The case will take place in Court 18 in front of Mr. Justice Floyd. Liverpool fans are expected to go travel to London to protest against the American owners.

Liverpool Set To Receive New Offer For The Club From Rival Singaporian Bidder

Liverpool’s ownership saga may not be over as the club looked set to receive another bid from Asia.

A report from the BBC suggests that billionaire Peter Lim, who was the runner-up in the original bidding, is to approach the Anfield board to make a higher offer for the club.

Sources close to Mr. Lim have indicated he was Liverpool’s preferred choice in the closing stages of the auctions.

Allegedly, Mr. Lim was so confident with his proposals, he had talks with Martin Broughton on the best way to announce his takeover. The Singaporean businessman's offer was similar to the bid by John Henry’s New England Sport Ventures (NESV), and would pay off all of Liverpool’s outstanding debt and offer £40million of working capital.

Unlike Liverpool’s current owners, Mr. Lim was also planning to finance his takeover with his own money, and not rely on loans from banks.

Besides the glittering prospect of a debt-free club, Lim was planning to provide Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson with substantial funds to spend on improving the team.

Liverpool are in the bottom three in the Premier League and have been overshadowed by takeover talks for the whole of the current campaign, and much of last season.

According to Mr. Lim’s sources, the Anfield board were concerned by NESV’s intentions to borrow some of the money to finance their deal, fearing the club would not actually be free of the financial restrictions they’re experiencing under George Gillett and Tom Hick’s current steerage.

NESV have promised they will not saddle any debt on to the club. Even so, Mr. Lim is keeping an eye on the ownership court case on Tuesday.

NESV Has No Intention Of Losing Liverpool To Lim

ESPNsoccernet can disclose New England Sports Ventures (NESV) has a watertight contract to purchase Liverpool and has no intention of relinquishing that right despite a late attempt from Singapore businessman Peter Lim to launch a rival takeover bid.

The Liverpool board has agreed to sell the club to NESV for £300 million but their ability to do so has been challenged by co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Tuesday's High Court hearing will help to determine whether the takeover has the legal basis to reach completion.

But Lim, who is being advised by the British firm of lawyers Macfarlanes and by the Wong Partnership of Singapore, is preparing a rival offer and hopes to outbid NESV to take control of Liverpool.

It is understood that Lim's interest forced NESV to increase its original offer last week, leading the group, fronted by John W Henry, to emerge as the favoured party. Lim believes his offer was at least as attractive as that on the table from the owners of the Boston Red Sox.

It is being reported by the BBC that Lim was told Liverpool's board was concerned that NESV would have to borrow to finance the takeover. But Henry's group has insisted it will not load up the Premier League side with debt.

The American group's £300 million agreement is signed and sealed, pending High Court hearings this week which will address the issue of whether chairman Martin Broughton and the board had the authority to sell the club against the wishes of the co-owners, who stand to lose £144 million if the NESV deal goes through.

Clearly Lim is looking closely at the opportunity that might arise if Hicks should win his court case, nullifying the NESV deal, and the club ends up in administration on Friday, when the deadline expires for the Americans to repay Royal Bank of Scotland £237 million.

Lim owns several Manchester United-themed bars in Asia and according to Forbes magazine is said to have a £1 billion fortune.

Liverpool Prepare For £95m Triple Swoop As Arsenal, Manchester City And AC Milan Prepare Star Bids

Liverpool are preparing themselves for an influx of bids for their top performers in the event that the club falls further from grace and finds itself in an unaccustomed position of having to fight a relegation battle that may ensue if the club is handed a nine point penalty for entering administration.

Arsenal are reportedly ready to reignite interest in Anfield keeper Pepe Reina, whilst Man City still harbour hopes of snaring unhappy Spaniard Fernando Torres whilst Ac Milan are eyeing up a big money move for Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

The Merseyside club had looked like they were about to be saved by the New England Sporting Ventures offer for the club but co-owner Tom Hicks is refusing to budge leaving the club on the edge of a dangerous precipice as they prepare for a court case to resolve ownership issues.

