Torres And Reina Ready To Use Secret Escape Clauses To Quit Liverpool In January

Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina are ready to quit Liverpool in January thanks to secret escape clauses in their contracts.

The Spain internationals made the get-out agreements with their Anfield bosses in the summer when they were persuaded to stay despite the departure of Spanish boss Rafa Benitez.

Now Torres and Reina, key to Roy Hodgson’s attempts to steer the club away from the relegation zone, want out after promises of major team investment went unfulfilled.

Mirror Sport understands the pair will tell the club in December they wish to leave, with Manchester City keen on £50 million Torres and Manchester United and Arsenal pursuing £20m Reina.

The double whammy will devastate Liverpool fans who hoped John W Henry’s purchase of the club would bring the glory days back to Anfield.

Instead, the American has made it clear there will be no major spending in January, and with many players unhappy with the direction the club is taking under Hodgson, Torres and Reina are ready to make a move.

Torres was talked into staying in the summer when a three man delegation flew to Madrid for secret talks with with the striker’s representatives on July 14 - three days after the World Cup Final.

It is understood Torres lawyer Margarita Pilar Garay-Bret and Jose Antonio Martin were present at the meeting.

One member of the delegation remained in Madrid to speak directly with Torres before returning to Liverpool confident the Spaniard would stay.

Torres and Spanish teammate Reina - a powerful voice in the dressing room - were both poised to quit Liverpool at the time with Chelsea having tabled a £50 million bid for Torres while Arsenal had offered £20 million for Reina.

Both were upset at the lack of investment, the club’s failure to secure Champions League status and the grim reality of their Premiership title hopes.

Torres was eventually persuaded to remain at Liverpool after three days of talks - during which the delegation described in detail plans laid out specifically by Christian Purslow, the club’s chief executive who quit last week following the sale of the club.

Torres was told the new owners - that were not identified to him - were in place and ‘days’ away from completing the Liverpool takeover.

It is claimed he was told Roy Hodgson’s appointment was a temporary measure and a big name manager was already lined up - armed with a £100 million transfer kitty offered as a ‘quick fix’ to drag the club back on terms with Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City.

It is understood Liverpool planned to spend £50 million in the summer with a further £50 million available in January for targets no longer chasing Champions League ambitions.

Torres and Reina reluctantly agreed to stay at Anfield - but only on condition they each had an escape clause written into their contracts.

Mirror Sport can reveal the pair are now furious at the subsequent takeover - not directly with new American owner John W Henry or New England Sports Venture - but with the management team they feel misled them over the club’s future.

Hodgson has been told there will be no marquee signings in the January transfer window leaving Torres and Reina feeling they have wasted a season.

Insiders at Anfield fear that without Champions League qualification the club will struggle to make a profit - but crucially then have nothing to offer potential big name signings.

Mirror Sport revealed on Tuesday that Reina has been targeted by Sir Alex Ferguson for a sensational switch to Manchester United - and that now could happen in January.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will resume his quest to sign the keeper and the immediate lure of Champions League football will prove a massive draw for the World Cup winner.

Torres will have his pick of clubs - even though the ‘big’ clubs very rarely make marquee signings in January because most major players are cup tied - thanks to Liverpool’s failure to qualify for this season’s Champions League.

Representatives of Torres and Reina did not respond to attempts to contact them yesterday.

Liverpool Block Eccleston Loan Exit

Liverpool's teenage hotshot Nathan Eccleston will have to wait for another loan move because of the current striker shortage at Anfield.

Eccleston,19, impressed on loan at League One Huddersfield during the second half of last season playing 11 games and scoring one goal.

And following two first-team appearances for Liverpool last term, the highly-rated striker has already appeared three times under new manager Roy Hodgson since the summer.

But Eccleston looked set for another loan move to gain further first-team experience in the rough-and-tumble of League One, with Plymouth Argyle reportedly favourites to land him.

But talkSPORT understands Hodgson is keen to put any temporary switch on ice, because he is currently light of options in attack.

