Liverpool FC Confident Of Signing Gareth Barry

Liverpool remain confident of sealing the signature of Gareth Barry despite his return to pre-season training with Aston Villa today.

That is also despite Arsenal monitoring the Barry situation after the Gunners joined the race to sign the midfield ace.

Villa released a statement last night confirming their captain – who they value at £18m – would return to their Bodymoor Heath HQ this morning.

It came less than a fortnight after Martin O’Neill fined Barry a reported two weeks’ wages and declared he wouldn’t be allowed back to training after the player publicly criticised his manager for the handling of the transfer saga a fortnight ago.

But with O’Neill also admitting Arsenal have asked to kept informed of Barry’s status, he is aware of the need to avoid too much disruption to his pre-season preparations.

Villa have accepted the midfielder’s desire for Champions League football but know that he will only yield their asking price if he is kept to the peak of his fitness during the summer.

Barry’s return to training is merely more evidence that his club are prepared to accept his departure for something more in the region of the £15m Liverpool are prepared to pay.

Manager Rafael Benitez is reluctant to abandon the deal at this stage and is pondering a fifth bid as Arsenal’s interest gathers momentum.

But his chances of netting both Barry and Tottenham striker Robbie Keane still hinge on pushing through a big-money departure to subsidise his outlay.

Those hopes were dealt an emphatic blow yesterday when Juventus confirmed they are not in the market for any more players after Monday’s capture of the Danish international Christian Poulsen, thus calling off their pursuit of Xabi Alonso.

“If I have to be honest, unless something extraordinary happens, we can say that we have concluded our transfer activity,” said Juve president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli.

Alonso may well attract interest from Premier League clubs despite his £14m asking price. Allowing him to leave for much less would defeat the object of selling him to raise funds.

Liverpool Must Bid Big For Keane

If Liverpool really do want Tottenham Hotspur striker Robbie Keane, they will have to be prepared to bid up to £20million for the Irishman.

According to The Sun, Liverpool must offer big money for Spurs striker Robbie Keane.

The newspaper reckons Tottenham are prepared to sell their talismanic striker, provided the price is right.

It says Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is "waiting for an offer he can't refuse from Liverpool," and that means around £20million, a fairly astronomical figure which the Reds will almost certainly baulk at paying, given that Fernando Torres cost them only a little more than that - and that the Anfield club are reluctant to meet Aston Villa's £18 million asking price for long-time target Gareth Barry.

Barry's position at Villa has become strained if not unsustainable since he was barred from the club's facilities, with Liverpool continuing to haggle over that £18m price tag. and Arsenal apparently poised to move on with a bid.

So Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez seems unlikely to meet Tottenham's asking price for boyhood Reds fans Keane, suggesting that Spurs will have to lower that price to do business - or keep an unsettled player at White Hart Lane.

Mark Lawrensen: Bringing In Goal Machine Must Be Top Of Agenda

With a month to go until the new Premier League season ask yourself this: As it stands, have Liverpool for the players that can score the goals to give them the title?

Personally, I don’t think they have. My biggest bug-bear with Liverpool is that they need to realise it’s okay to lose some games as long as you’re trying to win them.

Put another way, the defence is fine, especially now Daniel Agger is back. So forget playing things safe because that’s where draws come from – and Liverpool had far too many of those last year.

They took only one point from almost a third of their games but draws mean nothing now. When it was two points for a win, a draw was half a win but now it’s a third, it’s worthless. Especially when Manchester United and Chelsea are winning so many week-in, week-out.

So my point is, who is going to make sure that if Liverpool go all out to win games that they will score the goals to ensure it happens?

Obvious answer is Fernando Torres.

But 33 goals weren’t enough to sustain a challenge last year and the odds are he won’t score that many again this season. He needs help.

And what if he falls over at Sunderland on the opening day of the season and is out for months?

Now Peter Crouch has gone that currently leaves Andriy Voronin and Dirk Kuyt – and he can’t really be trusted to come in and bang the goals in as he’s been more used to a role wide on the right.

There is of course the possibility of Robbie Keane coming in but good player though he is, he’s more of a streaky scorer.

He’ll go on a run and get 10 in 10 but the that’s half his average season’s tally gone in one go.

He can’t guarantee the kind of regular goalscoring Torres was making a habit last season.

I have to admit that being negative this early on isn’t always wise – I’m sure Rafael Benitez does have some ideas up his sleeve for when the market speeds up.

The Spaniard David Silva would be an exciting addition and although that is unlikely to come off, at least some-one of that ilk would at least get Liverpool some way towards matching the top two in terms of firepower.

