Match Preview: Fulham vs Liverpool

Fulham will be looking to halt Liverpool's surge on Monday, with the Reds aiming to clamber into fifth spot.

The Cottagers will welcome Kenny Dalglish's side to Craven Cottage in buoyant mood, having enjoyed a productive run of their own of late.

Back-to-back victories have helped to lift them into the top half of the table and they can cement that standing with another positive result.

Their home form bodes well, with maximum points taken from six of their last seven outings in front of their own supporters.

During that impressive run, only Blackburn have managed to breach a watertight back four.

The Cottagers will, however, be aware that they have struggled to find the target against the Reds in the recent past, drawing a blank in six of their last seven meetings with the men from Merseyside.

Liverpool will be hoping to secure another shut-out on Monday, helping them to move above Tottenham in the table.

A point would be good enough to take the Reds into fifth place, but they will be determined to pick up a third straight league success.

They have scored in 10 consecutive games on the road, suggesting they have no firepower issues, with that run now the joint-longest of its kind in the Premier League this season.

The Reds will also head to the capital in the knowledge that only Chelsea (35) have picked up more points than them (30) since Dalglish returned to the Anfield helm in January.

Clint Dempsey and Brede Hangeland come back into contention for Fulham.

Midfielder Dempsey (hamstring) - the Cottagers' all-time top scorer in the Premier League - and defender Hangeland (illness) missed last Saturday's 3-0 win at Sunderland.

Damien Duff will not play again this season after undergoing Achilles surgery, while Zoltan Gera and Rafik Halliche remain sidelined.

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll may have to settle for a place among the substitutes again at Craven Cottage.

The £35million club record signing came off the bench for a 20-minute appearance in last weekend's win over Newcastle after recovering from a knee injury but the form of Dirk Kuyt and Luis Suarez may mean the England international has to wait for a starting opportunity.

Forgotten winger Milan Jovanovic (knee) and defender Fabio Aurelio (hamstring) both have a chance of being included.

Martin Kelly (hamstring), Fabio Aurelio (thigh), Daniel Agger (knee) and Steven Gerrard (groin) all miss out, but defensive stalwart Jamie Carragher is in line to make his 666th appearance for the club - edging him above Emlyn Hughes and Ray Clemence and into second place on Liverpool's all-time appearance list.

Possible starting XIs

Fulham: Schwarzer, Baird, Hangeland, Hughes, Salcido, Davies, Sidwell, Murphy, Kakuta, Dempsey, Zamora.

Liverpool: Reina, Flanagan, Carragher, Skrtel, Johnson, Lucas, Spearing, Meireles, Maxi, Kuyt, Suarez.

Jesus Navas Being Targeted By The Reds

Liverpool are plotting a £20 million bid to tempt Sevilla winger Jesus Navas to the club, according to sportingo.com.

The Spanish midfielder was thought to be too homesick to contemplate a move away from his native Spain, but after the player travelled to South Africa last summer with his international teammates during the World Cup finals, those fears appear to have been put to bed.

And Liverpool is now ready to make Navas their own, with a plan to offer £20 million this summer.

Kenny Dalglish has put a winger at the top of his transfer wish list this summer after the signing of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll called for a greater need for service from the wider positions, after the disappointing form of Joe Cole, who could leave Liverpool this summer.

Navas is known to crave Champions League football, and although the Anfield club will miss out on Europe's premier club competition next season, Liverpool will hope to tempt the 25-year-old with the carrot of a genuine title challenge next season.

Dalglish To Raid Villa For England Midfield Pair

Liverpool is set to raid Aston Villa for the clubs two England wingers Ashley Young and Stewart Downing who have both enjoyed am impressive season with the midlands club.

Former Watford midfielder Ashley Young is a long term target of Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish and appears likely to leave at the end of the season after refusing to enter into negotiations to sign a new contract.

With just one year remaining on his current deal it appears as though Villa will have to cash in on their talented winger, rather than risk losing him on a free at the end of next season.

Liverpool are not the only club interested in the 25-year-old with Sir Alex Ferguson also known to be a huge admirer of Young, while Spurs were also linked with the winger during the January transfer window.

While many expect Young to leave Villa Park in the summer, the future of Downing is still up in the air with Villa manager Gerard Houllier desperate to get the former Middlesbrough winger to sign a new contract.

With Houllier currently in hospital, caretaker boss Gary McAllister has reiterated the importance of trying to tie down Downing to a new long term contract.

