Liverpool FC Price Tag Too High

The attempt by Liverpool FC’s owners to sell up to a Kuwaiti consortium have stalled because Tom Hicks and George Gillett are putting too high a value on the club, it has been claimed.

“Things are going really badly because they are asking for too much,” said Abdulla Al-Sager, who’s among the potential investors headed by Kuwait’s Al-Kharafi family.

Al- Sager and Rafed Al-Kharafi were guests of the Americans at Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Chelsea last month.

Tom Hicks and George Gillett have valued the club at around £500m, but may yet have to lower their expectations.

The impetus to sell increases by the day, as the pair’s current re-financing loan of £350m with Royal Bank of Scotland, taken out when they bought the club two years ago, expires in July.

“I don’t think anything will happen unless we get a better price, but we are still talking,” Al-Sager added.

A spokesman for Mr Hicks has declined to comment.

The Al-Kharafis, one of oil-rich Kuwait’s wealthiest families, are not the only investors Hicks and Gillett are talking to.

They are also understood to have been discussing a full or partial sale with another investment group in the Middle East and one in the USA.

Hyypia Issues Euro Warning

Sami Hyypia has warned his Liverpool team-mates not to underestimate Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

The Reds defender is wary of complacency seeping into the squad following their impressive 1-0 win in Spain during the first leg of their last-16 encounter.

A dramatic late goal from Yossi Benayoun handed Rafa Benitez's men a priceless advantage at Santiago Bernabeu.

Hyypia believes Liverpool can take plenty of positives from that memorable night, but has reminded his colleagues that their task is only half done.

"We have got a lead to protect which is important and we know that if we play as well at Anfield as we did over there then we should be okay," the Finnish defender said in the Liverpool Echo.

"It will still be difficult because it is just half-time in the tie so there is still a lot of football to be played.

"Real are a top side and they will be looking forward to coming to Anfield and hoping to get an away goal of their own, so we will have to be very careful."

Sean McGuire: One Battle That Rick Parry Just Didn’t Budget For

Rafael Benitez secured his first back-to-back victories at Anfield on Tuesday night since October’s wins against Wigan and Portsmouth.

But Liverpool fans should only be cheering one of the wins. His defeat of Rick Parry is a clear sign that the mantra of no man being bigger than the club can be consigned – like classy Scottish centre-backs and midfielders with moustaches – to a bygone age.

It has been suggested that Benitez had wanted a bigger say in one or two budgetary matters at Anfield, and that his request was denied.

In this regard he is following Bill Shankly who once said: “At a football club, there’s a holy trinity – the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don’t come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques.”

But times have changed. Chairmen are now businessmen not philanthropists. And the sums involved aren’t significant, they are monumental.

And that is why club managers should be given a budget. That is, a finite amount of money to spend on the acquisition of new players, the support staff they employ, the recruitment of junior players and all the other bits and pieces they need to prepare the team to play.

If they had a better grip on the quite incredible costs of maintaining a first class professional sports club – and I am talking only of the playing side – I think they would develop a much harder attitude towards the level of performance they require, on a weekly basis, from some extremely highly paid and very cosseted athletes.

On top of all that, if disastrous deals like the sale of Robbie Keane at a huge loss where then done, the manager would quickly see the effects of that in his budget.

He would have less money in the kitty, just like any other business budget holder, and he would have to exercise great care in his dealings in the transfer market in the future.

If that is the kind of budget control that Rafa, and other managers want, then I say to club bosses, let them have it without delay.

But if it is the other type of budget they want, the one common among teenagers who want their own money and then some more whenever they want to buy something they want but can’t afford, and for the money to be handed over without comment on how wisely it’s spent, then clubs should say no.

However, the manner of the Parry’s departure means the next chief executive is unlikely to feel able to exercise that level of cost control – and for that, the club will be poorer.

Mascherano Wants Reds Consistency

Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano says Liverpool need to improve their form before they can think of a Premier League title challenge this season.

The Reds are seven points behind leaders Manchester United.

"We are not too close to Manchester United but we have to still fight to see what happens," said Mascherano.

"It’s important we don't look at the league classification. We need to concentrate and try to win games and see what happens."

Liverpool beat Sunderland 2-0 at Anfield on Tuesday with the 24-year-old filling in at right-back.

But the 24-year-old says he will play in any position as long as it is in the best interest of the squad.

"I try to think about the team," added Masherano. "If the team need me in that position I will try to do my best.

"Where I play the best is in the centre of midfield, but you never know if we are going to have injuries to players like Alvaro Arbeloa and Phillipe Degan.

"We don't have any players who can play on the right of defence, so I don't have any problems playing there."

Torres: I Won't Quit Liverpool If Benitez Leaves

Fernando Torres has insisted his future is at Liverpool even if Rafael Benitez does leave the club at the end of the season.

Benitez hopes to sign a new deal at Anfield but is yet to put pen to paper - even though he has less than 18 months of his current contract to run.

Chief executive Rick Parry's exit and the fact Liverpool's co-owners have been told it will make the club easier to sell if Benitez stays makes it more likely the Spaniard will prolong his Anfield tenure.