But at the moment I think it must be a worry for the Anfield faithful that there isn’t that kind of player they can pinpoint as being good enough to turn them into genuine contenders.

And with Javier Mascherano and Ryan Babel looking set for the Olympics it could be a very tricky start to the season if Benitez is unable to boost his forward line before the big kick-off.

It’s even got to the stage where I’m reading reports of Jermaine Pennant leaving for Blackburn and being concerned about losing him.

After all, he’s quick and creative and in terms of players who can operate in the vital wide areas he is an option.

And Benitez is going to have to gather an awful lot of those in the next month.

Torres Targets Liverpool Captaincy

Liverpool's Spanish sensation Fernando Torres has vowed not to become complacent after he managed to top his record-smashing debut season in England by scoring the goal which ended his country's 44 year trophy drought.

The 24-year old moved to Anfield from Atletico Madrid in a £22 million deal last summer, and despite doubts from several leading pundits, went on to score 33 times for The Reds in his debut campaign.

His transition from the Estadio Vicente Calderon to Anfield has been so seamless, that he even has designs of succeeding Steven Gerrard as captain of the storied Merseyside club one day.

Torres told The Mirror: "I really admire Steven Gerrard because I know the pressure he is under every day, everybody talking about him all day long, in changing rooms, in the pubs, in the stadium.

"I've heard people say that he should be stronger, have a stronger personality. And I know from experience how difficult it is to deal with all that. He is at another level of course, because Liverpool is a huge club.

"But I was captain of my team from a very young age and I know everybody was talking about me. I could feel it. I could see it out of the corner of my eye - especially when things weren't going right.

"People look at you from a distance and challenge you with their eyes. All that happens every day to Stevie and he copes with it - he copes with everything that is expected of him all the time.

"He's always under tremendous pressure to perform and everyone looks to him to show leadership, to lift the team.

"He has been a great example to everyone and those of us who have been in a similar situation know how difficult it is to handle.

It's incredible how he carries himself regardless of what's going on."

"I'd love to be captain one day - Steven has shown me how to be a great leader."

Torres also was keen to give Rafa Benitez credit for his career reaching a whole new stratosphere over the past year.

"Rafa has taught me to demand a lot of myself daily, not to relax. When you are in a team where things are going mostly well, players tend to relax.

"But you must always push yourself and never become complacent, try to do your best every single day. At a club like Liverpool, you can't sit back after scoring 20-odd goals and say, 'Well, that's it'.

"After you score 20, Benitez is on at you during the next training session and stays on top of you all day, all week. He tells you to go off on your own and do new exercises.

"There are days when you think, "My God, this guy does not let you breathe'. At times like that you don't realise that all he wants is for you to improve.

"I want to progress in life, not relax, not be complacent. And you need someone close to you telling you to keep at it. It is impossible to do it otherwise.

"We don't always fancy having someone like that so close. But in the long term, I'm sure everybody will thank him for it."

Toon In For Insua

Newcastle United are thought to be keen on a loan move for Liverpool's promising full-back, Emiliano Insua.

The Argentine was kept at Anfield for this coming season supposedly under express orders from manager Rafael Benitez, but the Toon are still hopeful of securing his services, if only for a year on loan.

With new signing Andrea Dossena and Fabio Aurelio more established internationals in Insua's position, the move may remain an outside possibility, particularly as John-Arne Riise has left for Roma.

The 19-year-old would most likely head straight into the Magpies' starting line-up ahead of Jose Enrique, who has failed to live up to his £6.3 million billing from Villarreal.

Nicky Shorey of relegated Reading and Wayne Bridge, Ashley Cole's deputy at Chelsea, are other targets being eyed up by the Toon.

"I've got to sign another left-back, as I've only got one at the club," said coach Kevin Keegan.

"That's not to say I don't fancy Jose [Enrique], I do, but I need another left-back."

Rovers To Replace Bentley With Pennant?

With Blackburn Rovers looking increasingly likely to have to sell winger David Bentley, however reluctantly, Liverpool's Jermaine Pennant is emerging as their main target to replace him.

Blackburn Rovers manager Paul Ince is being tipped to make a move for Liverpool midfielder Jermaine Pennant as soon as David Bentley leaves Ewood Park, which is looking increasingly imminent.

According to The Independent, Tottenham Hotspur have offered Rovers a range of player options as makeweights in their bid to secure Bentley's signature, but Blackburn are said only to be interested in cash - and apparently they see Pennant as a ready-made replacement.

Pennant, who like Bentley was developed at Arsenal but couldn't command a regular starting place in Arsene Wenger's side, has been told by Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez that he can leave Anfield.