Arsene Wenger had already reportedly made an offer in the region of £15m for the consistently performing Spanish international and the need for the Gunners to replace Manuel Almunia is ever more pressing after further errors from the Emirates number one. The Arsenal boss is apparently not convinced that Lukasz Fabianski is viable number one material hence a renewed attempt to snap up the 28 year old Pepe Reina.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini still has ambitions of snapping up Liverpool goal machine Fernando Torres and will push ever harder to achieve what seems an unlikely goal and hopes that the promise of the club’s potential title aspirations as well as a healthy pay rise may make the former Atletico Madrid man consider a move to Eastlands. A move that would cost the cash rich club in excess of £50m to complete.

New Ac Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri is known to be a huge admirer of England man Steven Gerrard and will also attempt to lure an Anfield star to the club should things get even worse at the club. It is thought that the club may look to secure funds to make a significant bid for the 30 year old Whiston Wonder and the Serie A side may believe that after 13 seasons at the club he may consider a new challenge and if so would only leave Liverpool for a move abroad.

Roy Hodgson will hope to fight off any interest resulting into actual sales but he will know that if the club does face a nine point penalty then things could get a hell of a lot worse than they currently are. Many supporters had probably wondered if it was possible to despise Tom Hicks any more than they already did, well it seems that hatred for the American has in fact sunken to depths hitherto thought unimaginable.

Reina Wants Out As Hodgson Joins "Great Dane" Chase

Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina is rumoured to be unsettled at Anfield and has reportedly alerted the Reds hierarchy to his state of mind with manager Roy Hodgson subsequently joining the chase for Aalesund goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard. It is understood that the highly rated Danish stopper will seek a move to one of the Premier League's top clubs in January.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and an un-named Spanish club are thought to have joined the race for Reina who has been linked with a move away from Anfield since the start of the summer.

Lindegaard, 26, is also being monitored by Arsenal, as well as Aston Villa, Manchester United, AC Milan and Bayern Munich, however, no formal bids have been lodged with his club. The goalkeeper is now actively encouraging offers as he looks to seal a move to top European club in the January transfer window.

Sir Alex Ferguson has sent goalkeeping coach Eric Steele to watch the player on a number of occasions while Arsene Wenger is monitoring the stopper. Villa have emerged as an option with new manager Gerard Houllier an adamant fan. It has now also emerged that Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has sent scouts to watch the Dane with fears rising at Anfield that Reina could quit the club.

Sport.co.uk understands that while Lindegaard is eager to play in the Premier League, it depends which clubs make approaches for him with his representative admitting he is open to other top European leagues with Milan and Munich registering their intent.

The agent of Lindegaard Michael Stensgaard told Sport.co.uk in an exclusive interview:

“It is difficult to talk about his future. At the moment he is playing well and is with the Danish national team. That is where he will stay for the moment, until a club come in with an official offer (Anders) is just focusing on his club and country, not speculation. “He continued.

“There are some interesting clubs following him and he is an interesting talent. He has been suited to the Premier League for many years and he is suited to all of Europe’s top leagues. He is very good with his feet and he also stands up as a traditional English keeper, he is not just a good shot stopper.

Arsene Wenger is also a rumoured suitor following the underwhelming performances of Manuel Almunia, but the former Liverpool and Southampton stopper Stensgaard refused to rule out his client moving to another league in Europe.

“The Premier League is a possibility but if other teams from other leagues come in for him we will look at it.” He concluded.

Manchester United & Manchester City To Go Head-To-Head To Land Liverpool's Fernando Torres

Manchester City and Manchester United are to go head-to-head to exploit the upheaval at Liverpool to land £40 million striker Fernando Torres, according to the Manchester Evening News.

Torres, 26, has reportedly grown unsettled on Merseyside following off the field problems and the club's poor form this season. Even the potential takeover from New England Sports Ventures is not believed to be enough to convince him to stay.

Despite the announcement of recent losses of more than £80m, United are understood to be ready to delve into their £150m cash reserves to try and land the star. City hopes to hold the upper hand, however, due to the intense rivalry between United and Liverpool and owner Sheikh Mansour's bottomless wealth.