Dirk Kuyt is unavailable until at least mid-November with an ankle injury while summer-signing Milan Jovanovic has been used mainly in midfield by Hodgson this season. That has left Fernando Torres and David Ngog as the only senior strikers at Anfield.

But it is thought that Eccleston will be made available for loan again in January should Hodgson land a new forward when the transfer window re-opens.

Liverpool Target £22m Benfica Pair

Liverpool are preparing a January move for Benfica pair Fabio Coentrao and Oscar Cardozo. Roy Hodgson is keen to bring in new additions when the transfer window reopens and has set his sights on the Lisbon based duo but knows that he may struggle to persuade both to make the move unless by the time the transfer is open they are firmly back in the hunt for a top six spot.

Fabio Coentrao was one of the few bright spots of Portugal’s World Cup campaign and the left wing-back helped Benfica to the Portuguese title last term and has been targeted by a number of Europe’s elite and the 22 year old appears to be a player Hodgson greatly admires.

The second Benfica player earmarked as a target may well be a very tricky signing secure. Paraguayan international Cardozo has been a huge success at the club since his move to the Stadium of Light in the summer of 2007. Last term the rangy striker netted an astonishing 38 goals in all competitions. including three against Liverpool in the Europa League.

Hodgson has been looking to sign a target man to play alongside Fernando Torres but failed in last ditch moves to sign Roman Pavlyuchenko and Carlton Cole in August. He may see the tall 27 year old as an ideal foil for Fernando Torres.

The pair would set the Merseyside club back around £20-22m to secure and the Anfield boss has reportedly been promised a significant injection of funds to improve his decidedly average squad.

Bayern Munich Ready To Offload Liverpool Target Gomez

Bayern Munich have launched a £40m bid to rival Manchester City for Edin Dzeko.

The German giants have struggled domestically this season and want to freshen up their attack by splashing out on the Wolfsburg striker.

Sportsmail revealed City are determined to land their long-term target in January but they now face a fight with Bayern, who believe they have the pulling power and finances to better City.

Manchester United are also admirers of Dzeko, 24, but are reluctant to spend such a vast sum.

Bayern, though, can offset their spending by offloading Liverpool target Mario Gomez.

Diego Forlan Keen On January Move To Liverpool Or Tottenham

Liverpool and Tottenham are set to battle for Atletico Madrid star Diego Forlan in January after the striker revealed he would be interested in moving to either club.

Goal.com UK has learned that the Uruguayan striker is targeting a move to England after setting his heart on a return to the Premier League when the transfer window re-opens.

It is understood Atletico are reluctant to sell the former Manchester United flop but both Liverpool and Spurs have been made aware of the €17 million-rated striker's availability.

New England Sports Ventures, the new owners of Liverpool, will back manager Roy Hodgson in January with funds to strengthen the squad and the former Fulham boss has made signing a striker to partner Fernando Torres his priority.

Tottenham are also in the market for a top class striker as their four frontmen – Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Robbie Keane – have scored just two Premier League goals between them this season.

Goal.com UK understands Spurs made a summer enquiry for Forlan but were put off by the €27m asking price.

Chairman Daniel Levy felt the price tag offered no value for a 31-year-old but he could be €11.5m cheaper in January after privately indicating he wants to leave the Spanish capital.

While Spurs are determined to make a marquee signing in January, NESV are believed to be hesitant about splashing large sums on older players and want to focus on bringing young talent to Anfield.

Both clubs could struggle to meet Forlan’s wage demands of around €115,000-a-week but will be heartened that one of the world’s most lethal strikers has publicly flirted with a return to England.

"Everybody says things, that maybe you don't want to go back," said Forlan earlier this month. "The time I had in England was great and I enjoyed it and if I had the chance to go back I would be really happy."

Forlan’s stock has never been higher after he starred at the World Cup in South Africa, scoring five goals and being awarded the Golden Ball for the best player in the tournament. This week he was named on the 23-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or.