He would be happy to join Ince's exciting new project at Ewood, but Liverpool will demand £6million for the 25-year-old. Rovers, though, are reportedly prepared to pay no more than £4million at this stage, so there could be some hard bargaining ahead.

Ironically, earlier in the summer Liverpool were one of the clubs being most strongly linked with a move for Bentley.

Satisfied Juve Rule Out Alonso

The chances of seeing Xabi Alonso in a Bianconeri jersey have dropped dramatically after Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli confirmed that the club's summer spending is over.

Cobolli Gigli's comments come a day after Juve manager Claudio Ranieri announced that Christian Poulsen would be their last addition ahead of next season.

The fact that the Dane plays the same position as long-term Juve target Alonso combined with the club's announcement means that if the Spaniard is to leave Liverpool in the summer it almost certainly won't be for Turin.

"We will not make any other buys. We have opted for the Dane because we have a very strong attack and needed a wall in the midfield," the Juve chief told local reporters.

"Everyone knows that the transfer market ends on August 31," but if I have to be honest, unless something extraordinary happens, we can say that we have concluded our transfer activity.

"I am convinced that we have made a good choice by acquiring Christian Poulsen," he added.

"This signing is not a bet made by (Claudio) Ranieri but rather a tactical decision taken by Juventus, knowing that a powerful attack can only be supported by a strong midfield."

Gigli's comments also have a direct impact on the future of Inter midfielder Dejan Stankovic, who was all set to join Juventus last month only for the fans to effectively veto the deal through an online protest which the club simply could not ignore.

Hyypia Not Afraid Of Competition As Agger Finally Plans To Return From Injury

Liverpool veteran Sami Hyypia today welcomed back young rival Daniel Agger from his 10-month injury nightmare and vowed to fight for his first team place.

Hyypia, 35 in October, has a new one-year contract and the chance to complete a remarkable 10 years at Anfield in style before considering his future options.

And the big Finnish defender figured in over 44 matches for the club last season when 23-year-old Agger was out with a metatarsal injury.

But although Agger made his comeback in Saturday's 1-0 friendly win at Tranmere, and would expect to become first-choice as the season progresses, Hyypia has promised the young Dane that he will be battling to keep his place in the team.

He said: 'It's nice to have him fit because players always want to play and it will have been hard for Daniel to deal with not being fit for so long.

'It must have been devastating for him to be out for almost a whole season.

'It is not something I would really know about because I have never suffered that kind of thing but I'm sure it was very difficult for him.

'But I am really glad that he is back and he can help the team to win trophies.

'I am sure the manager is happy because it means he has five centre-backs to choose from now.

'That means we all have to fight for our place but that is the way it has always been at Liverpool and this season will be no different.

'It is good to have that kind of challenge, though. I will be fighting for my place and I am sure the other defenders will be doing exactly the same.'

And Brazilian full-back Fabio Aurelio underlines the strong competition there will be in Liverpool's defence now that boss Rafael Benitez has brought in two new full-backs, Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena.

Both made their debuts at Tranmere, and Aurelio told liverpoolfc.tv: 'At a club like Liverpool there is always massive competition to get into the starting XI because of the players we have for each position, but that is good and it can only improve the team.

'We are trying to fight for every title and we have more possibilities this season.'

Carson In Talks With Stoke

Scott Carson is holding talks with Stoke City after Liverpool accepted a £3.5million bid for the goalkeeper, according to Sky Sports News.

Carson moved to Anfield from Leeds in January 2005, but has been unable to force his way into Rafa Benitez's first-team plans.

He spent all of last season on loan at Aston Villa, after a similar arrangement with Charlton Athletic for the duration of the previous campaign.

The Whitehaven-born shot-stopper was handed his competitive England debut for the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia at Wembley last November.

But he endured an evening to forget as his early howler handed Slaven Bilic's side an early advantage, with the visitors going on to record a 3-2 triumph in the Wembley rain to deny England a place at Austria and Switzerland.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis has been scouring the market for a new goalkeeper this summer and it will be something of a transfer coup if he can bring Carson to the Britannia Stadium.

Villa considered a deal to make their former loan star's move permanent, while West Brom and Middlesbrough were also credited with an interest in the No.1.

Reds Starlet Set For Loan Move

Liverpool starlet Robbie Threlfall is set for a loan move away from Anfield as Rafa Benitez looks for him to gain valuable first team experience.

The 19-year-old full-back is highly regarded at Anfield having come through the youth ranks and recently signed a three-year deal at the club.

Threlfall had a spell with Hereford last season and Benitez is keen to send him out on loan again as he continues his policy of farming out his best young players to aid their development.

The Reds have made the talented left-back available for loan and the news has alerted a number of clubs north and south of the border.

