Dalglish - No News On Deal

Kenny Dalglish insists there is still nothing to announce regarding his future as Liverpool manager.

The Scot returned to the Anfield hot-seat in January, answering an SOS call from the club following their decision to remove Roy Hodgson from the role.

A former fans' favourite from his playing days, Dalglish inherited the reins a decade after his previous spell as boss came to an end.

He enjoyed considerable success during his first stint as coach, between 1986 and 1991, and has sprinkled his magic dust on the Reds once more.

Results have improved dramatically since he replaced Hodgson, with there still a chance that Liverpool could secure a top-five finish this season.

The Anfield faithful are hoping Dalglish will be kept on for the foreseeable future, with his current deal only set to run until the end of the season.

It is expected that Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group, will offer him an extended stay, but for now no agreement has been put in place.

Dalglish said: "I have nothing to say and nothing to discuss. When we have some news, I will tell you.

"There is nothing to be announced. For me, it is an honour to be here and an honour to have been asked.

"I said if I could come back and help I would do. They asked me and I have come and if I helped and the supporters have enjoyed it, then so have I."

The Liverpool fans showed their support for Dalglish once again during Saturday's rousing 5-0 demolition of Birmingham and the 60-year-old is flattered by their ongoing show of faith.

He said: "It is humbling when they chant my name, but it would be better if they chanted the players' names as they are doing the business on the pitch."

Dirk Kuyt Believes A Few New Signings Will Allow Liverpool To Challenge For Premier League Title

A few more signings this summer will allow Liverpool to challenge for top honours again, according to in-form Dirk Kuyt.

The Dutchman netted Liverpool’s second goal in Saturday’s 5-0 victory of Birmingham City – a win which extended the Reds' unbeaten home record under caretaker manager Kenny Dalglish to eight games.

Since taking the helm at the club after Roy Hodgson’s January departure, Dalglish has rejuvenated performances and introduced a crop of youngsters into the first-team, which Kuyt believes will contribute to a bright future if the Scot is able to strengthen the squad.

"If we can add a few other good players I think we can compete with the best,” said Kuyt.

"It has a bit of the same feeling as 2009 when we were really close and finished second.

"I had the feeling that if we made a few good signings we would be right up there and that is exactly the case now.”

The Anfield squad list was re-written in January when Fernando Torres departed for Chelsea and strikers Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll were bought to fill the void - business which Kuyt believes has been complimented by the impact made by the club’s youngsters as the club looked to the academy to battle a growing injury list.

He added: "With the arrival of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll we have two top quality signings but also with the arrival of the young lads who are doing well things are looking much more promising.

"Everyone is speaking about Flanno and Robbo [full-backs John Flanagan and Jack Robinson] but Jay Spearing is also doing well.”

Kuyt’s strike in the victory over Alex McLeish’s men was his seventh goal in six Barclays Premier League outings and the 30-year-old is confident that the strong second half of the season enjoyed by the Reds along with a good group work ethic will bring success to Anfield next season.

"We have already shown in the second half of the season we can beat Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and draw at Arsenal,” said the former Feyenord striker.

"We are close but everyone is thinking we have to move forward and we have to get better.

"Hopefully we have learned from 2009 and if we can move forward we will be there and the way I see it that will happen."

Dalglish And Comolli ‘Outline’ £50m War Chest

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish and director of football Damien Comolli have outlined up to 22 targets in their pursuit of a Champions League winning squad for next season, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Dalglish has already revealed that despite a great quantity of emerging young talent at Liverpool, investment will need to take place to take the Anfield club in the direction of winning trophies once more.

According to reports, Liverpool is currently looking at purchasing a striker, left-back, a cover at centre back and as many midfield signings as possible, to provide feeders to new Liverpool star strikers Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez.

With Carroll and Suarez costing a combined total of £58 million, Dalglish reportedly believes he will get at least a £50 million budget to build a super side around the strikers.

And with numerous successful commercial deals taking place at Liverpool recently, including a £25 million a year deal with Warrior for Liverpool kits, as well as a lucrative sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered, speculation is growing that Liverpool will have the money that Dalglish is hoping for.

Dalglish and Comolli’s transfer wishlist includes mostly 18-24 year olds, and both reportedly have chosen Rennes winger Sylvian Marveaux at the top of the pile.

Hammers Linked With Cole Move

West Ham is being linked with a summer swoop for Joe Cole, who could be surplus to requirements at Liverpool.