His performances attracted interested from clubs across Europe including Manchester City and Inter.

Hodgson has suffered at the hands of Forlan’s eye for goal as he struck twice in Atletico’s 2-1 win over Fulham in the Europa League final last season.

Forlan has twice won the Pichichi Trophy for being the top scorer in the Primera Division and would take the pressure off Torres, who has felt the strain since coming in for criticism in South Africa.

The striker wants to prove himself in England following a nightmare two-year spell in Manchester after his £6.9m transfer from Argentine side Independiente in January 2002.

He scored just 10 goals in 63 league appearances for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side before signing for Villarreal in August 2004.

Martin Skrtel Admits Focus 'Has To Be All About Winning'

Liverpool's Slovakian centre-back Martin Skrtel has called on his teammates to carry on their winning form into the rest of the season, starting with the Premier League clash with Bolton Wanderers this coming weekend.

Liverpool had suffered a bad run of form from the start of the season as manager Roy Hodgson found the pressure and the expectation mounting with his side sat in the relegation zone. But, following the side's solid 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers at the weekend, Skrtel believes that Liverpool's season will start to begin in earnest.

"A team like Liverpool has to be all about winning and I hope that we will carry it on from Blackburn on to the Bolton game," Skrtel told the Liverpool Echo.

The Slovakian defender also cited the problems with the club's ownership as a reason for the poor performances on the pitch but indicated that the new ownership of NESV will help drive the club forward.

"I think our performances will get better and better now. In the past few months there has been some trouble around the club [with the owners] and now we know the situation is done," he noted.

"That means it is all about the players now. We have got to carry on and work hard on the pitch for the club. We have got to show our quality and our heart and keep going so we can improve."

Kuyt And Johnson Injury News

Dirk Kuyt could be in contention for an early return from injury against Chelsea a week on Sunday, Roy Hodgson today revealed.

Liverpoolfc.tv reported on October 15 that Kuyt would be out for a month with an ankle injury sustained on international duty.

However, the Dutchman has been making a speedy recovery at Melwood.

Hodgson told us: "Dirk Kuyt is making incredible progress. He shouldn't be as far advanced as he is with his ankle but he's looking good. I don't think he'll be fit for the weekend but maybe the weekend after."

Meanwhile, Glen Johnson is a doubt for Sunday's trip to Bolton with a muscle injury which has seen him miss our last three fixtures.

"With Glen Johnson it's one of those things that will be touch and go for the weekend," said Hodgson. "He's making strides but he's not 100 per cent."

In other injury news, Ryan Babel and Fabio Aurelio both featured in a reserve friendly with Huddersfield on Tuesday - though the former was forced off after a knock to the ribs.

Hospital scans have since discovered no serious damage.

Hodgson said: "Ryan got a nasty knock in the friendly match with Huddersfield, which is unfortunate. A player landed on him and his knee went into Ryan's ribs. Fortunately nothing is broken or cracked. That's good news but it's still a painful blow.

"It's a question of how quickly the pain subsides and whether he can tolerate it. It's not a major injury but it might take a couple of days.

"Fabio's fine. We wanted to give him some game time because, unfortunately, after the Trabzonspor game he played he missed a lot of football again. The sports science team were building him up and he did well against Napoli when he came on for 20 minutes.

"He played for an hour yesterday, so he's definitely making strides."

Elsewhere, Hodgson confirmed Daniel Agger was still some way short of full fitness.

Pepe Saluted By German Reds

Pepe Reina was named Player of the Year for 2009-2010 by the German Reds at their third annual meeting in Liverpool.

Supporters of Liverpool and Borussia Moenchengladbach have built up a great relationship since the famous meeting of the two teams in the 1977 European Cup final in Rome.

This year's event was once again held at the award winning Ship and Mitre Public House in Liverpool City Centre on Saturday, October 23, and German Reds branch secretary Graham Agg declared the evening "an outstanding success".

It is a unique gathering between supporters of two great teams and Agg is extremely proud of the friendly relations that exist and led to the formation of the German Reds.