"Of course, there’s two years left and we are getting into that area where it’s coming into our vision," revealed McAllister. “It’s in progress at the moment. We are starting to make contact with his agent.

“That’s something we’re looking at all the time. It’s been a very mixed season but I’ve got to say Stewart Downing’s consistency, especially for a forward in a team that hasn’t been playing as well as it can, would make him my pick as player of the season."

The pair have both been in fantastic form for much of the season, despite Villa struggling at the wrong end of the table and Villains defender Luke Young admitted that clubs are circling as they attempt to lure the duo away.

"Stewart has been brilliant, he is showing the form and you've got bigger clubs sniffing at him and it's going to be difficult for us to keep him," said the former Middlesbrough defender.

"Clubs are circling for Ashley as well so it's going to be a difficult summer for us and hopefully we can keep hold of both of them, we certainly wouldn't want to lose both of them."

Liverpool proved in the January transfer window that they were prepared to spend large amounts of money to bring the right players to the club and now Kenny Dalglish wants to bring wingers to Anfield to compliment his new strike force.

Should the Reds attempt to land the England midfielders then it is believed that they would need to bid in the region of £20million for Young and £10m for Downing.

Liverpool FC Planning Summer Swoop For Valencia's Juan Mata

Liverpool is planning a summer move for Valencia winger Juan Mata.

Reports in Spain suggest that both the Reds and Manchester City have expressed their interest in Mata in recent weeks, as have Premier League champions-elect, Manchester United with Valencia's ongoing financial woes threatening to force the sale of the 23-year-old.

Valencia currently occupy La Liga's third Champions League qualification place but debts of €500million (£439.5M) could see one key player at the Mestalla sold during the close season.

Leading Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague understands that 'Los Che' are willing to sell the highly-rated Mata if an offer in the region of €25million (£21.9M) and €30million (£26.3M) is received for the wide midfielder.

Liverpool and City remain the favourites in their pursuit of Mata but despite the lure of Champions League football, Roberto Mancini's side appears an unrealistic option with compatriot David Silva currently occupying the left-wing role at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Real Sociedad's Antoine Griezmann is being tracked by Liverpool as an alternative option. Coincidentally, Valencia have lined up the French winger as Mata's replacement should he leave.

Liverpool Star Is Desperate To Quit Anfield

Liverpool’s want-away midfielder Alberto Aquilani looks set to make his loan spell at Juventus permanent, after the player’s agent once again reiterated that the 26-year-old is desperate to end his nightmare at Anfield by switching to Serie A giants Juventus.

While Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has stated that he would like to bring Aquilani back to Anfield in the summer, the Italian midfielder has repeatedly insisted that he would prefer to stay at Juventus.

"My situation is simple. It all depends on Juventus – if they want to, [they can] buy me without asking anyone's opinion," Aquilani told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I would like to stay in Turin for a long time and win a lot. I want to be a protagonist in the new winning cycle that is opening up at Juventus. I have no doubt that Juve's project is a winner, they just need a little patience."

Since arriving at Liverpool from Roma in 2009, Aquilani struggled to settle despite commanding a fee reported to be in the region of £20 million. An injury ravaged spell left Aquilani with just 18 appearances in a Liverpool shirt before agreeing a loan switch to Turin giants Juventus in the summer of 2010.

With the Italian back in good form domestically, Juventus boss Giuseppe Marotta has revealed that he fully expects Aquilani to seal a permanent deal when the transfer window reopens in July.

Within the loan agreement was an option for Juventus to but the playmaker outright, and Aquilani’s agent has insisted the deal is a certainty.

“Juventus and Liverpool have established an agreement for the player," agent Franco Zavaglia told Radio-Mercato.

"The Bianconeri's leadership is absolutely determined to retain the player at the end of the season and they have repeated it several times.

"Everything that has been said recently about Aquilani is just assumptions. Liverpool will not discount the player and he will only be sold on the predetermined basis.

"If Juventus will not retain him, he returns to Liverpool even if the player wants to play in Italy, but I don't think in Italy there are another clubs other than Juventus which can take him."

The only obstacle that remains is an agreement on the fee for the player. Should the two clubs not successfully negotiate a deal, Aquilani may face the prospect of returning to Liverpool despite being desperate for a move to Serie A.

Aquilani's agent Franco Zavaglia restated his desire for the Italian midfielder to remain in Serie A, claiming that his client would find it very difficult to return to Anfield. However, with Juventus still unwilling to match Liverpool's valuation of the Italian international, Zavaglia's confidence in a deal being brokered seems to have lessened with the agent now at a stage where he is just hoping the two clubs can settle their differences.