Amid Liverpool Turmoil, England's Young Future Rests At Anfield

The headlines recently surrounding Liverpool have been anything but positive. The proposed takeover by New England Sports Ventures (NESV) is still far from finalized and Roy Hodgson's side find themselves in the unfamiliar territory of the relegation zone.

However, look carefully behind the headlines at Anfield and you will find a thriving youth system which could just hold the key to not only Liverpool's but also England's future.

There are signs that the FA are beginning to take youth football seriously. Once upon a time, under-17 and under-19 tournaments were viewed almost as an inconvenience. Now, especially given Spain's success in having developed and educated an entire generation of players to win the ultimate prize, England's youth teams are approached more professionally and are well worth watching.

Over the summer, the under-17 side won England's first age-specific title since 1993, defeating Spain in the final to lift the European under-17 championship. It is worth noting that the last England side to win a title, the successful European under-18 champions in 1993, included the likes of Paul Scholes, Sol Campbell, Nicky Butt, Robbie Fowler and Gary Neville – Not a bad crop.

Many of the summer's under-17 champions are now producing the goods for Noel Blake's under-19 side. They recorded two good victories over the weekend in the qualifying tournament of the European under-19 championship and the young lions appear to be roaring their way to next summer's finals in Romania, where they will fancy their chances.

The big hope is that this crop of players will get used to performing and winning in tournaments at a young age. By the time they become senior internationals, they will be less likely to choke on the big stage in the same way that Fabio Capello's side did in South Africa.

If this group of youngsters is to succeed, the likelihood is that it will also produce an exciting generation of new stars at Liverpool. IMScouting takes a look at five of the Anfield starlets who are central to England's youth sides and of course are ones to watch for the future.

Andre Wisdom

Age: 17

Position: Centre-back

Wisdom has progressed at a remarkable pace. Plucked from Bradford City's youth system aged 14, at only 15-years-old, he was playing for Liverpool's under-18 side. That is testament to both Wisdom's maturity as a footballer and his physical attributes.

Wisdom is a big, strong imposing defender. Unsurprisingly, one of his main attributes is his aerial ability. He is also very quick, despite his size. However, as is crucial for the footballer of today, Wisdom also has excellent technique and is comfortable on the ball.

Aged just 15, Wisdom played a major role in Liverpool's run to the FA Youth Cup final, despite being two years younger than most players in the tournament. During that run, he starred mainly at right-back, but was also used in midfield and at centre-back. Last summer, he scored at both ends in the final of the European Under-17 Championship and cemented his role in the heart of defence.

Wisdom appears to be a born leader too and could be heard constantly barking instructions to his team-mates during last weekend's England under-19 fixtures.

Conor Coady

Age: 17

Position: Central midfield/ centre-back

Coady captained the England under-17 side to glory last summer, where he partnered Wisdom to form a formidable defensive partnership at that level.

He is now playing for Liverpool's under-18 side and reserves, largely as a defensive midfielder. The fact that Coady is versatile enough to play both in defence and in midfield is potentially an excellent attribute to have. However, he must be wary that he doesn't become a bit part utility player.

Coady has a good footballing brain and also has the brawn to make it difficult for opponents in midfield. Although he isn’t the type of player to play impressive cross-field passes, he is very adept at breaking up play and playing short and effective balls. He is also strong in the air and has the pace to keep up with opponents on the counter-attack.

Coady, like Wisdom is another vocal character and a leader on the pitch. He has the attributes to be the driving force behind a team.

Jonjo Shelvey

Age: 18

Position: Central midfield

Slightly older than Coady and Wisdom, Shelvey has plenty of experience under his belt already. He became Charlton Athletic's youngest ever player at 16 years and 59 days and soon became their youngest ever scorer too.

Shelvey rejected the interest of Chelsea before Charlton finally cashed in on the youngster, Liverpool paying a not insignificant £1.7 million for the player last April. He has since gone on to captain the England under-19 side and make his Liverpool first-team debut in this season's shock Carling Cup exit to Northampton Town.

Shelvey's style brings about automatic comparisons to Steven Gerrard. Time will tell whether that eventually serves to help or hinder him. He has a real dynamism to his game and possesses the energy to be a very effective box-to-box player. Shelvey also has an eye for goal and can make things happen going forward. Considered something of a set-piece specialist, Shelvey is also capable of playing as a second striker.