A couple of League One sides and SPL clubs are believed to be tracking the defender as they look to secure his services.

Threlfall is looking forward to the chance of moving out on loan as he looks to get regular action under his belt.

"I have been informed that Liverpool are willing to let me go out on loan and I am relishing the prospect of playing on a regular basis," Threlfall told skysports.com.

"I am aware of some interest in me and I am prepared to go anywhere to continue my development.

"I believe going out on loan will prove a valuable experience in my bid to establish myself in the Liverpool first team in the future."

Sissoko - Xabi Happy With Reds

Mohamed Sissoko has cast further doubt on Xabi Alonso's proposed move from Liverpool to Juventus.

Sissoko made such a move himself in January but believes the Spaniard is happy at Anfield.

His comments come as the transfer of the £16million rated midfielder appears to have stalled.

Sissoko told Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport: "Yes, I have talked to him.

"And he told me he is happy at Liverpool."

Sissoko could instead link up with Sevilla midfielder Christian Poulsen as the Bianconeri look set to pay the player's 10million euro contract release clause.

The Denmark international has already agreed personal terms and is set to be confirmed after a medical on Monday.

Some Juve fans are unhappy with the signing but Sissoko believes the pair can form a solid partnership in the Juventus midfield.

He said: "We have different characteristics. In fact I think our styles can fit together very well, as can our qualities.

"He gets stuck in more and also scores more goals. There's no doubling up.

"Certain choices don't depend on me, but here there's space also for Poulsen."

He added: "I want to win the Scudetto. We are strong and we have the quality to improve still further.

"Now it's up to us, we have a great desire to win, we have a pile of dreams, we want to achieve them all."

Lee - We Can Be Champs Again

Sammy Lee believes Liverpool can get back to their glory days in the league.

The Reds assistant manager - who was part of the famous Liverpool sides that lifted the league in the early 80s - returned to Anfield earlier in the summer as boss Rafa Benitez's right-hand man.

He knows how much the club wants a first-ever Premier League crown, and believes they are not far off achieving this aim.

While the Reds will have to overhaul Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal for top spot, Lee believes they can better these sides.

He told the club's official website: "They are three very good teams. Only results will prove whether I'm right or wrong, but I feel that we need to be looking to be not just as good as, but better than those three.

"We just need that little stroke of luck, that little attention to detail, and you never know.

"We are not that far away and I feel we have proven on many occasions over the past four or five years that we can be better than them. Not as good as - but better."

Liverpool came within 11 points of eventual champions Manchester United last term, their nearest finish since 2002.

Lee added: "That shows we are getting closer. I have never been one for making promises. There are enough people out there who give promises and I would never do that.

"But what I would say is that I feel we are going in the right way. I feel with just a little bit of tweaking here and there we will not be far off.

"Only time will tell, but what I will say is that everyone is striving and working hard to try and make sure that we can close that gap and overhaul it."

Lee is delighted to be back at Liverpool - who he left in 2004 to take up an England role - after a stint as Bolton manager did not work out last term.

He added: "It's not easy to get back into the game, so to get the chance to come back here was the greatest honour I could ever receive.

"To be perfectly honest, it wasn't very easy for me to leave here in the first place - I just thought it was the right thing to do at that particular moment in time.

"I was very proud and very honoured to be given the Bolton manager's job and it was great to work with Sam Allardyce, it really was.

"That sense of pride and honour was only outweighed by the sense of disappointment that it didn't go well.

"I wanted to do well, but everybody was superb. The fans at Bolton were fantastic both to me, my family and the players at that time. I think they saw what we were trying to do, even if the results didn't mirror that."

He added he was disappointed that some people only saw him as ever being a number two.

"I don't think that's true. I thought I'd served an apprenticeship as a coach, reserve team coach, first team coach, assistant manager - it's not a natural progression but I thought it was part of my apprenticeship," said Lee, who has not ruled out a return to management.

"I have to be careful when I say I'd like to be a manager again because people might think I want to do it here when the top man's already here and doing a terrific job, or people might think I'm angling to go somewhere else when I'm not.

"At this precise moment in time, all I'm looking for is to try and do the best I can for Liverpool Football Club, to be a good help to Rafa and the players and to try and get us back to where I certainly believe we belong."

Daniel Agger To Fight For Liverpool FC Place

Daniel Agger has vowed to fight for his first-team place after returning from his injury nightmare against Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.

The Denmark international, who played for 75 minutes of the 1-0 victory at Prenton Park, has missed almost 10 months of football with metatarsal problems, with his previous appearance for Liverpool coming against Portsmouth last September.