“We are certainly waiting to hear how the situation develops and hope they can reach an agreement," Zavaglia told Calciomercato.it. "As far as Alberto is concerned, he has always been clear: he wants to stay in Italy. We are waiting to hear if a deal will be reached and that would be a huge bonus for us.”

Dirk Kuyt Highlights Partnership With Luis Suarez At Liverpool

Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt believes his burgeoning partnership with Luis Suarez has contributed to their recent good run.

The Holland international has played alongside the £22.8million January signing in the last eight Barclays Premier League matches.

Not all of those occasions have been as a front two as Suarez's fellow transfer deadline day arrival Andy Carroll has also featured, but injury to the England international meant they have been paired together for the last two victories over Birmingham and Newcastle.

Eight goals scored and none conceded in those outings point to successes all over the pitch, although what has stood out is the way Kuyt and Suarez have combined.

The Dutchman extended his goalscoring run to four success matches against Newcastle, and eight in his last seven league appearances,

Suarez won the penalty from which Kuyt scored against the Magpies and the favour was returned as the Uruguayan international hit his third goal for the Reds from his partner's lay-off.

But it is not just about scoring goals, the workrate of them as a front two also makes it difficult for opponents.

"Although we are different players and offer different skills we are both hard workers," said Kuyt.

"Kenny (Dalglish) has emphasized to us that he wants us to press high up the pitch and that has suited us.

"We also sometimes speak Dutch together on the pitch (Suarez was signed from Ajax) and that makes life more difficult for the opposition."

Kuyt is the club's leading scorer with 14, 10 of which have come since Dalglish replaced Roy Hodgson as manager in early January.

He believes the start of the new year was a key point not only for the club but for him personally.

Kuyt was a losing World Cup finalist in South Africa last summer and he feels the knock-on effect of returning back late for pre-season training and almost 22 months of football without a proper break took its toll.

"I had just a few weeks off and then came back to Liverpool and suffered a couple of injuries," he added.

"It was the first time in my Liverpool career I was getting little injuries and my form wasn't how I wanted it to be.

"Since January it has been different. I have felt a lot stronger physically and the manager has given the team a lot of confidence."

Liverpool head to Fulham on Monday looking to regain fifth place in the Barclays Premier League from Tottenham.

Defender Fabio Aurelio (hamstring) and forward Milan Jovanovic (knee) are close to a return after injury but Dalglish may opt to stick with the same squad he put out against Newcastle.

Goalkeeper Jose Reina is set for his 150th consecutive league match, having last missed a game on the final day of the 2007 season just before the Champions League final, while Jamie Carragher will play his 666th Liverpool game - taking him second on the all-time appearance list.

Reds Welcome Korean Trialists

Two Korean youngsters have today made their first tentative steps towards realizing their dream of playing for Liverpool FC.

Kim Yoon-Soo, 16, and Park Hyeon-Jim, 18, arrived in the city on Saturday ahead of a week-long trial at the club's Academy.

A meet and greet with first-team stars Dirk Kuyt and Andy Carroll was first on the agenda prior to a Monday morning training session with the reserves.

The duo both showed some neat touches during a two-hour work-out and later sat down with Liverpoolfc.tv to explain what it means to be the first Koreans to pull on a red shirt.

"I've grown up as a Liverpool fan so this is very special for me," said Kim, a central midfielder who has grown up idolizing Barcelona star, Xavi.

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I was shown the letter saying I was coming here. I was so excited I woke up several times last night and couldn't wait to get out there.

"I'm pleased to have completed my first session and can't wait for the rest of the week now.

"Back home we can only dream of an opportunity like this. I am living that dream and have no words to describe it. It is massive."

Kim's feelings were echoed by Park.

"I've always wanted to play on the European stage so this is a huge chance to show what I can do," said the attacking midfielder.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I am very grateful to be here. It is something I will be able to talk about for the rest of my life and I'll always be proud of it no matter what the outcome is."

Both Kim and Park looked relaxed as they were put through their paces by reserve team coaches Pep Segura and Steve Cooper.

The right environment is crucial if staff are to make a considered judgement on a player - and Academy director Frank McParland is confident the club's youngsters will make the newcomers feel more than welcome.

"I always tell lads who come on trial to enjoy themselves and to smile," said McParland.

"They are playing football and they are at Liverpool - what more do they want? It's a great opportunity so they should relax and express themselves.

"They trained with the reserves today and will be with the U18s for the rest of the week. We'll have a really good look at them and see what they can do.