All in all, that £1.7 million could prove to be a real bargain for Liverpool in the long run.

Michael Ngoo

Age: 17

Position: Striker

Another star of the current England under-19 side, Ngoo is a tall, pacey striker. At 6ft 4in, Ngoo's physical presence is clearly a major asset. However, he also has pace to match and Liverpool certainly saw enough in him to lay out an estimated £250,000 to take him from Southend United as a 16-year-old.

Some have compared him to Peter Crouch, but Ngoo's pace sets him apart. In addition to being a threat on goal, he is composed on the ball and is able to find his team-mates in dangerous positions.

Ngoo is widely considered to have had a fine first season at Anfield with the under 18-side and a particular highlight was a Maradona-esque solo effort against Stoke City. There are question marks over whether he will develop into a prolific goalscorer, but Ngoo has done enough to push for the reserve team this season.

Raheem Sterling

Age: 15

Position: Midfield

Sterling is still very much an academy player at Anfield, but is certainly one for the future. Liverpool beat off significant competition from the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United to take Sterling from QPR for a reported initial £300,000 earlier this year.

England under-16 international Sterling was already playing reserve team football at QPR as a 15-year-old when he arrived at Anfield. He still has a very slight build, but possesses undoubted natural ability and flies down the flanks. He is quick, very skillful and has very good balance, meaning that he usually gets the better of his man. Usually utilized in wide positions, some have compared him to Theo Walcott.

Sterling announced his arrival at Anfield with an excellent performance for the under-18s against rivals Everton. Aged only 15, Sterling terrorized the Toffees and scored as the Reds ran out 4-3 winners.

Such is his potential that Sterling even played for the first-team over the summer in pre-season friendlies.

Reds Driver In The Money

Liverpool’s Superleague Formula race ace Frederic Vervisch produced a great performance to finish third in race one amid chaotic scenes in Beijing on Sunday.

Rain, fog and fading light meant that stewards took the sensible decision not to run the event-ending Super final, meaning that the €100,000 cheque for the 'weekend winner' was handed to Earl Bamber (PSV Eindhoven), who scored most points from the two 40-minute feature races, for the second time in seven days.

It was a good prize day for Vervisch took home €50,000 - a just reward after two superb overtaking-filled performances from the Belgian.

Race two was a chaotic, red-flag interrupted affair, as weather conditions changed mid-race and several drivers went off in the slippery conditions.

Reflecting on the events in Beijing, Vervisch said: "It's been a really good weekend and the result is excellent considering from where I started the first race.

"Qualifying wasn't good but we continued to work hard afterwards and we were fast in both races. I'm happy that the car is in one piece and I'm holding a cheque!

"I would have liked to have raced in the Super Final, but on the other hand you saw what happened in Ordos when drivers are racing for money, so maybe it was a good decision!"

Race 12, the final races in the Superleague Formula series this season, heads to Circuito de Navarra, Spain over the weekend of October 23/24.

NESV Threaten To Walk Away From Purchase If Club Are Docked Points

New England Sports Ventures positioned itself to renegotiate its proposed £300 million purchase of Liverpool over the weekend, threatening to walk away if the club were docked nine points as a result of administration.

Having indicated on Friday that, as the threat of administration was considered remote, NESV remained committed to the deal regardless, the syndicate’s view hardened considerably over the weekend.

Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton is seeking High Court approval for the sale to NESV against the wishes of owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, with a hearing expected to take place on Tuesday. There were suggestions last night that the club were considering an approach for representation to Lord Grabiner QC, a company disputes specialist.

If the court endorses Broughton’s right to sell the club, NESV will go through with the deal agreed last week. Should the court rule against the chairman, however, administration is a genuine possibility, and NESV now regards it as a deal-breaker and will consider walking away entirely if the club is docked nine points.

NESV is understood to have secured a clause in the deal signed with Broughton in the early hours of Wednesday allowing it to renegotiate the price in the event of administration. Broughton warned on Friday that administration “would impact on Liverpool’s value and [leave it] wide open to predators”.

