Kenny Dalglish Calls For Delay To New Premier League Season To Keep Players Fresh

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has called for the Barclays Premier League season to kick off on a Sunday so that players do not have two games in less than 72 hours at the start of a 10-month season.

Dalglish is dismayed that football’s over-crowded fixture list will leave top stars having to play for their countries in international friendlies all over the world on Wednesday, August 10, before flying back to their clubs for the opening league fixtures three days later on August 13.

The Premier League unveil their fixture list for the 2011/12 season on Friday and Dalglish is hoping common sense will prevail.

He said: ‘It’s an important season for everyone, with a European Championship at the end of it. So how can it be helpful for players to play Wednesday-Saturday right at the beginning?’

Liverpool Plan Extra £62m Spree

Liverpool’s American owners have given their full support for Kenny Dalglish to complete the biggest spending spree in the club’s long history.

Jordan Henderson has already been signed in a £16million deal – and there could be another £62m splashed in the next few weeks.

US-based John W Henry and Tom Werner were delighted with Dalglish’s performance in powering to a top-six finish after a disastrous start under Roy Hodgson.

And now they are financially supporting Dalglish like no other Liverpool manager in a determined attempt to get back into the Champions League next year.

Rafa Benitez burned a huge hole in his cheque book with the £65m captures of Ryan Babel, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano back in 2007.

But Dalglish’s huge outlay will blow that spree out of the water in a summer of big spending. Sources close to Dalglish say he has decided SIX new faces will be at Anfield before the start of the season.

And if the canny Scot decides to go ahead with his plans to bring in a young understudy goalkeeper to Pepe Reina, it could even make seven.

Winger Stewart Downing is next in line, with a £20m cheque winging its way to Aston Villa. Blackpool’s Charlie Adam is an £8m cert and Ipswich’s Connor Wickham, currently with England Under-21s, is a £10m target.

Newcastle’s left-back Jose Enrique would be up next and there will be a straight choice between Birmingham’s £8m defender Scott Dann and Bolton’s Gary Cahill, who would cost £16m.

That would mean Daniel Agger going out the exit door, with Italian giants Juventus showing early interest for the £10m centre-back.

Dalglish Hails Henderson Capture

Kenny Dalglish has hailed the capture of Jordan Henderson, claiming it is fantastic that Liverpool can attract players of his potential.

The England Under-21 became the Anfield club’s first signing of what is anticipated to be a busy summer of transfer activity, and the Liverpool boss wasted no time in expressing his delight.

He said: "It is fantastic for the football club to be able to attract hugely talented young footballers that have huge potential.

"Jordan is very mature for his age. He is respectful and his principles and everything else on and off the pitch are exemplary.

"Not only is he a talented footballer, he's a really good person as well. He loves his football and he is very appreciative of what Sunderland has done for him.

Dalglish also claimed Henderson’s capture is part of a longer-term plan at the club to boost performances.

He said: "You know of young players before of course but we have been watching him since he came into the Sunderland first team and have been tracking him.

"We just need to go out and bring people to the football club that will raise the profile and standard of the performances that we have had since January - and I think Jordan falls into that category. People might turn around and say, 'Well you have people in there who have done really well'.

"Of course they have done well - and hopefully next year people will be saying the same thing about Jordan."

Liverpool Aim To Hijack Phil Jones With Bid Of £22m

The Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson thought he had got a bargain at £16.5m when he matched the buy-out clause for Blackburn’s Phil Jones, but the Blackburn owners have launched a legal challenge to try and stop Jones from leaving Ewood Park.

Now it seems that the Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has decided to bid £22m to get the England youngster to move to Anfield instead, despite Jones completing a medical at Old Trafford and agreeing personal terms with United.

Dalglish has already admitted that he is aiming to build his new Liverpool side around brilliant young English talent, and Jones is next on the list after securing Jordan Henderson from Sunderland.