After just one season for the Reds Liverpool are said to be preparing to part company with Cole after the former Chelsea ace failed to make an impact and has started just eight league games.

The Hammers are being linked with the player as are Spurs as he would apparently prefer a move back to London but it is highly unlikely that either side would be prepared to pay the reported asking price of £10m.

Liverpool are thought to want around that figure for a player who cost them nothing but is thought to earn around £100,000 a week at Anfield, after a largely anonymous season it is unlikely they will get it.

As with all their supposed summer targets West Ham will not be able to finalize any transfer dealings until they know whether they are in the Premier League or not next season.

Liverpool Plan Ambitious £9m Arsenal Star Bid

Liverpool is reportedly planning an ambitious move to sign Arsenal left back Gael Clichy. Contract talks between the French international and the North London club have broken down and with one year left year on his Gunners deal Anfield director of football Damien Comolli is hoping to lure the 25 year old to Merseyside.

The left back area has been something of a problem this season with Paul Konchesky starting the season as first choice before being loaned out to Nottingham Forest after failing to impress. Emiliano Insua is also out on loan and injury to Fabio Aurelio has led to the emergence of teenager Jack Robinson as a player with a great deal of potential, however Kenny Dalglish is still looking for a player to fill the hole.

After eight years at Arsenal Clichy is reportedly considering his future and given that Arsene Wenger has ready made replacements in England international Kieran Gibbs and Armand Traore the French boss may be willing to allow the former Cannes man to leave.

Liverpool may find it hard to convince Clichy to move to a club who is unlikely to offer Champions League football for next term but having seen the sharp upturn in fortunes under Dalglish and the fact that the club is under new ownership, seemingly eager to bring in big names, a move to Anfield may tempt the Toulouse born full back.

Liverpool will be looking to strengthen their squad following the big money signings of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll in January and a fee for Clichy would be significantly decreased by the fact that in one year he could leave for nothing.

Cole Linked With Spurs Switch

After just one season, Liverpool are said to be preparing to part company with Joe Cole with Spurs said to be keen.

A summer signing last season, the former Chelsea ace has failed to make an impact at the club and he has started only eight league games this season and a move back to London looks to be on the cards.

Both West Ham and Spurs have been linked, Spurs were said to be in the race to signing him on a free last summer and West ham is where he first made his name in the game.

Liverpool are thought to want around £8-10m for a man who cost them nothing but is thought to earn around £100,000 a week at Anfield, however, after a largely anonymous season, it remains to be seen whether any club would be willing to pay that sort of money.

Liverpool Close To Poaching City’s €18M Mercurial Free Kick Specialist Target

Reports coming from our friends in Italy today suggest that Damien Comolli has joined Roberto Mancini in identifying left winger Juan Manuel Vargas as a potential signing for this Summer. The one time left back is currently plying his trade for Fiorentina and since moving to left wing has garnered some rave reviews.

Mancini must be looking to collect a plethora of left footed players with him already having Adam Johnson and David Silva on the books who can play from the left. Vargas who is also a free kick specialist began life as a left back, but really struggled there and was shifted to the left wing…sound familiar City fans? He has been long linked with Real Madrid so should City decide to move for the player they could face stiff competition.

Vargas began his career playing in his native Peru, before he quickly moved to Argentina where he began to make a name for himself. When he was 23 he moved to Europe to Serie A side Catania, his performances were so good there that the side managed to avoid relegation twice and in 2008 it appeared that he would move to Real Madrid in a big money move. This however never happened and instead he signed for Fiorentina in a deal worth £8million.

After a shaky start where he was deployed at left back, he began to demonstrate his attacking ability as a left winger and he soon became a star performer. The player is noted for being extremely quick and an exciting dribbler, he more or less plays as a third striker at times for his club, and has been described as one of the best crossers of a ball currently playing.

Radio Tuscany and newspaper Libero claim that City was leading the race to sign the player despite facing new competition from both Liverpool and Barcelona. The media outlets suggest that tentative discussions had taken place between Fiorentina and the Manchester club and that a fee of around £17.4million was mooted.

Providing Mancini isn’t considering Vargas as a left back I can see this being an excellent signing. At numerous times this season City have lacked pace down the wings and the Peruvian would definitely supply that. If Edin Dzeko is going to fire next season he needs the right kind of delivery and a crosser of Vargas’ ability would be a great assistance. With Adam Johnson down the right and David Silva and/or Carlos Tevez roaming around I think it is a signing that could really aid the City attacking unit.