Highlight of the night was the awards and members named Reina as their Player of the Year.

Meanwhile, David Ngog was also recognized for the contribution he made last campaign when he was named German Reds Young Player of the Season 2009-10.

After sampling one or two of the fine real ales the Ship and Mitre have on offer, the German Reds members were entertained during the evening by three guest speakers.

First to speak to the assembled audience was lecturer and Chorley based author Chris Shaw who has just published a fantastic new book titled "Our Liverpool" which explains all about Liverpool FC's worldwide fan base. The book is now available to buy in all good book shops and retail outlets.

Next to speak was German national Tommy Keiner, official committee member of the Spirit of Shankly Supporters Union.

Last but by no means least to address the German Reds members was John Mooney, spokesman for Jamie Carragher's "23 Foundation".

John spoke about the aims and aspirations of the "23 Foundation" and presented the German Reds LFC Official Supporter's Club (AIB) with signed shirts after Agg and his members made a substantial donation to the Foundation.

The committee of the German Reds would like to thank the guest speakers for giving up their time to address our members and also thank the Ship and Mitre staff for their help in hosting the event and making it such an outstanding success.

Thanks must also go to all the members who travelled to Liverpool from all parts of Germany and also to the members who travelled from as far afield as Austria and Switzerland.

Liverpool To Stay Clear Of Big-Money Signings In January Transfer Window

Roy Hodgson will not target any marquee signings in the January transfer window as Liverpool's new owner, New England Sports Ventures, looks to put a stop to the profligate spending which it believes has hampered the club's progress in recent years.

NESV is believed to have been concerned by the millions of pounds haemorrhaged on transfer fees and wages by the club in recent years as it examined Liverpool's finances as part of the due diligence process carried out before the £300 million purchase of the Anfield side was completed.

Under Rafael Benítez, Liverpool spent more than £230 million in six years on fees alone – though much of that was recouped in sales – while the purchases of the likes of Raul Meireles, Christian Poulsen, Brad Jones and Paul Konchesky totalled £25 million in Hodgson's first summer at the club.

Though NESV's takeover freed up £36 million a year of revenue that had previously been used to service Liverpool's £282 million debts to be reinvested into the club, and though its offer did make provision for an immediate injection of funds into the playing staff, the American consortium has made it clear it expects value for money, both from fees and salaries.

"We have to be smart," John W Henry, NESV's principal backer, who will assume a place on Liverpool's board, said after the deal was completed.

"We have to be more efficient. When we spend a dollar it has to be wisely. We cannot afford player contracts that do not make long-term sense. We have to be smart, bold, aggressive. It's a great challenge."

Henry will take an active role in football matters at Anfield, assessing both Hodgson's suggested transfer targets and setting budgets for contract renegotiations of players already at the club.

The 61 year-old has already expressed his concern at the wages earned by older players on long-term, high-value contracts.

NESV's approach – applied with great success at the Boston Red Sox – is likely to rule Liverpool out of the glamour signings which many fans hoped would follow the eviction of previous owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Instead, the club's recent scouting activity suggests they intend to follow the Arsenal model – for which NESV has been keen to stress its admiration – or, perhaps more pertinently, institute on an informal basis the transfer policy employed at Manchester United, where premium fees are only paid for younger players with resale potential.

"At the Boston Red Sox, we invested a lot in management and the scouting system," said NESV chairman Tom Werner.

"We believe the foundation of any good sports club has to be the experience, valuation and understanding of scouting, so we will invest in that as well."

Those players assessed by Hodgson and his scouting team in recent weeks include Steven Defour, the Standard Liège captain and a long-term target for the Liverpool manager.

At 22, and around £12 million, Defour represents minimum risk for maximum reward.

Likewise Ibrahim Afellay, the PSV Eindhoven winger Liverpool whom have assessed on several occasions.

Already a Dutch international at 24 and heralded for several years as one of the brightest prospects in Europe, Afellay would fall within Liverpool's budget, while his wage demands would remain comparatively modest.