"This club is a massive club - but it's a friendly one too. The kids are always really good with the trialists and we work hard on that side of things. If you are going to bring someone all the way from places like Korea, then you want to see the best of them.

"For that to happen they need to feel comfortable and I got the impression they felt content when I spoke to them earlier."

The reserves will travel to Hong Kong for a tournament on Tuesday morning but Segura still found time to give his verdict on the pair's first run-out in red.

"It is a massive experience for them and for us too," said Segura.

"They arrive here from a different culture and have good technical quality and speed. That is important.

"But you can never judge a player on just one training session and it is now up to them to show what they can do over the next few days."

Dalglish Believes He Has Disposed Of Liverpool's Image Of Being Overreliant On Certain Players

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish believes that he has been successful in changing the club's overreliance on some players.

In past seasons the Reds appeared to be heavily reliant on the performances of either skipper Steven Gerrard or striker Fernando Torres - who has since made a move to Chelsea.

But the recent rise of the Merseyside outfit has seen it accomplish success without the Spaniard, while the England international has been injured for a significant portion of the campaign under the former Celtic boss.

During the Scot's reign, the Reds have gone up from a mid-table position to sixth place in the table, one point behind Tottenham Hotspur in fifth.

And Dalglish reckons he has managed to help the club shake off the tag of being a two man team.

"The more options you have, the better it is for everyone," he said, according to The Mirror.

"In any team you are going to have players who shine more than others. Successful teams are the ones with the greatest number of options going forward. It is great credit to them and the confidence and belief they have in themselves. They have built that up themselves with their results.

"Where you get your ammunition from doesn’t really matter, but the more choices you have, the stronger you are going to be.

"Results give you belief. If you can’t believe in each other on the pitch then you are going to have a problem.

"Everyone feeds off the success of the team. Different people get a lift in different ways, and not everyone can score a goal."

The Reds boss also hailed his fringe players for putting forth a positive attitude despite not playing regularly for the club.

Dalglish added: "The most important thing is the players who aren’t playing and how they react. It’s easy to enjoy training when you are playing every week and getting results.

"The hard part is for those not playing as often as they would be at other clubs. When they come in with a positive attitude it lifts the whole place."

Hughes Applauds Reds' Business

Fulham manager Mark Hughes believes Liverpool are currently benefiting from replacing Fernando Torres with Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll.

Torres left Anfield for Chelsea in January for a British transfer record fee of £50million and boss Kenny Dalglish acted swiftly to bring in reinforcements.

Uruguay international Suarez was drafted in from Ajax for £23m, before Dalglish completed the signing of 22-year-old striker Carroll from Newcastle on transfer deadline day.

The inflated £35m-plus price tag for Carroll raised more than a few eyebrows, but Hughes believes Liverpool, who travel to Fulham on Monday night, have done some shrewd business.

"I think the view is that they've done good business in terms of the two players they've got in with the money they've got for Torres," he said.

"Given the way it's panned out for Fernando Torres, you'd argue at this moment in time it's the better deal, only because the two guys that have gone in at Liverpool seem to have very quickly struck up a partnership and that seems to be working well for Liverpool.

"Right through the history of football, there's great partnerships and there are always examples of where one player triggers off the good, positive parts of another player.

"And there are signs that there's the possibility Carroll and Suarez will obviously continue in the same vein and be a very strong partnership for Liverpool for years to come."

Hughes was also quick to praise the work Dalglish has done in his second spell at the helm of Liverpool.

"It's probably the personality of the manager, I would suggest, because he always played with a smile on his face," added Hughes.

"At times, he'd moan and groan as a player. But, certainly, when you see him with a big smile, that filters through to the group he's working with, I'm sure."

Dalglish: Liverpool FC Must Forget Europe And Concentrate On Fulham

Kenny Dalglish insists Liverpool can’t afford to look any further than Monday night’s tough trip to Fulham as he refuses to contemplate Europa League qualification.

Back to back wins over Birmingham and Newcastle have seen the Reds leapfrog Tottenham in the race for fifth place.

The stage is set for a crunch clash with Spurs at Anfield next Sunday but Dalglish is wary of the showdown with the Cottagers.

Mark Hughes’ side have climbed to ninth on the back of emphatic victories over Bolton and Sunderland and are unbeaten at home since the turn of the year.

“We never set targets, we just prepare for the next game,” Dalglish said.

“Fulham played very well here earlier in the season. We beat them 1-0 but we were quite fortunate.