The only doubts in my mind are that the player is remarkably similar to Aleksandar Kolarov in some ways and we know how that ended up, if this is a signing to strengthen the side at leftback I can see many City fans getting more frustrated with their Italian manager.

The price of this player (what a surprise) is only set to escalate with the interest of top end clubs. The right price is probably in the region of €13million but if this three way interest is sustained it will be pushing the €20million mark.

Adam Favours Liverpool Over Man Utd, Spurs

Liverpool are launching a bid for Blackpool captain Charlie Adam.

The Daily Star Sunday says Adam, 25, is understood to favour a move to Kenny Dalglish's club in the summer, when he will have only one year left on his contract at Bloomfield Road.

A proposed move to Liverpool collapsed in January, when he was also a target for Tottenham and Aston Villa.

The talented Adam has also been eyed by Everton and has been watched by Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Whether Blackpool survive relegation from the Premier League or not, the midfielder will leave in the summer.

Stats The Way For Liverpool

Liverpool Director of football Damien Comolli has highlighted the qualities of potential target Blaise Matuidi.

The Saint Etienne midfielder has been linked with a summer move to Anfield as part of the anticipated wave of summer signings.

Comolli is set to use the aide of statistics to help him decide on which players will make the grade at Liverpool.

"In France, all the figures prove that the player who wins the most possession at the feet of his opponents is Blaise Matuidi," Comolli told the News of the World.

"That is an extraordinary strong point. When the team plays high, it means a goal chance."

Comolli believes his new policy has already paid dividends as it was used to sign Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez in January and to facilitate the sale of Fernando Torres.

In regards to Suarez, who has become an instant hit at Anfield, his due diligence appears to have been faultless.

"When you find yourself handling three of the biggest transfers in English football history in the last days of the market, precise figures allow you not to do that blind," he added.

"You have to act quickly. For Luis, I asked scouts to make inquiries in Holland. I looked at his stats over the last three years - especially the number of matches played.

"We are going in the right direction of players who don't get injured. We are going to take more and more account of the health of a player in the future. It costs so much having players who don't play.

"With Luis, we took account of the number of decisive passes, his performances against the big teams, against the little ones, in Europe, the difference between his goals scored at home and away."

Rush Takes Reds Into Korea

Liverpool legend Ian Rush today flew into the Korean capital of Seoul to participate in a three-day Standard Chartered and K-League-sponsored youth football clinic.

Accompanied by eight Liverpool coaches, Rush will spend his time in Korea helping to pass on some of his considerable football knowledge to 100 of the country's most gifted young players. Another 100 local children will also receive expert coaching in the 'Liverpool way' during the clinic with many visually impaired youngsters also receiving special guidance from the LFC staff.

For Standard Chartered, who as well as being the main sponsor of Liverpool FC, also sponsor the youth development program of the national K-League, this week is the perfect opportunity to bring the two together for the obvious long-term benefit of the Korean football scene.

This week's clinic in Seoul is the third such venture for Liverpool FC and Standard Chartered since the sponsorship deal began in July 2010. In August last year, Nairobi in Kenya was the setting for the first joint football clinic attended by 200 local children, some from Kibera, one of the poorest slums in Africa. In February, east London was the venue for another highly successful project, with many visually impaired children receiving hours of specialized training from Liverpool's Community Coaches and England greatest ever blind international, David Clarke.

Ian Rush has been present at both football clinics so far and believes that this trip could be the best yet. "I've spent a lot of time in the Far East recently and it still amazes me just how much love there is for Liverpool Football Club over here," he says. "Wherever I go, I meet fans who have grown up supporting the team I played in and have passed that affection down to their children and now they seem just as passionate as their parents. We've only just arrived in Korea but already I've spoken to fans who've told me how pleased they are Liverpool Football Club is coming here in the summer with the first team.

"Hopefully this week with the football clinic, we can actually help try and develop some of the young players from the K-League. If we can improve just one player by even a few per cent then that will be good for the game here.

"In Kenya and London, we saw kids with big smiles on their faces and I'm sure it will be the same in Seoul. Every young boy wants to make it as a professional footballer but as long as they enjoy what we do this week then that will be a success for me. Liverpool Football Club has brought me so much happiness during my career in football and now I'm just delighted to try and share what makes Liverpool Football Club so special with our fans all over the world."