More expensive would be Eden Hazard, Defour's Belgian international team-mate, currently with Lille.

The 19 year-old has attracted interest from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Chelsea and United, and could cost as much as £18 million.

However, Liverpool believe they can tempt the player – who is likely to be advised by his agent to seek a move to a club where he will play regular first-team football – and Kenny Dalglish was watching when the French side played Levski Sofia in the Europa League last Thursday.

Hodgson will not be allowed to add any players, though, without first trimming the squad. Liverpool boast the fourth-highest wage bill in the Premier League – standing at £107 million in 2009, according to football finance analysts Deloitte – but find themselves marooned in 18th place in the table, having finished seventh in Benítez's last campaign.

NESV does not blame Hodgson for that poor performance so far this season, but rather interprets it as evidence that many of the squad do not warrant either their reputations or their earnings.

Henry's experience as a futures trader, as well as his noted obsession with both sporting and financial statistics, put him in a perfect position to analyze such information.

He is acutely aware that figures suggest that, with almost unerring accuracy, a club's league position is defined by their wage bill. That Liverpool's key statistics are so discordant suggests the money is not being spent wisely.

He is also a devotee of Sabermetrics, the statistical analysis of the value of baseball players, pioneered by Bill James and which led Henry to appoint Theo Epstein as a general manager of the Boston Red Sox in 2002 at the age of 28.

Epstein applied James's principles – which are designed to help poorer teams identify value-for-money acquisitions – to lead the franchise to two World Series with a squad largely composed of bargain purchases.

Initial impressions of his time at Liverpool suggest he retains his faith in the method.

Liverpool Want Benfica Star Fabio Coentrao

According to a report in Record, Europa League hopefuls Liverpool are considering making a move for highly rated wing-back Fabio Coentrao, currently under contract with reigning Portuguese champions Benfica.

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is reportedly unhappy with the performances of new signing Paul Konchesky and is therefore looking for a new wing-back. The 63-year-old gaffer supposedly sees Coentrao as the perfect replacement.

Coentrao joined Benfica from Rio Ave in the summer of 2007 and has developed into a key player at the Aguias in the past two seasons. The 22-year-old also impressed with his good performances for Portugal at the 2010 World Cup.

The left-back's current contract with Benfica runs until 2016, but Coentrao could leave the Lisbon giants if a club matches his €30 million release clause.

Bayern Munich and Milan are also believed to be keeping tabs on the versatile youngster.

Liverpool Join Race For PSV Star Ibrahim Afellay

Versatile PSV midfielder Ibrahim Afellay is continually being linked with a move away from the Eredivisie giants and clubs such as Inter, Atletico Madrid and Manchester United are all believed to be eager to sign the Dutch international.

However, a report in Voetbal International now claims that the aforementioned teams face stiff competition from beleaguered Premier League side Liverpool in the race for the creative midfielder's services.

Liverpool are desperate to add some more creativity to their squad in the January transfer window and manager Roy Hodgson supposedly sees the 24-year-old Afellay as the perfect addition to his team.

Afellay is a product of the PSV youth academy and has developed into the absolute star player of the Eindhoven titans in the past couple of years.

The attacking midfielder's current contract runs until the summer of 2011 and Afellay is reluctant to sign a new deal. Therefore, PSV are eager to cash in on their star player in the January transfer window.

Tranmere Join Loan Race For Liverpool Starlet

Tranmere have joined the chase to take highly-rated Liverpool midfielder Victor Palsson on loan.

The 19-year-old is the captain of the reserve team at Anfield but could be about to make a temporary move away to experience League One action.

The versatile Icelander can play in the centre of defence or midfield but a lack of first-team opportunities means he is looking to get competitive football elsewhere.

The teenager joined Liverpool on a two-and-a-half-year deal in 2009 from Danish outfit AGF Aarhus and has represented his country at youth levels.