NESV’s change in position comes after the Premier League told the club board that a nine-point deduction was a “significant risk” even if the administration occurred at Liverpool’s holding company Kop Football (Holdings) Ltd.

Royal Bank of Scotland, whose £237 million loans to Hicks and Gillett via Kop Holdings becomes due on Friday, has indicated that if the court rules against Broughton it might be forced put the company into administration to effect a change of control. NESV’s threat to walk away came as a surprise to RBS and the club board, and was interpreted by several sources close to the negotiations as a positioning exercise. It is also evidence of a marked deterioration in relations between John W Henry’s group, the club board and RBS.

Henry and his advisers are understood to have become frustrated at last week’s events. As late as Monday they believed that they were the only serious bidders for the club, only to be told on Tuesday that they were one of two, with the other emanating from Asia. They also believed that Broughton had clear authority to sell the club and were surprised at the legal challenge from Hicks and Gillett.

They increased their offer to secure preferred bidder status, but an apparent lack of clarity over the threat of administration and the likely Premier League sanctions have tested their patience.

Despite having opened negotiations with Broughton and RBS in mid-August, and begun due diligence two weeks ago, the threat of administration and a points deduction appears to have surprised Henry and his advisers.

RBS has been closely involved in the negotiations with NESV and the club board, and its stance should not have come as a surprise. For several weeks the bank and the board have privately indicated that administration of Kop Holdings was considered ‘Plan B’ if a sale could not be agreed.

The Premier League, meanwhile, insists that it gave the Liverpool board guidance on the risk of a points sanction last Tuesday, but that it did not differ from that given to all clubs at the start of the season.

Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow said on Sunday that he was confident a deal would go through. “I’m completely focused on making sure the sale completes. I’m not contemplating administ-ration and nobody should be,” he said, less than 48 hours after Broughton said it could not be ruled out.

“NESV approached us. They met our chairman. He was immediately struck with their seriousness and the entire senior management team of NESV came to Liverpool. They spent a large amount of time in the club doing their work.”

Dalglish Warns Potential Owners Of Expectations

Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish has warned Liverpool's potential new owners that their task of rebuilding fans' faith in the club's hierarchy will be tough.

The Merseyside club are subject to a take-over saga with New England Sports Ventures attempting to buy out current Anfield co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

But it's Hicks and Gillett's time at Liverpool, which has been shrouded with ill-feeling since their arrival in 2007, that has seen the club saddled with unmanageable debts.

And now, a High Court battle is the last resort the current owners have taken to keep control of the club, which has only added to the animosity.

Dalglish, in particular, has been saddened with the events surrounding the club, and is desperate to see a conclusion.

The former Scotland international, who has been reported to be a possible replacement for under-fire Reds manager Roy Hodgson, said in his column in the Daily Mail: "These have been depressing times at Anfield.

"It is never nice when your football club are making as many headlines on the front pages as the back.

"This week looks set to be huge for Liverpool but there is still a feeling of uncertainty because nobody can guarantee what is going to happen next.

"I feel particularly for the fans, who must find it difficult to know which way to turn. I am sure the majority of them are quite happy that the club might be sold but what they really want is to see Liverpool move onwards and upwards from here.

"Let's hope we can and that things work out. Liverpool is usually a glass half-full kind of city, and The Kop are renowned throughout the world for their humour and spirit."

Dalglish added: "It is essential for any potential new owners to assure the supporters they have a long-term plan for the club that will see the club's debt problem resolved, investment made for new players and a solution found where Liverpool's match-day revenues increase either at an enlarged Anfield or a new stadium.

"Fans stop me in the street and ask me what is going to happen. I can't give them a precise answer but I do know this club's DNA will ensure they survive and are successful in the future.

"Just don't expect the scepticism from supporters to disappear overnight, not after the journey they've been on."

Why Liverpool Fans Shouldn’t Fear Administration

The word administration will universally strike fear in football fans. Points deductions and a mass exodus of players is something that will normally follow after a club slips in to administration, however I am certain Liverpool won’t have to suffer the costs of the dreaded A word.