The Mail on Sunday quotes a Blackburn source as saying: “United can’t do what they want in this case. Jones is a Blackburn player and while there is a clause that could mean he leaves, it’s far from the straightforward issue everyone assumes it to be.”

Man United were reported to have offered Jones the highest wages ever paid to a teenager at £80,000 a week, so Liverpool will have to match that as well as pay the £22m if Blackburn accept their bid.

But that is by no means certain as Blackburn are also willing to beat that wage to try and convince the youngster to stay at Ewood Park, while the Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is also said to have made an improved bid which is also higher than Man Utd’s, so the U21 international may yet end up at the Emirates!

This is certainly set to be an interesting week for Jones and his representatives!

Liverpool Struggle To Pay Off Flop Jovanovic With Serb Seeking £2.5m To Quit

Liverpool are struggling to reach a compromise pay-off agreement with Milan Jovanovic in order to move the Serbian international on.

Anderlecht and FC Brugge have offered Jovanovic, 29, a return to Belgian football but the former Standard Liege striker is not prepared to take a considerable cut on his £60,000-a-week wages.

He is said to be chasing a one-off payment of around £2.5million to leave.

Jovanovic's preference would be to join French champions Lille but there has been no firm offer for the 29-year-old, who is currently recovering from knee surgery.

Jordan Henderson Plays Down Fears Of Burnout

Liverpool's new signing Jordan Henderson has dismissed concerns over fatigue ahead of playing for England at the European Under-21 Championship.

The 20-year-old midfielder, who has moved to Anfield from Sunderland, will play for the under-21s after a season in which he made 40 Black Cats outings.

Arsenal's Jack Wilshere is not playing for England after fears of burnout.

"I know there are managers and players worried about burnout and playing too much, but I feel fine," said Henderson.

"Yes I've played a lot, but I've still got lots to give, still got energy. We are young and want to play football and can achieve something special for our country."

Wilshere decided to give the tournament in Denmark a miss as he felt he was "not in the best condition" to take part after playing 48 games for his club.

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll is also not in under-21 manager Stuart Pearce's squad having struggled with injury towards the end of the past campaign.

But, with Henderson set to play in England's opening game against Spain on Sunday, he is eager to gain experience and help his cause of building on the one cap he earned for the senior side against France in November 2010.

"At under-21 level, we feel there is a process whereby you can get passed through the ranks," added Henderson. "If you do well, [England manager] Fabio Capello will notice - or Stuart Pearce will tell him.

"He goes to a lot of the games to watch us and that is important to all the players who play in the under-21s."

Daniel Pacheco Is Loan Ranger

Liverpool striker Daniel Pacheco is ready for another loan spell after helping Norwich win promotion last season.

The Spanish hitman, 20, played a key role as the Canaries won a spot in the Premier League during his temporary stint at Carrow Road.

And with Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll ahead of him in the pecking order at the Reds, he accepts his career will progress more quickly if he spends time away from Anfield.

He said: “My dream is to play here at Liverpool.

“But if Liverpool think the best thing for me at my age is to go out somewhere on loan, then maybe I will do that for another spell.’’

David Ngog Can Leave Liverpool FC With His Head Held High

The great Anfield fire sale looks set to happen this summer, with a number of squad players set to be offloaded.

David Ngog, it seems, is to be the first victim. The Frenchman has been allowed to speak with Sunderland, and should complete his move once he returns from holiday.

And whilst few Reds will be distraught at the young strikers exit, it is worth considering that Ngog performed an admirable role during what will be remembered as a largely turbulent era in Liverpool’s history.

His record of 19 goals in 94 games looks, ostensibly, decidedly modest. Yet it should be noted that of those 94 games, only 41 were starts.

Add to that the fact that, more often than not, his job was to step into the boots vacated by the often-fantastic but often-fragile Fernando Torres, and to lead the line alone, and his record is placed into far sharper perspective.

If Ngog leaves, and it appears that he will, he should be remembered for what he is. Not a flop, just a £1.5m striker who worked his socks off for Liverpool, and improved his value enough for the club to make a good profit on his sale.