Agger’s absence has been offered up as an excuse for the Anfield outfit’s failure to challenge for the title last season by his manager Rafael Benitez, who was left with just two senior centre-backs, Sami Hyypia and vice captain Jamie Carragher.

Martin Skrtel was recruited for £6.5m in the January transfer window as cover, with the imposing Slovakian defender impressing in the end of season run-in alongside Carragher as Liverpool reached the semi-final of the Champions League.

And now Agger admits he will have to prove his first-team credentials all over again.

He said: “I feel like I am starting over. You can say that I have missed a lot of football or, you can say that there is a lot to come.

“I didn’t play and that’s how it is. I am focused on this season and I really, really have been working hard to keep my fitness level up.

“Of course, I worked throughout the summer and my target has been to keep my fitness high so that I am ready for the first day of the season.

“The competition for places will be hard. That’s what you expect at a club like Liverpool. I will fight for my place and the rest of the players will do the same.”

The 23-year-old admits the last 10 months have been the toughest of his fledgling career.

“It has been way too long for me,” he added.

“It has been the most frustrating time of my career and I am trying to look forward now and not back on how bad it has been. I am concentrating on this season now.

“I was low, but you have to concentrate on coming back as soon as possible, keep working and that is the most important thing, don’t be sad about what happened but keep looking forward.

“Everybody helped me, but I know myself best and I have a really strong will to get back.”

Agger’s return is a major boost for Benitez, who is confident of tying up a deal for Gareth Barry this week.

“I think Agger did okay,” said Benitez.

“The main thing for us was to see if he could come through and he had no problems so he will be a good plus for the team.”

Several of Gary Ablett’s reserve side produced assured displays in the win, with former Barcelona starlet Danny Pacheco in particular impressing in a lone striker role.

The manager said: “Today I think Pacheco was really good and he had two or three chances and was a threat in attack.” Meanwhile, Jermaine Pennant appears to be heading for the Anfield exit, with Blackburn Rovers boss Paul Ince ready to offer around £3m for the winger.

Aurelio Ready To Fight For Starting Spot

Liverpool full-back Fabio Aurelio is ready to fight for his place in the side following the signing of Andrea Dossena.

Dossena, an Italian international, arrived from Udinese this summer, and along with hot prospect Emiliano Insua, will be challenging Aurelio for the sole left-back slot, something the Brazilian is looking forward to.

"It's good to be back training for the pre-season and I'm hoping to work hard and get as fit as possible to improve my fitness," he told the club's official website.

"At a club like Liverpool there is always massive competition to get into the starting XI because of the players we have for each position, but that is good and it can only improve the team.

"We are trying to fight for every title and we have more possibilities this season."

Aurelio also had kind words for compatriot Diego Cavalieri, another new signing - the third Red Brazilian along with Lucas - and Aurelio believes his club have snapped up the second best goalkeeper in Brazil.

"I know last season he was the second best goalkeeper in Brazil," he continued. "He's a good goalkeeper so he's now got a good opportunity to show what he can do.

"We are trying to help not only Diego but Andrea and Philipp [Degen, another new signing] settle in as well. We hope they can feel good in the dressing room and we all try our best to help everyone as best we can."

Rafa To Rivals: Continuity Counts

Rafael Benitez is convinced that Liverpool will hold a vital edge over their Premiership rivals going into next season despite them not being in the same spending bracket.

There are strong indications that Liverpool will be the only top four side that will still have their core starting XI in place next season, as Chelsea and Arsenal again are going through a period of transition, while United look set to lose the jewel in their crown to Real Madrid.

So far, all the major transfer news surrounding the Reds has either seen them as the aggressor (i.e. Barry, Keane, Villa) or the tone-setting sellers (i.e. Crouch, Alonso).

Thus, unless something completely unexpected happens between now and mid-August, the Anfield side should be going into next season having succesfully built on an already very solid core.

"The players who played the majority of the games last season, the big names, the important players are still with us and that's important," Benitez was quoted as saying in The Mirror.

"It can give us an advantage. For us, keeping our key players and bringing in others with passion and hunger is important.

"You have to be realistic. Every year you need to change players. For example, Crouch wanted to play and you need to accept his situation, understand it and move on.

"But you want to keep the players who are your key components. That gives us stability and a base to work from, and then, hopefully, the new players can give us the things we were looking for."

While espousing the perceived virtues of his own team, Benitez did admit that shaking things up - whether by design or not - can have its own benefits.

"When you talk about these players like Ronaldo, Adebayor, Lampard, they are very good players and their prices will be high," the Spaniard added.

"If they leave, the clubs will have more money and could bring in better players. But we will have all our big names still in place, and that could be more important. They will have confidence, too.