Peterborough have also been linked with a move for Palsson but Tranmere will be hoping the prospect of staying on Merseyside will convince the teenager to join them instead.

Babel Injured In Reserves Loss

Ryan Babel has handed Liverpool an injury scare after he was substituted during the reserves' 2-1 friendly defeat at Huddersfield Town in front of the watching Sammy Lee on Tuesday afternoon.

The Dutch international played as a central striker and went close to scoring on several occasions, but he was forced off the field 15 minutes from time after taking a knock to his ribs.

Liverpool's No.19 was clearly in pain when he left the pitch and was later taken to hospital for an X-ray to assess the full extent of the injury.

On a brighter note, Fabio Aurelio enjoyed a 60-minute outing at left back as he looks to gain match fitness and he looked sharp throughout.

Nathan Eccleston had given Liverpool an early lead in Yorkshire, but two goals from two corners proved to be Liverpool's undoing as Huddersfield's second string earned the victory.

The home side almost scored straight from the kick-off when a well worked move saw Chris Mavinga make a goal saving clearance in his own penalty area.

Liverpool responded and Eccleston gave John McMahon's side the perfect start when he cut inside from the right, glided past his marker and produced a superb curled finish.

Eccleston enjoyed a loan spell at the Galpharm Stadium last year and he clearly endeared himself to the Town supporters who gave him a nice reception.

With this being half-term there were a lot of youngsters in the crowd and Daniel Pacheco gave them something to cheer with some great play down the left wing, which resulted in his teasing cross being cleared.

Babel had a great chance to make it 2-0 after seven minutes when he cut inside from the left only to see his curled effort well saved by the experienced Nick Colgan.

Aiden Chipperdale went close for the home side with a crisp low drive that flew just wide, and at other end Eccleston was denied by Colgan after a superb Tom Ince pass had sent him clear.

Huddersfield, watched by their assistant manager and Kop legend Terry McDermott, kept plugging away and equalized after 24 minutes.

Brad Jones made an excellent save to deny Joe Garner but from the resulting corner the Australian 'keeper was caught in no man's land when he flapped at the cross and Jamie McCombe steered the ball home for 1-1.

Liverpool should have made it 2-1 in first half stoppage time when Spearing's excellent pass sent Babel clean through, but his weak effort was blocked by Colgan.

McMahon made a switch for the second half when exciting Spanish starlet Suso came on for Ince.

Babel had two great chances to score three minutes after the restart. First he miscued when the ball fell to him invitingly on the edge of the box, and a minute later Aurelio's pinpoint cross from the left found him unmarked but his header was kept out by Colgan. The Dutch international followed up the stopper's parry but again the Huddersfield 'keeper won the personal duel and his third effort was cleared.

The Reds almost fell behind when a brilliant long range strike from Rhodes was deflected onto the bar. However, their sighs of relief were short-lived as the hosts took the lead from the resulting corner when Nathan Clarke headed home at the near post.

Spearing went close to an equalizer after a good run saw him cut into the box but his effort was kept out by Colgan.

With Babel leaving the field 15 minutes from time Pacheco switched to his favoured central role but despite his best efforts, the Spaniard was unable to inspire a comeback.

Liverpool FC Owners Given Deadline For New Stadium

Liverpool fans hoping for a shiny new stadium could get an answer soon - the club's new owners have been given six months to decide what they want to do.

The council's given New England Sports Ventures (NESV) the deadline to try and speed up plans for a new ground.

A new stadium in Anfield would help to improve the area for the people who live there.

It's not yet known whether new owner John Henry plans to build a brand new stadium or renovate the old one.

The council and NESV met on Sunday to talk about stadium plans. They're due to meet again in November.

American company NESV officially took over Liverpool FC from previous owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett earlier this month.

Hicks and Gillett promised a new stadium when they bought the club in 2007 - but that never happened, to the disappointment of many fans.

Reds' China Build Well Underway

Earlier this month we told you how Liverpool Football Club would leave a lasting legacy in China by sponsoring the build of a new 'Habitat for Humanity' home for a low income family in Shanghai.