Lucozade Make Dreams Come True

Lucozade made it a dream come true for two sets of loyal supporters when they represented Liverpool FC in the Lucozade Fans Fives at Stamford Bridge.

This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent the Anfield club came thanks to Lucozade, in association with the Barclays Premier League, who began a search to find the country's most dedicated Barclays Premier League football fans.

Two Liverpool teams, This is Anfield and Five Fingers of Europe, were successful in their application and were invited to take part in a Facebook 'fan-off' at Stamford Bridge, when they took on supporters of other Barclays Premier League teams.

They were both paired with Wigan Athletic, Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers in the group stage.

After they saw off the competition, the group final saw the Liverpool away team (This is Anfield) triumph when they beat the Liverpool home side (Five Fingers of Europe) 5-1 to reach the quarter-final.

Despite an heroic display This is Anfield lost 2-0 to Manchester City.

The Liverpool supporters had a weekend to remember when they enjoyed great hospitality from Lucozade and stayed in a top London hotel.

Ian Pankhurst from This is Anfield said: "Full thanks to Lucozade for putting this on for us and it was a fantastic experience."

Comolli Reveals Reds Transfer Strategy

Liverpool’s director of football Damien Comolli says a transfer target's experience in the Barclays Premier League is of the upmost importance, as the club decide who will be wearing the red jersey next season.

When asked if Liverpool were targeting English players, Comolli said that the experience of English football was more the direction the club was heading in with new signings.

“It's not because a player is English and young that we are going to go for him,” Comolli told the official Liverpool website.

“We go for a player because he ticks all the boxes. It's what we need at this time in this window.

“If a player is English or British or has played in the Premier League we'll look at that over someone who is abroad, but it could be any nationality as long as they tick the boxes and is what we need for this window and going forward.”

Liverpool haven’t been a club to show their cards early in the transfer window very often, however Comolli said using the 'first in best dressed' strategy this time around would hopefully give the Merseyside club an edge over their rivals.

“That's the way I personally like to work,” Comolli said, in regards to snapping up talent quickly.

“The earlier the better, because we can then readjust our strategy or decide we aren't going to do any more - which won't be the case now!”

'Liverpool And Villarreal Seek Silvestre'

Catania general manager Pietro Lo Monaco reveals “Liverpool and Villarreal are interested in Matias Silvestre.”

The Argentine defender is one of several players expected to leave the Stadio Massimino over the summer.

“Top of the list of those moving on is Silvestre,” Lo Monaco told Itasportpress.

“I’d struggle to keep him here, considering what a great player he is. There are two Italian clubs tracking him, but Liverpool and Villarreal are also interested in Silvestre.

“Silvestre is worth as much as Thiago Silva and scores more goals.

“As for Maxi Lopez, he will leave if there is a decent offer, otherwise he’ll stay with us. Cristian Llama and Marco Biagianti are 100 per cent staying at Catania.

“We turned down an offer for Mario Gomez from a European club. We’re not sure about Taka Morimoto, but it’s probable he will remain.”

Catania presented new Coach Vincenzo Montella to the media today.

Connor Wickham Still Hopeful Of Anfield Switch

Ipswich Town teenager Connor Wickham is reportedly keen on a move to Liverpool, as Sunderland enter the race for his signature.

According to the Daily Express, the Black Cats are ready to table a £9 million bid for the 18-year-old striker, but Wickham still 'favours' a switch to Merseyside.

It has been claimed that Liverpool have already submitted a bid of £7 million for the England under 21 international, but they are likely to have to up the ante if they are serious about bringing Wickham to Anfield.

Wickham shot to prominence last season, scoring nine goals for Ipswich, before being named Football League Young Player of the Year as well as the Championship Apprentice of the Year at the 2011 Football League Awards.

And, despite the youngster signing a one-year contract extension at Portman Road in April, Liverpool remains hopeful Wickham can add to the recent influx of England youngsters to Anfield.