"When you have players winning trophies, that's important for their mentality.

"Sometimes you can see a good player who isn't winning trophies, and you have doubts about his mentality.

"But the Spanish players have shown they have it by winning a trophy, and we have others here who have shown it as well."

Benitez then turned his attention to young players at the club whom he is expecting big things from this season, with specific focus on Dutch star Ryan Babel.

"Babel will now be more settled now and more experienced, and maybe we can see the best from him this season," he added.

"I can see Babel emerging this season, we know his potential, and he is a player that can change a game.

"We know Ryan prefers to play as a striker, but it's important to have experience in other positions, and we can use his versatility.

"With him improving, Daniel Agger coming back, and the younger players coming through to add to those with experience, we have a good balance."

Benitez Determined To Complete Signings

Rafael Benitez insists he will successfully complete some major Liverpool signings in the coming weeks.

The Anfield boss had seen the supporting cast of youth and fringe players from his squad complete the club's first pre-season friendly with a 1-0 win at Tranmere on Saturday, thanks to a fine first-half winner from Yossi Benayoun.

But it was the players Benitez is trying to bring to the club - Gareth Barry and Robbie Keane - who occupied minds of the manager and many of the big Liverpool following in the 15,000 sell-out Prenton Park crowd.

Benitez would not be drawn on specific names, but as he prepares to take his squad to Switzerland on Sunday for a fortnight-long training camp, he said: "We are still working hard to bring in two more players.

"I would hope that there would be some progress next week or very soon."

Benitez added: "I was delighted with the fitness levels of the players, Benayoun scored a fantastic goal and there were plenty of things that were really positive.

"I was happy with Daniel Agger's comeback, he will be a welcome addition to our defence in the coming season.

"Philipp Degen also did well on his debut, he was very impressive attacking down the right side."

Liverpool also brought new £3million goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri on for his debut in the second half.

He embarrassingly delayed the restart because he was not ready for action, with Agger having to tie the Brazilian's bootlaces for him on the pitch.

But Benitez said: "He did not have too much to do, but he is a keeper who will fight for his place and put pressure on others around him."

Gunners To Shoot Down Reds' Barry Bid?

As negotiations between Liverpool and Aston Villa continue to drag, Arsenal are reportedly set to make a sensational last-minute swoop for Gareth Barry.

The Sun reports that the Gunners have made contact with Villa this week and are willing to offer a player-plus-cash deal to steal Barry from under the Reds’ noses.

Liverpool have been hunting the England midfielder for months now, and it seemed only a matter time before they would land their man when he publicly announced his desire to make the switch to Anfield.

But Rafael Benitez is yet to meet Villa’s demands of ₤18million – and looks increasingly unlikely to given Xabi Alonso may now stay on Merseyside – and has refused their compromise of ₤17million plus Steve Finnan.

The Midlands club are desperately in need of a right-back following Olof Mellberg’s departure, meaning Arsenal may include Justin Hoyte – or, at a stretch, perhaps even Emmanuel Eboue – as part of their offer.

Villa boss Martin O’Neill would no doubt be very tempted by the prospect of selling to the Londoners, as he was heavily critical of the manner in which Benitez approached Barry.

Benitez Looks At Positives

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez looks focuses on the good things he witnessed during their opening pre-season friendly against neighbours Tranmere Rovers.

Liverpool put in a solid display in their one-nil victory over Tranmere with Rafa Benitez looking at the first-half display of 17-year old Daniel Pacheco, the debuts of new signings Phillip Degen, and Diego Cavalieri, and Daniel Agger's return from injury.

Speaking of the Danish centre back, Reds boss Benitez told the clubs offical website: "The main thing for us was to see if he could come through a match - he had no problems so he will be a good plus for the team. This is the type of game you want so you can see if the players are match-fit."

The eye-catching display of youngster Pacheco also impressed Benitez: "He had two or three chances and was a threat in attack. We saw how good he was for the reserves last season and today everyone could see he has the talent and the quality."

The head coach also offered words of encouragement for new boys Degen and Cavalieri: "Cavalieri did not have too much to do but we know he will be a keeper who will fight for his place along with Pepe [Reina]. We also saw what Degen can offer on the right hand side. It is a game that we can take positives from and a lot of the lads tried to impress. Degen had four or five good openings in attack, put some crosses and I think we saw the potential that he has."

Benitez also mentioned that he expects to bolster his squad further before the window closes: "We are working hard trying to bring in good players and I think we can progress over the next week."

Rafa will now take his squad for a training camp in Switzerland.