With the build now underway, LFC's Regeneration Director Andrea Titterington reports from Shanghai on how Liverpool Football Club are helping to change the lives of one family forever.

On a hot, sunny morning Eric Arndt, the Director for HFH China, met the Liverpool Volunteers for the 70 km journey out of Shanghai to Pinghu. Emerging from the densely populated city on a motorway bordered by new industrial premises, the dominant feature towering above the fields was the elevated track of the Maglev train that travels at over 450 kms per hour.

We entered Pinghu past factories making luggage and clothes which make the village more prosperous than many areas in China. We were quickly driving on small, dirt tracks through rice fields to reach the site of the derelict dwelling that is to be replaced by a new home for Ding Amao and his mother, Chen Gengen. Family houses around are new build, three-storey homes designed for 3 generations, many with solar panels. However, the walls of the family's house were made in 1975 with only rice porridge holding the bricks together.

Team Liverpool's first task was to knock the remaining wall down and clear the site - brick by brick, by hand. The first bit was easy. The latter took most of the day!

We must have seemed a strange bunch in our Habitat for Humanity/Liverpool Football Club tee shirts (which the Evertonians among us wore despite grave misgivings)! But it was soon clear that we were there to work very hard - stopping only for water and a wonderful lunch sourced locally.

By the end of the day, two trenches had been dug - ready for the contractor to start the brick foundations. We had also formed a close-knit team and received a very warm welcome from the family and their neighbours. We even made Mrs. Chen double up with laughter as we attempted collectively to say 'thank you' and 'good-bye' in Chinese.

In four weeks or so the house should have been completed by the contractor. We will keep you informed of progress.

New England Sports Ventures Begin Assimilation Of Liverpool Football Club

Joe Januszewski, the man who reportedly acted as a catalyst for New England Sports Ventures' (NESV) takeover of Liverpool Football Club after he sent an email to John W Henry, is being tipped to take up a senior role within the Liverpool board room.

"It was as a fan, really, but also as a businessman who follows sport. I told him that we should take a look at this opportunity," said Januszewski, a senior-vice president at NESV and a passionate Liverpool supporter.

Januszewski's first Liverpool game was a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United in January 2005 however, crucially to his kop credentials, he was present for Liverpool's European Cup victory in Istanbul.

“People walk into my office at Fenway Park and, OK, I work for the Boston Red Sox but there is another club that wears red which has a pretty solid representation on my wall. There's souvenirs, ticket stubs, all the rest. People look at me and say, ‘What's the deal?’ I tell them baseball is my business but Liverpool FC is my passion.”

Januszewski's new position at Liverpool is, as yet, unknown however he is expected to be joined by an experienced soccer administrator.

Reina Blames Torres Form On Lack Of Service

Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina has defended Fernando Torres' form, blaming the lack of quality service from team-mates for the striker's return of just two goals this season.

Torres hit only his second goal of the season in Sunday's 2-1 win over Blackburn and has looked out of sorts mentally and physically for much of the season but Reina said the basic problem was that his team-mates had not been doing the Spanish forward justice.

"All strikers are about scoring goals, scoring winning goals, and I think he can build on that strike from now on,'' Reina said. "It is more or less what is happening to David Villa (who has scored just twice in the Primera Division) at Barcelona now. It is about time because they are great players but when strikers are not scoring fingers are pointed at them - it is not fair.

"I think we were not assisting him rightly in the last few weeks and he could do nothing at all. He can win you a game easily but we have to feed him in, that is the point.''

Reina believes things have started to improve, and in the first 70 minutes against Rovers the team was almost unrecognizable in its attacking intent from the one which performed so badly against Blackpool on their previous appearance at Anfield. Reina thinks playing a side like Blackburn helped them in their approach, but he knows it is something they now have to carry forward into Sunday's game at Bolton.