The big-money signings of Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson - as well as Liverpool missing out on Phil Jones - seems to suggest that the Reds have a strategy of investing in home-grown talent.

However, Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli says that is not strictly true.

"It's not because a player is English and young that we are going to go for him. We go for a player because he ticks all the boxes. It's what we need at this time in this window," he told the official Liverpool website.

"If a player is English or British or has played in the Premier League we'll look at that over someone who is abroad but it could be any nationality as long as they tick the boxes and is what we need for this window and going forward."

Why Gael Clichy Is On The Brink Of Swapping Arsenal For Liverpool

A busy summer for Arsenal is becoming a frantic one.

With Arsene Wenger attempting to plug the holes in his leaky central defence, another situation vacant will soon emerge at left-back.

As revealed by Goal.com last month, Gael Clichy has told the club that he wants to leave Emirates Stadium after rejecting at least two new contract offers in the last few months.

It leaves Arsenal in a similar situation to that in which they find themselves with Samir Nasri – cash in on a disaffected player or run the risk of him entering the final year of his contract with the unwelcome possibility that he could leave on a Bosman free in 12 months.

Apart from the fact that it smacks once again of poor governance by a board and an executive that has always prided itself on its competence in this area, it means the continued break-up of the post-Invincibles team.

Liverpool’s initial opening offer of £5 million for Arsenal’s longest-serving player is not much below the asking price of £5.5m that was quoted to potential suitors who had been alerted to Clichy’s potential availability in the summer transfer window.

Anfield director of football Damien Comolli knows Clichy better than most, given that he was instrumental in bringing the Frenchman to London from Cannes in 2003 when he was working under Wenger as Arsenal’s French scout.

While Liverpool cannot offer Champions League football next season, they can promise a future that looks far more enticing on Merseyside now that it did six months ago. Given his age – Clichy does not turn 26 until next month – experience, reliability and reputation as a solid professional and even more solid citizen, it seems a relative bargain for Liverpool although the Frenchman can demand a significant hike on his £50,000-a-week Arsenal wages.

Clichy’s options on the Continent have diminished in recent weeks. He has held informal talks with Inter but the Serie A giants are close to completing a deal to sign Japanese full-back Yuto Nagatomo for £7.5m from Cesena following a successful loan spell at the San Siro in the second half of the season.

Juventus made an enquiry for Clichy but have signed Reto Ziegler from Sampdoria on a Bosman free, while Bayern Munich, who have also pursued the left-back, have shored up their defence by tying up a £5m deal for Brazilian right-back Rafinha. Versatile club captain Philip Lahm is expected to revert back to left-back, a position he has filled many times for the national team.

A possibility remains for Clichy at newly cash-rich Roma, who are in the market for a proven left-back but it now appears that Liverpool’s main rivals for his signature are Manchester City.

The Sheikh Mansour-bankrolled club has two senior left-backs in Alexander Kolarov and Wayne Bridge, who has returned to Eastlands following his loan spell at West Ham, as well as the versatile Pablo Zabaleta, who can fill in on either full-back position.

City will need to move on Kolarov and Bridge to create room for Clichy, although Goal.com understands that they have asked to be kept informed about the Frenchman’s situation.

It is in Arsenal’s interest that there is a bidding war for a player who has been in north London for eight years.

One thing is certain. It will now take a considerable U-turn for Clichy to accept the improved contract from Arsenal and commit himself once again to a club where the exit door could swing off its hinges in the coming weeks.

Lucas Joy At Copa Call

Lucas Leiva has been named in the Brazil squad for this summer's Copa America tournament in Argentina.

The Liverpool midfielder is included in coach Mano Menezes's 22-man squad for the finals, which begin on July 1.

Writing on his official Twitter page, Lucas Tweeted: "I am very happy to be in the squad to play Copa America. 20th of June I meet the team to start the preparation."

Brazil kick-off their quest for the Copa America in Group B against Venezuela on July 3.