Liverpool Winger Babel Set To Defy Rafa And Play In The Olympic Games

Holland's Olympic football coach Foppe de Haan insists Liverpool winger Ryan Babel remains keen on playing in Beijing despite the concerns of his club manager Rafael Benitez.

Benitez is worried the 21-year-old's recovery from the ankle injury sustained on international duty in the build-up to Euro 2008 could be disrupted by his participation in China.

But De Haan believes Babel, who resumed training with his club on Wednesday, is well on course to be fit for the Olympics and should be allowed to make up his own mind.

He told De Telegraaf: 'Other Liverpool players are also going to Beijing, so why not him?

'In the past couple of days, Ryan has been doing warm-ups at Liverpool with the rest of the group.

'For the rest of the time he worked on an individual programme. He did a lot of walking, but he also worked with the ball. That all went well.

'Ryan is very optimistic about his recovery and he very much wants to go with us to the Olympic Games.'

Liverpool Edge Out Tranmere In First Pre-Season Friendly

Rafael Benitez ran the rule over Liverpool's supporting cast while his mind was no doubt buzzing with ways of raising the money to complete deals for Gareth Barry and Robbie Keane.

The Liverpool manager admits he has to wheel and deal to do that - but he has raised almost £14million by moving on Peter Crouch and Danny Guthrie this week.

Steve Finnan and Scott Carson were, significantly, absent from Liverpool's 21-man squad for their first pre-season friendly against Tranmere at Prenton Park today with further moves likely soon.

And Benitez is not understood to be over-concerned about suggestions Arsenal are trying to snatch Barry at the last moment.

All business is now likely to be conducted while Benitez's squad are at a training camp in Switzerland for the next fortnight, during which time they will also play four matches.

It took a fine angled drive from Yossi Benayoun - who has made a point of committing his future to Anfield - to clinch a comfortable victory as Benitez's young brigade impressed.

Liverpool welcomed back defender Daniel Agger for his first game in nine months following a metatarsal injury and had Spanish teenager Danny Pacheco, the former Barcelona junior, up front.

Youngsters Stephen Darby, Jack Hobbs, Damien Plessis, goalkeeper David Martin and Emiliano Insua all had run-outs.

New signings Diego Cavalieri and Philipp Degen were introduced at the break.

Tranmere had their new names - John Curtis, George O'Callaghan, Bas Savage and Edrissa Sonko on show - but it was the expected better passing, movement and control of the Liverpool outfit that had them very much in control.

Martin had to save well from Chris Greenacre, but former Wales international Danny Coyne kept the score down until Benayoun's 20-yarder saw Liverpool ahead.

Jermaine Pennant, a target for Blackburn, hit the bar with Andy Taylor's free-kick clipping the foot of Martin's left-hand post before the break.

But this was little more than a gentle exercise in the sun to entertain a 15,000 full house.

Liverpool made seven changes at the break, with Fabio Aurelio, Martin Skrtel, Sami Hyypia and another couple of youngsters - Jay Spearing and Ryan Flynn - coming on, Academy product Martin Kelly also making a late appearance.

But the crowd had been waiting for Steven Gerrard, who arrived just after the hour-mark along with Andriy Voronin.

Gerrard had a strolling involvement, containing himself for sterner battles over the coming months.

O'Neill - Barry Deal Uncertain

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has revealed the transfer of Gareth Barry to Liverpool remains uncertain.

Liverpool have seen a number of offers turned down for the Villa captain, who O'Neill values at £18million.

O'Neill insists that no deal has been reached between the clubs but is confident that the saga will be resolved soon.

"We're entering a new season at the moment and the future is still uncertain," O'Neill told Sky Sports News.

"Nothing much has changed, but I'm sure like most situations in football it will resolve itself at some stage.

"We don't want to lose players, we're not really in a position to do so but we have the ambition and the determination to drive forward this season and get the squad that we feel the club deserves."

The Villa boss is also keen to strengthen his squad to improve on their sixth place league finish last season.

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan and Steve Sidwell are O'Neill's latest signings but he reveals he is hoping to bring in more players to Villa Park.

"We are in the market for players, we do want to try and improve the squad," added O'Neill.

"We did very well last season, touch wood, with injuries but I wouldn't want to rely on all of those things for another season.

"And if we do pick up injuries and suspensions I like to think we can cope with it. Last year we may have felt that difficult."

Brazilian Keeper Cavalieri Signs Four-year Deal With Liverpool

Liverpool have clinched the signing of Brazilian goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri from Palmeiras.

The 25-year-old has signed a four-year contract with the Barclays Premier League club and will begin life at Anfield as understudy to Jose Reina.