“They are on a good run and have had an excellent season so it’s a difficult game for us.

“If they hadn’t had as many draws at the start of the season they would have been a lot higher up the table.

“Mark Hughes is an excellent manager and has fantastic support from his backroom staff.”

There is a debate raging over whether Liverpool would be better off staying out of the Europa League amid fears the schedule would damage their league campaign next season.

However, Dalglish won’t be getting involved in it.

“We don’t have that problem yet so we don’t need to solve anything,” he added.

“If there are problems ahead then they will be solved. We will just keep going and see what we can do. The biggest problem we have got is Fulham.”

Fresh Developments In Liverpool Pursuit Of Arsenal Star

Manchester City and Real Madrid are set to rival Liverpool for Arsenal defender Gael Clichy, it has been claimed.

According to Goal.com, the trio of clubs is preparing to pounce should Clichy reject an offer of a contract extension, with his current deal set to expire next summer.

Liverpool are said to retain a long-standing interest in the Arsenal left-back as they look to fill the problematic role at Anfield during the transfer window.

Newcastle’s Jose Enrique had been the favourite to make the summer move to Anfield, but Liverpool would reportedly favour the acquisition of Clichy, with the possibility that Arsenal may have to cash in on him at the end of the season.

Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli was instrumental in bringing the 25-year-old to Arsenal in 2003 while he worked as a scout for the Gunners.

Comolli has since maintained close links with Arsenal’s longest-serving current player, and is ready to bring him to Liverpool should the France international fail to agree a new deal.

Raheem Returns To Liverpool

England U17s ace Raheem Sterling has returned to parent club Liverpool today, after picking up an ankle injury in Friday's game with Denmark.

Sterling was substituted just before half time in the match after stretching to control a pass and after being evaluated by the England medical staff in Serbia and consultation with their counterparts at Anfield, it was decided that he wouldn't be fit to feature in Monday's Group A closer with the host nation so would return to his club for further treatment.

He didn't play in the first game with France, as he only arrived to link up with the squad last Sunday but he is now on his way back to Anfield having flown from Belgrade on Sunday morning.

"We'd like to thank Raheem for his contributions, as he's played a major part this season throughout the qualification process," said Head Coach John Peacock.

"It's a shame that it's had to end this way for him, but it will have been a great experience for Raheem and I'm sure he'll wish all of the squad the best in their aim to reach the World Cup and the semi-final of the European Championship."

Peacock will not replace Sterling with anyone ahead of Monday's game.

Ayre Reveals Plans For Liverpool To Takeover The World!

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre admits they have plans to takeover the world!

Ayre reveals Fenway Sports Group is backing plans to expand the club's profile across several key international markets.

He told Managementtoday.co.uk: "All manner of things. It means real infrastructure and people in certain markets; we've got an office in Singapore, and FSG's sports marketing team are picking up the US for Liverpool, so we've effectively got an office in the US too.

"We'll also going to be expanding into some other markets - we're just circling in at the moment which ones, and at what size. Then the next stage will be more localized products - local language TV and websites; retail products that are more geared towards that particular market/region at that particular price point. And there's our soccer school business, which is growing significantly at the moment - we've started 6 new schools in the last 8 months. So it's a combination of all of these.

"The idea is that wherever you are in the world as a Liverpool fan, you should be able to reach out and touch some of our products in a local language/ currency. But it's not one size fits all, it's got to be as tailored as possible.

"We'll support that with other things like touring - we'll go on tour to three key Asian markets this summer, for example. But we see tours as the icing on the cake, as opposed to being big revenue generators in themselves. It's all about creating the other things that are going on week to week. Going on tour doesn't make you significant money or build a significant fanbase - what does that is being in people's eyeballs every day. That's what we're trying to create. The team turning up is just the icing on the cake."

Aldo Hails Away Form Turnaround

Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge believes the new found belief among the players away from home can keep the Reds in the chase for Europe at Fulham on Monday night.

Kenny Dalglish's men travel to Craven Cottage needing a positive scoreline to move back into the top five of the Barclays Premier League - and Aldridge is pleased to have seen recent results on the road playing a big part in helping turn the season around.

"It's a million times better away from home than it was," he said. "We've still lost a couple but it's much, much better.

"Last season under Rafa and the first half of this season under Roy, the away form was pitiful. And that's being kind. I had no confidence that we were going to win games so I've no idea how the players felt.

"But Kenny has come in and even though we had the defeat to Blackpool, he's got the belief restored into the players. We're going away from home looking to win games now rather than fearing the opposition.