They'll then take on Paraguay (July 9) and Ecuador (July 13).

Gerrard Itching For Suarez Link-Up

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard can't wait to form a partnership with Luis Suarez next season, following the Uruguayan's awesome impact since his arrival from Ajax.

The £22.7 million January transfer window signing has scored four goals since his move to Anfield, but only played with Gerrard on three occasions, before the club’s inspirational skipper was crocked with a groin problem.

But with the new season on the horizon, Gerrard is excited at the prospect of playing alongside Suarez.

"You know within two or three days of training with someone what they are going to be like - Luis has got it," he said.

"He's a winner and a fighter. Everyone is talking about his skills and rightly so, but I like the other side of him, too.

"I remember in the Fulham game when we won 5-2, it was the 93rd minute and he wasn't happy that we weren't given a handball. That sums him up."

Reds Midfielder Has Heart Set On Permanent Exit

Alberto Aquilani´s agent insists his client wants to remain in Italy.

The Italian midfielder spent this season on loan at Juventus from Liverpool. but the Turin giants have yet to confirm if they will sign the 26-year-old on a permanent basis. Aquilani, who has been linked with a move to AC Milan this summer, is also a reported target of Napoli.

"Aquilani to Napoli? I don’t think it would be an easy negotiation but if the will is there why not?" said Aquilani’s agent Franco Zavaglia to Italian Radio Crr.

"I have not spoken to (Napoli sporting director Riccardo) Bigon but the player wants to remain in Italy.

"If something was to come up he would be happy.

"I have not spoken to Alberto but Napoli is an important club.

"If Napoli considered Aquilani to be an important player, he would be open to negotiations."

Liverpool signed Aquilani for a reported fee of £20million from Roma in 2009 and he is under contract with the Reds outfit until June 2014.

Aquilani scored twice in 33 league appearances for Juventus last season.

Liverpool Cancels The Korean Leg Of Its Far-East Pre-Season Tour

Liverpool has cancelled the South Korean leg of their Far-East pre-season tour due to “mitigating circumstances”.

The Reds had announced in April they would be playing games in China, Malaysia and Korea during July.

However, the club has now decided to cancel its July 19 date against Korean champions FC Seoul in the capital which was to be the final match of the tour.

The club said on its official website the decision was due to mitigating circumstances and it now would be investigating a number of alternative options.

The timing of the match was set to cause problems for FC Seoul, who had a league game fixtured for two days earlier and a potential K-League Cup quarterfinal on July 20.

However an official from FC Seoul told The Korea Times that discussions had broke down following the recent K-League match-fixing scandal.

“The discussions between us and Liverpool on having a friendly ground to a halt since the scandal overwhelmed the K-League,” said the official.

Liverpool Complete Jordan Henderson Deal

Liverpool has completed the signing of Jordan Henderson from Sunderland.

The 20-year-old England international passed his medical and agreed personal terms with the club on Thursday in a deal reported to be worth £20m.

Henderson, the club's first summer signing, signed what Liverpool described as 'a long-term deal'.

"I'm over the moon, overjoyed to be here and I'm really looking forward to it," Henderson told the Liverpool website.

"Obviously it's hard to leave your local club. I'm a Sunderland lad, I've supported them all my life.

"But I'm really looking forward to the future now and obviously this is a massive opportunity for me. I'm really excited by it."

The midfielder, whose one and only cap for England came last November against France, has now joined the England Under-21 squad in Denmark ahead of the European Championship.

The Black Cats had rejected Liverpool's previous offer for the player, which was thought to be worth £16m.

Striker David Ngog, 22, could move in the opposite direction as part of the deal, but that is yet to be confirmed.

Henderson will provide competition in the Reds' midfield, which already boasts internationals Steven Gerrard, Lucas Leiva, Raul Meireles and Christian Poulsen.

"Coming to a massive club like Liverpool, there is always going to be competition," added Henderson. "Hopefully I can keep working hard, keep improving, and get my chance on the pitch.