But, even if Benitez does go, Spain forward Torres insists his own future at Anfield was not tied to that of manager.

'My future is tied with Liverpool, because I still have four years left to run on my contract,' he said.

'Therefore, should Rafa leave, I will stay on and fulfill my contract with the club. My wish is that Rafa extends his contract with Liverpool. I cannot think about how a possible departure might affect me, because it hasn't happened yet, and I don't like wasting time thinking about ifs and buts.'

Torres is also confident he will be fit for the club's crucial clashes in Europe and at home in the next 10 days.

The Reds take on Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie looking to progress with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg at the Bernabeu, and then face Manchester United in the Premier League in a match they have to win to have any hope of catching their bitter north-west rivals.

Torres has not played since he suffered an ankle injury in that Madrid victory, but revealed last night he is optimistic about returning next week.

'I hope to be available for both of the matches because they will be two great games,' he said.

'The ankle injury has been giving me some trouble and the recovery process is taking longer than I hoped.

'However, I am quite optimistic that I will be ready for the match versus Real Madrid, and if the ankle holds out, I will also be at Old Trafford.'

Torres does not accept the claim that his injury problems this season have cost Liverpool their chance of winning the Premier League title, adding: 'I don't think that I'm to blame for the injuries, it forms part of the game. I have suffered three muscular injuries during the first three months of the competition, and now I have picked up an ankle injury.

'I don't think that my injury should be considered as a reason for Liverpool not winning the league. Although following a couple of poor results we have lost touch with Manchester United at the top, the team has done well this season. The league though is still alive, but Man United are looking strong and they are not dropping points.'

Youngster Seeking Loan Move

Robbie Threlfall is looking to get himself another loan move away from Liverpool before the closure of the Football League loan transfer window.

The young defender is highly thought of at Anfield but after a loan spell already this season the left back is looking for another spell away to get more first team football, as Robbie explained to skysports.com:

'I would be interested in going out on loan again if the opportunity arises. I am back training at Liverpool and I just want to play football on a regular basis.

'I enjoyed my time at Stockport and I would like the chance to go out and get some experience under my belt.'

A month long loan spell with Stockport has recently ended but sending Threlfall out on loan to a Championship, League One or League Two side for the rest of the season could be the best thing that the Reds could do for his future development.

The full back areas are areas that we have struggled with, and in particular the left back position, so maybe in time Threlfall can prove the answer?

Being one of our own products coming through would make his success, if that were the case, even better.

Emiliano Insua: I Now Have To Prove Myself Again At Liverpool FC

Emiliano Insua admits he will have to prove himself all over again if he is to regain his left-back slot on a permanent basis.

The 20-year-old made his first appearance since returning from the South American Under-20 Championships in the 2-0 Premier League win over Sunderland on Tuesday.

Before he flew out to Venezuela to represent Argentina in the tournament Insua had made the left-back slot his own with a series of solid performances.

Liverpool won four of the five games he appeared in and drew the other at Arsenal – but Insua insists he had no option but to abandon his flourishing club career.

And now he is back in the first team picture he is aware of the need to step up his work-rate to re-establish himself in a position that Fabio Aurielo and Andrea Dossena are ready to fight for.

“It’s a tough level because it’s the best league in the world,” Insua said. “Playing for Liverpool is even tougher because this team always has to play to win. You also have many players who play for their national teams.

“But I came back from the tournament in South America two weeks ago and I’m back training with the first team.

“I’ll just keep training hard and keep trying to show the boss that I’m good enough.

“It was a difficult decision for me to go away because I’d played four consecutive games but you have to say yes to the national team. I spoke with Rafa and he told me to go.

“I missed some important games like Everton and Chelsea but now I have to think about the future.

“I’ve had a few games and I think I’ve done quite well. Playing with the first team has given me a chance to improve.

“The manager gave me a lot of confidence. He told me to keep calm when I play and afterwards he encouraged me to keep going.”

I'm Not To Blame For Liverpool's Slump, Claims Torres

Fernando Torres has rejected the suggestions of his Liverpool manager, Rafael Benítez, that his injuries have cost Liverpool their chance of winning the Premier League title this season.

The striker, who hopes to be fit to face Real Madrid in the Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday with Liverpool holding a one-goal advantage from the first leg, said: "I don't think that my injury should be considered as a reason for Liverpool not winning the league.

Although following a couple of poor results we have lost touch with Manchester United at the top, the team has done well this season.

The league though is still alive, but United are looking strong and they are not dropping points. [But] I don't think that I'm to blame for the injuries, it forms part of the game."

The Spain forward insisted his future on Merseyside was not dependent on Benítez remaining at the club.

"My future is tied with Liverpool, because I still have four years left to run on my contract," he said. "Therefore, should Rafa leave, I will stay on and fulfill my contract with the club.

My wish is that Rafa extends his contract with Liverpool. I cannot think about how a possible departure might affect me, because it hasn't happened yet, and I don't like wasting time thinking about ifs and buts."