"But it will be a hard game at Fulham because over the last five or six years it's never been a place I've felt comfortable going to. We have had some good results there, but we've had some poor ones as well.

"It wasn't long ago people were talking about Fulham being in a relegation battle but Mark Hughes has pulled a rabbit out of the hat and turned it around for them. They won 3-0 at Sunderland recently and their home form has been good. They've hit a really good run of late."

Charlie's Special Day With The Reds

Eleven year old Liverpool fan Charlie Capener saw his Anfield dreams come true recently when he met his Liverpool heroes on a day to remember at Melwood.

Charlie, who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, got the chance to meet management and playing staff at the Club's training base before being given a tour of Anfield.

Such was Charlie's delight at the end of his special day, his Dad Carl felt moved to write a letter of thanks to everybody at Liverpool FC for helping make his son's dreams come true.

"Cath and I would like to thank everybody at Liverpool FC for a truly special day yesterday.

"Without going into too much detail we know what lies a head for Charlie is not what you would choose and there's every possibility that we won't see him reach him the age of his hero Stevie G, but the look on Charlie's face when he met his heroes is something that we will cling to, cherish, be able to look back on, recall and share for many years to come.

"I think that all three of us were overwhelmed at how welcome Charlie was made to feel, all the players and staff are a total credit to the football club.

"While talking last night we were all saying how nice it was to actually witness all of the different personalities and see the confidence of the senior players and staff but also witness the shyness of the younger members of the squad. They truly are normal people with an exceptional talent and Charlie has witnessed that first hand.

"As a fan I get an enormous amount of pleasure out of Liverpool winning, the Premier League title is something that everybody craves but yesterday LFC gave me something that they will never be able to surpass - they filled a young boy's heart with joy, made him forget about all his woes and truly gave him an experience that will make him the envy of everyone he meets in the future.

"I hope you are able to pass on our thanks to the staff and players and let Mr. Dalglish know that we have seen first hand why he defends his players with such vigour. They truly are special people and I for one will forevermore forgive any mistakes made on the pitch because of their attitude and behaviour as people off it.

"As an aside my main memory will be the way that Sammy Lee greeted Charlie on the stairs. What a great reception - in fact what a great man. Also big, big thanks to Steve Clarke for giving Charlie his undivided attention and listening to his training ideas!"

Why Liverpool Should Show Caution Over Bosman Deals

It is safe to say that Liverpool have not been the most adept in the Bosman free transfer market over the last few years. With limited money to spend under former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, the Reds have delved into the free transfer market and come up with some real stinkers. The Ukrainian striker Andriy Voronin came from Bayer Leverkusen in 2007, and he was followed to Anfield by Standard Liege’s Milan Jovanovic and Chelsea’s Joe Cole last summer. None of these deals have really worked out for the Reds, and specifically in the case of Cole, have left the club picking a sizeable tab for their wages, while they are either sidelined with injuries or sit on the bench.

I am not against the Reds bringing in free transfers per se, but as we have experienced over the last few seasons, getting in a player for free doesn’t always work out too well. Although nothing has officially been announced yet, the French press has stated that Rennes winger Sylvain Marveaux has signed a pre-contract agreement to join Liverpool in the summer. Of course, the same worries about past failed free transfer signings will crop up again, and it could be said that Marveaux could be yet another concerning signing on a Bosman.

So who is Sylvain Marveaux? He was born in Vannes, Britanny and became involved in his first club AS Menimur at the age of just 6. After 7 years, he moved to the city’s biggest club Vannes OC and was selected for the prestigious Pôle Espoirs Football de Ploufragan regional football academy where he learned his trade. After leaving the academy he signed a youth contract with Britanny side Rennes in 2001 and spent four years in the club’s highly regarded youth academy.

At reserve level, he impressed for Rennes in the 2005/06 season and playing in the CFA league, he scored seven in 21 appearances, standing out as the team’s star player. His impressive performances earned him a professional contract in the summer of 2006 and he became part of Guy Lacombe’s first team plans. Marveaux initially struggled to gain a regular place under Lacombe despite making his debut on the opening day of the season in a 2-1 defeat to Lille.

He scored his first goal as a senior player in a 3-1 win over Auxerre in October 2006, coming on as a second half substitute, and despite not being a regular, he scored six goals in 32 appearances during the 2006/07 season. He again struggled to curry favour with Lacombe the following season though and made just 11 starts in the league, scoring his only goal of the campaign in the UEFA Cup against Lokomotiv Sofia.