British newspapers are today reporting that Liverpool slipping in to administration will mean the collapse of the NESV takeover. However I can’t see why Liverpool’s finances will collapse in that way.

If the High Court rules that the NESV takeover cannot be completed, then it will be down to the Royal Bank of Scotland to decide the clubs fate. Their options would then be, to call in the massive debt, and effectively repossess the club, or to extend the time given to Tom Hicks and George Gillett to repay the loans.

The later of the two options seems highly unlikely given the duos past record of paying their debts. So what would happen if the club was to be repossessed?

In this case the Bank of Scotland could appoint an administrator, however it would seem pure madness to do so when there is a party who is actively looking to buy the club. The most sensible solution would appear to be for NESV to simply clear the clubs debt with RBS and therefore takeover the club.

So Liverpool fans shouldn’t be alarmed by the murmurs of administration because it would be a move that wouldn’t suit any party. As long as there is interest in the club, Liverpool will not be going in to administration. With a club of Liverpool’s history and prowess, there will always be interest.

Yes this is all speculation, and with the strange dealings that have gone at Liverpool during the past few weeks and months maybe we should expect the bizarre, but you have to feel that Anfield will be free of the burden of Hicks and Gillett in the not so distant future.

On a side note, Tom Hicks summed up his relationship with Liverpool fans by saying they “are a noise we are dealing with.” I think that says it all about this regime and the desperate need for change on Merseyside.

Liverpool Join Race To Sign £8m Rated Premier League Playmaker

Three clubs are reportedly interested in signing under-used Tottenham midfielder Niko Kranjcar. The Croatia ace is being linked with a move away from White Hart Lane after failing to start a club match this term. Sources in his home country believe Monaco and two un-named Premier League clubs have an interest in signing the 26-year-old.

The two unnamed Premier Leagues are rumoured to be Aston Villa and Liverpool and both sides would do well to snap up the White Hart Lane man who can’t seem to force his way into the Tottenham reckoning. Harry Redknapp is quite right to state that with Gareth Bale in incredible form the Croatian playmaker has less chance to get a first team start and at 26 he will not want to be wasting away on the bench.

Gerard Houllier is known to be an admirer of the former Portsmouth man and the Villa Park boss has been promised funds to invest in his squad in January and the Frenchman is looking to inject more creativity into his Aston Villa squad.

However, it is believed that £8m rated Kranjcar has a liking for Liverpool and may prefer a move to Merseyside but clearly such a move would depend greatly on what state the club is in come January and that also depends very much on whether the Tom Hicks and George Gillett would still be at the club by that time, which seems unlikely.

Roy Hodgson is desperately looking for players to help provide the cutting edge in the attacking third and he would dearly love to secure the signing of the Tottenham man who is an adaptable attacker who can play out wide or in an advanced midfield role.

A move to Monaco seems less likely given the poor start the club has made in Ligue 1 this term added to the fact that after four years in England Niko appears settled and feels the need to prove himself in the Premier League.

Liverpool Line Up Swoop For Reto Ziegler

Liverpool will face competition from several European clubs, but have their eye on Swiss left-back Reto Ziegler, who has just turned down a new deal with Sampdoria.

Liverpool was linked with Ziegler over the summer, but in the end Roy Hodgson brought Paul Konchesky to Anfield. Nonetheless, should Liverpool’s off-field problems be ironed out, Italian website Tuttomercato reports that Hodgson will renew his interest in Ziegler.

The 24-year-old has turned down the offer of a new deal at Sampdoria from the club’s director general Sergio Gasparin. Tuttomercato reports that Ziegler could leave the club as early as January, with Liverpool facing competition from Juventus, Hamburg and Zenit St Petersburg among others.

Zeigler is a quick and skillful player, who can fill a role as a left-winger as well as at left full-back. His versatility could well be an asset to Hodgson’s struggling Liverpool side.

He joined Tottenham as a teenager from Grasshoppers Zurich 2004 and impressed the White Hart Lane faithful with his neat, controlled football. However, he failed to command a regular place in the starting line-up at the North Londoners and moved on for first-team football.

Ziegler scored two goals for Sampdoria in 37 appearances last season.