"It was an important game, we knew that, and that is why we started with a high tempo,'' he added.”We knew it was going to be a more physical game against Blackburn and that is why you are even more focused on the second ball and partly because of that we were making sure we were covering those long balls. That is probably why we were a bit more focused but this is the way we have to be every single game.

"The supporters were great once again because we were showing a little bit of the old spirit and we have to keep believing in ourselves because we are not such a bad team. If we play like that and deliver this kind of performance there will be more victories than defeats. It is all about confidence, when you are not winning games it is difficult to be out there and competitive.

"We just have to win a couple of games in a row and get ourselves back on a better track and keep that philosophy that we have had for the last few seasons. We are not a bad team but we have to show it week in, week out. We have just to keep winning games and not give it up.''

Reina is hopeful the club will be able to make great strides forward following the £300million takeover by New England Sports Ventures (NESV), owners of the Boston Red Sox baseball franchise.

"It was an important step and it has been a great moment for the club,'' he said.”Let's see if we can build up from now and they (NESV) can help us a little bit in the winter transfer window. They are very committed to the club and, from what I understand, they have been doing really good stuff in Boston so we have to be optimistic now.''

Liverpool Boss Sets Sights On £9m Rated In Form Bundesliga Midfielder

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is lining up a January swoop for Borussia Dortmund’s highly rated in form youngster Nuri Sahin. The Turkish international has been in superb form this season helping his side to second place in the Bundesliga and appears to be a player that the Anfield manager is interested in bringing in to boost the club’s midfield.

Now in his fifth season in the Dortmund first team Sahin has been in sparkling form this term with his box to box performances attracting a lot of interest including from German giants Bayern Munich who appear to have a healthy interest in the young Turk.

Hodgson is hoping to have a decent injection of transfer funds in January and he may well deem a move for the talented midfielder as a realistic purchase for his struggling side. When Sahin first burst onto the scene in Germany he was considered one of the hottest prospects in the Bundesliga and is the youngest player to compete in the league aged just 16.

After a couple of consistent, but unspectacular seasons, he was loaned out for a season with Feyenoord where he did well and now the £9m rated 22 year old appears to be fulfilling his early promise.

Benitez Set To Battle Liverpool For Mainz Ace

Rafael Benitez is ready to battle his old club Liverpool by making a move for Hungarian striker Adam Szalai.

The Inter Milan manager's reign at Anfield was brought to an unceremonious end this summer and Benitez has since criticized the Liverpool board following his exit to Italy.

And now he's ready to rival his former club for Mainz ace Szalai, who has been in fine form in the Bundesliga.

The 22-year-old has been watched by Liverpool and Inter in recent weeks and the scouts have seen him score five goals in his past four games.

Hodgson is desperate to add to his squad in January and has targeted a striker to lessen the burden on Fernando Torres - but he faces a fight with Benitez to land Szalai.

The Hungarian's contract at Mainz expires in 2013 and the German club values him at around £4m.

Fergie Plots £12m Reina Raid

Sir Alex Ferguson wants Pepe Reina to be Manchester United’s new No.1.

United boss Ferguson is at the head of a queue of clubs who believe Liverpool star Reina may become available because of unrest at Anfield.

The Spain international is to hold talks with Liverpool’s new owners NESV after becoming concerned about the club’s long-term direction.

He could be the first man to move between Liverpool and their bitter rivals in either direction since Phil Chisnall left Old Trafford in 1964.

With Liverpool struggling under Roy Hodgson, American tycoon John W Henry faces a battle to convince top stars like Reina, Fernando Torres and Glen Johnson that the future is bright.

Ferguson has been assured that money will be made available for big signings after the Glazer family promised Wayne Rooney they will compete in the transfer market, and Reina would set them back £12million.

Liverpool do not want to sell, and especially not to their fierce rivals. But there is a growing feeling that Reina may be available.

The Spaniard is believed to be unhappy that Hodgson is using 68-year-old former keeper Mike Kelly as part of his coaching team and he has been putting Reina through some training routines.

Ferguson’s current No.1, Edwin van der Sar, turns 40 on Friday.