"(Gerrard) is one of the best players in the world, you want to be playing with him and training with him to try and improve yourself as a player. Hopefully I can learn a lot from him."

Henderson 'Over The Moon' After Signing Anfield Deal

Jordan Henderson has spoken of his excitement at signing for Liverpool after the midfielder's move from Sunderland was confirmed yesterday.

Henderson has put pen to paper on what the Merseyside club have described as a "long-term deal" having visited the Reds' Melwood training complex, undergone a medical and agreed personal terms on Wednesday. Liverpool has paid an undisclosed fee for the highly rated 20-year-old, with reports suggesting it could be up to £20m.

"I'm over the moon, overjoyed to be here and I'm really looking forward to it," said Henderson. "I was flattered to know Liverpool were interested in me and, once I knew, it was a massive decision for me to make but also a massive opportunity.

"Obviously it's hard to leave your local club. I'm a Sunderland lad, I've supported them all my life.

"But I'm really looking forward to the future now and obviously this is a massive opportunity for me. I'm really excited by it."

Henderson is Liverpool's first signing of the summer and -- following the captures of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez in January -- the third high-profile new recruit since Fenway Sports Group's takeover of the club and Kenny Dalglish's return as manager.

The Sunderland youth academy graduate made his Black Cats debut in a 5-0 defeat to Chelsea in November 2008. In total he has made 79 appearances for the Wearsiders, scoring five goals, and he also spent a spell on loan at Coventry in the 2008-09 season.

It had been thought Liverpool striker David Ngog might travel in the opposite direction as part of the transfer. He remains at Anfield for now, but Reds director of football Damien Comolli has indicated the 22-year-old could still be headed for the Stadium of Light.

Comolli Says He Consulted Gerrard Before Sanctioning Jordan Henderson Move

Damien Comolli has revealed he consulted Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard before making a move for Jordan Henderson.

The director of football has also disclosed French striker David Ngog – who not part of the transfer, despite speculation – is set to hold talks with Sunderland.

Comolli believes 20-year-old Henderson not only has the physical attributes but also the attitude to succeed - qualities Gerrard saw when the pair were on international duty together last year.

Henderson’s arrival at Anfield could spark more transfer activity says Comolli who is delighted to have secured his services.

“I spoke to Stevie about Jordan before we signed him,” said Comolli.

“Stevie was very positive because obviously they have been together in the England camp.

“I know Jordan really appreciated the fact he was able to play next to Stevie with England. He will learn from players like Jamie Carragher or Stevie or Dirk Kuyt. I think he looked into the history of the club as well.

“I’m very pleased because he was one of the targets we had and when you get your first target it’s always a good sign because you think the others will come through as well.

“He has got all the skills technically that we needed. He’s good with the ball, he’s creative, he’s got good passing, he’s physically very good.

“That’s everything we wanted in a midfielder and he’s versatile as well.

“For Kenny he will be the player we wanted.

“He’s very passionate about football, very committed, a top professional. He’s the type of player who’ll stay behind after training and do extra work.

“When you talk to him it’s not about money or anything related to off the pitch.

“Everything is on the pitch: where am I going to play, have I got a chance to play, where can I develop most as a player.

“Kenny and I were very impressed with that and his commitment and passion for the game.

Comolli added: “Sunderland have had a strong interest in David, so we’ve agreed to let David speak to Sunderland about his future to see if he’s interested in going there.

“They’ve expressed a strong interest, so we’ll see what’s next for him.”

Although there will be strong competition for first team places in the Liverpool midfield next season, Comolli says Henderson will not be held back.

“He is definitely a player for now,” he said.

“Obviously it’s up to Kenny to decide but we see him as a player for now.

“In all the talks Kenny had with him he said. ‘If you come you will be very, very, very much a part of my plans’.

“We know we are building for the future.

“We think he’s going to be a top player and that’s all that matters.”