The 2008/09 season was equally as unfortunate for Marveaux as after tearing his hamstring in October, it was discovered that a haematoma had formed around the injury and he had to have an operation that kept him out for five months, limiting him to just 6 appearances during the campaign. Last season was however Marveaux’s breakthrough season, and he scored 10 goals and provided 5 assists in 35 league appearances under new manager Frederic Antonetti.

This campaign has however seen him sidelined with injury again. He sustained a groin injury in November and despite returning to fitness in the New Year, the dispute over his new contract has meant he hasn’t played since his injury. The Reds have certainly had their fair share of injury problems with players, and if Marveaux does sign, this maybe a concern. Still I feel it is best not to judge before we see him in action for the Reds. He could very well be a useful squad player and he can play on the left hand side of midfield or just behind the striker as a playmaker. He will probably be on quite low wages and he is still only 25 years of age so he may not be in the same bracket as players such as the 30 year old Milan Jovanovic and 29 year old Joe Cole who have less resalable value if things don’t work out.

With the Reds recent history of failed free transfer signings, as well as the long list of players with recurring problems, the signing of Marveaux maybe a risk, and if he does sign, lets hope he proves to be the exception to the rule regarding dud Liverpool Bosman transfers.

The Ideal Transfer Plans For Liverpool FC

A lot has been made about the need for a massive squad overhaul at Liverpool this summer. Some have even reported that there could be as many as 20 comings and goings over the close season as the Reds start to mould a team capable of competing for major trophies once again. Inevitably then, there have been a vast amount of transfer rumours spreading across newspapers and the internet as to who will be coming in, and who will be departing the club.

One of the most interesting aspects has been the significant split in reports that the Reds are either targeting mainly foreign based players or exclusively British talent. Only a few days ago, it was reported in the Daily Mail that Kenny Dalglish was focusing on bringing in exclusively British talent with Gary Cahill, Phil Jones, Connor Wickham, Charlie Adam, Ashley Young and Stewart Downing all being tipped as potential targets.

In the same measure, in other reports, the Reds have been linked with a vast array of players from France especially. Inevitably this has something to do with having a French Director of Football in Damien Comolli , but it can’t be a coincidence as both Dalglish and Comolli have been spotted at matches in France over the past few months. Sylvain Marveaux, Eden Hazard, Yann M’Vila, Blaise Matuidi, Mamadou Sakho and Hugo Lloris are just some of the names from France that have been linked with the Reds. In addition players such as Diego Perotti, Iker Muniain and Alvario Negredo from Spain, and Ezequiel Lavezzi and Juan Manuel Vargas from Italy have also been rumoured targets.

This is of course usual for rumours to start flying around as we head into the final stages of the season, but what is most interesting is there seems to be complete confusion in the rumour mill about whether Damien Comolli or Kenny Dalglish will be the one having the greatest influence on transfers. In one instance you will read, Kenny Dalglish’s name linked with a British player, while it will always be exclusively reported that Damien Comolli is interested in a foreign player.

No one can really know what the summer will hold for LFC. If King Kenny does get the job full time, he will surely have a final say on transfer targets but the collegial strategy which FSG are going for in regards to transfer decisions means that Damien Comolli will surely have some say too. At the moment it looks as if Kenny is favouring players proven in the Premier League, while Comolli is doing his job by scouring Europe for young talent. Hopefully it means that we get the best of both worlds. While we get some good players from England, perhaps such as Ashley Young and Phil Jones, we will also be hopefully looking at the likes of Eden Hazard and Yann M’Vila.

When John Aldridge named his transfer targets of Young, Adam, Cahill a couple of weeks ago, there was some concern among Liverpool supporters that these players might not be good enough to improve the team. In Charlie Adam’s case especially, I would be very concerned if we opted to buy the player for a sizeable fee, if it was at the expense of a younger, more promising talent from abroad. Of course, only time will tell what sort of strategy the Reds will employ. If we go for player’s purely based on ability, rather than any preconceived notion about home-grown talent, I will be happy.

Article courtesy of David at Live4Liverpool.

Kenny - Youth Not About Glory

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has claimed that youth teams should be used for development and not for the prospect of winning trophies.

The Scot appeared to be directing a criticism at the decision to select record signing Andy Carroll for the England Under-21 squad for the European Championship next month.

The 22-year-old joined Liverpool for £35million in January, but has struggled with his fitness, despite putting in an excellent performance against Manchester City in April.

But, despite now being a full international with two caps and a goal to his name, he was picked by Stuart Pearce to join a provisional 40-man squad for the tournament in Denmark.

Dalglish distanced himself from a club-vs-country row and would not have anything to say until the final squad was announced, but he did share his opinions over the matter.

"For me, the benefit of having younger teams is to use them to get the best players into the full team - exactly the same way it is at club level as it is at international," he said.

"Andy has played a number of games for the younger teams, Under 21s and Under-19s, and he has played for the full international team, so it has certainly served its purpose in his development.

"The important thing is not to win a competition, it is to get people progressing through it (the system)."

To emphasize his point, Dalglish used the development of young full-backs Jack Robinson and John Flanagan, who have made an impression in the first team and have not been back with the youth side since.

The team missed out on the chance to win their division, but drew 2-2 with Wolves on Friday, something Dalglish admits could have been different if the duo had been playing.

"Our youth team have just drawn 2-2 and finished second in their league when they had an opportunity to go first," he said.

"I suppose we'll get the blame because we have taken Flanagan and Robinson away from them.

"But for us that is more progress than what it would have been to have won the youth division they were in and got no players through.

"I don't see it being any different for anyone else."

Liverpool Confirm Completion Of New Big Money Deal For "Next Gerrard"

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish and Director of Football Strategy Damien Comolli have tied up a new contract for promising young midfielder Jay Spearing, with the tenacious academy graduate emerging this season as a valuable squad player and drawing comparisons to team-mate Steven Gerrard.

The specific details on the length of the deal are yet to be announced, but Comolli confirmed that an extension has been signed and the youngster now looks set to continue filling in for the injured Steven Gerrard. Weeks after Gerrard sustained his long-term injury, Dalglish was quick to praise the efforts of a young man he believed could be the long-term replacement.

"You feel for players when they're injured but when they are injured someone else steps up to the plate. It's to their credit that they've all stepped up to the plate; not just Jay, all of them.

"He's always been a good passer but maybe now he's got a bit more confidence and belief in himself and he's encouraged more to do it. Jay's been fantastic in the games he's played for us, and that's a great lift for everyone at the club - to see someone like that coming through."

Spearing finally broke into the Liverpool first team earlier this season, and the 22-year-old local boy has since made 18 impressive appearances for the club. Many have been swift to compare Spearing to Gerrard; both are Liverpool-born Reds, with a passion and tenacity to get around the pitch.

Adding to his combative and courageous approach to the game, Spearing's improved passing ability has helped to earn him an improved big money deal, and Comolli was quick to praise his efforts in the campaign so far.

"He has worked hard and has done very well," Comolli told Liverpool FC’s official website.

"He won his place in the team on merit and has showed in the last games that he can raise his game to what we need.”

According to Comolli, the new deal is the result of lengthy contract negotiations rather than just a reflection of his form over the past few weeks.

"To be fair to him,” Comolli continued, “it's not only what he has done in the last four or five games that triggered the new contract.

"We have been talking for quite a while, independently of what he was doing on the field. But that was confirmation that it was the right thing to do.

"His commitment and aggression on the pitch is fantastic and since he has been playing I think he has added some passing quality which we didn't see before.

"He has started to get forward more and the more he plays the more he improves."

Liverpool On Alert As Spurs Prepare To Sell Winger

Tottenham Hotspur winger Aaron Lennon could be sold this summer after falling out with Harry Redknapp, reports Goal.com.

The England international has had an inconsistent season at White Hart Lane and could be offloaded this summer for £15 million.

Sources close to Tottenham suggest Redknapp is fed up with Lennon's inability to follow directions, factors that could lead to a move to Liverpool.

“Harry feels Lennon is not learning, not improving and not listening to instructions,” a Tottenham source told Goal.com.

“He has been really disappointed by Lennon’s performances since the first half of last season and does not believe he is as willing to run at the full-back as he should be.”

“They have a really bad relationship and Harry wants to cash in,” said the source.

“Spurs have not yet started touting him around but if they get a good offer, they will probably sell him.”

With Gareth Bale also close to departing the club, and Real Madrid and Inter Milan among others ready to bid for the Welshman, Tottenham could lose two influential players during a summer where they were expected to build a squad capable of challenging for the Barclays Premier League title.

Liverpool meanwhile have put a winger at the top of their transfer wish list and Damien Comolli, who is set to lead negotiations for transfer targets this summer, is a known admirer of Lennon from their time together at Spurs.

Kenny Dalglish is likely to have to choose between Lennon and his international teammate Ashley Young, who has long been tipped with a move to Liverpool as well.