Cavalieri becomes the third Brazilian at the club alongside Lucas and Fabio Aurelio and is manager Rafael Benitez's third major signing of the summer following the arrivals of full-backs Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena.

Cavalieri, who also holds an Italian passport, fully accepted he would play second fiddle to Spain international Reina after joining the Reds.

'I know it won't be easy to get into the team,' he said.

'I watched some Liverpool games in both the Premier League and Champions League last year and I know Pepe (Reina) is a very good goalkeeper. But everyone has to fight for their place and I'm sure we will have a healthy rivalry.

'I know I will have to be patient and work very hard to achieve my aims - but it is always like that when you come from another country.

'You have to adapt inside and outside of the pitch and get used to the way things work. But with hard work you get there.

'My confidence has got me where I am today and maybe people are aware of whatI did at Palmeiras in Brazil.

'I am sure that one day I can get the number one position but that will only come with hard work.'

Despite the prospect of spending much of the coming season on the bench, Cavalieri, who is thought to have cost the club around £3million, hailed a 'dream' move to Merseyside.

'"The name Liverpool is known all around the world. It's an honour to wear this shirt' he added.

'It was a dream for me to come to Europe, though I was taken aback by how quickly everything happened. It's all been sorted out in one week.

'But I have been given a very good welcome from my team-mates and the manager, so I'm very happy to be here. I just hope I can respond to all this.

'Rafa and I spoke for a long time on the day I arrived. He explained to me how the football is here and the differences from Brazil. He also talked to me about the responsibilities of representing a club like Liverpool.'

Benitez Tells Anfield Faithful: Trust me - I Have To Sell To Buy But I Will Get Things Right For You

Rafael Benitez has called for Liverpool fans to 'trust him' as he works in the transfer market to improve the Anfield squad.

Liverpool are also toiling to conclude the frustrating, summer-long transfer saga over Gareth Barry's arrival at the club but there is now no chance that the midfielder will be signed in time for the club's first pre-season friendly.

Liverpool face Tranmere in front of a 15,000 sell-out crowd at Prenton Park tomorrow before heading off to their Swiss training camp and three more friendlies while they are there.

Benitez's fear now is that Barry - banned from Aston Villa's training ground - could miss as much as two weeks of vital pre-season training.

That situation could even cause them to doubt further the size of the transfer fee for the England midfielder.

And that would underline further Benitez's cash-flow problems. He said: 'We know the situation regarding what we can spend, and we are trying to find solutions if we do not have enough money.

'And we will still try to sign players that will make us better. But if you do not have too much money, and that is clear, we will have to have a little bit of imagination to progress in the market.

'Everyone knows what our ideas are and what players we want. We are working hard with different names now.

'We know we will have to sell some players if we want some cash. So we have to do that.

'Our aim is to bring through young players and that can save us money, money that we can spend on big names.

'We have a fantastic group of young players, in the future they will save us money. At the moment we have to still by big names and the only way to do that is to sell players.

'The fans must trust us, we are working hard during the summer with a lot of people in different countries working for us.'

Benitez claimed he does not have to sell Xabi Alonso to finance the Barry deal, and will have one or two new strikers in before the season starts.

David Villa looks out of the club's current price range, but Benitez has admitted there has been contact with Tottenham over Robbie Keane.

'Villa is one of the players on our list, but at this moment I do not see it being an option for us.

'Keane is also one of the names we are interested in, and we are still working on other possible situations.

'There has been some contact (over Keane) but we will have to see how things progress.'

The Spaniard has raised £15m from the sales of Peter Crouch and John Arne Riise, and has brought in defenders Philipp Degen, Andrea Dossena and goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri.

Benitez hopes that Steven Gerrard, Andriy Voronin, Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel will figure at Prenton Park.

Liverpool Confident They Can Capture Keane Because Spurs Need Funds To Bag Bentley

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is putting pressure on Spurs to sell Robbie Keane because he believes they need money to buy Blackburn's David Bentley.

Tottenham have insisted that they have no intention of selling their vice-captain, who is valued at £20million.

But Benitez knows Spurs have so far baulked at the £17m asking price for former Arsenal star Bentley.

The sale of Berbatov could finance the move but Tottenham have not had any serious offers for the Bulgarian despite rumours that Manchester United remain interested.

Yesterday's news that they are about to complete the signing of Espanyol's Luis Garcia, who plays in a similar position to the Republic of Ireland international, has given Benitez hope that they may allowKeane to join a team he has supported since childhood.

The Liverpool manager confirmed yesterday that he wants the striker, having ruled out a move for Valencia's Euro 2008 hero David Villa, and revealed Liverpool have been in contact with Spurs.

That refers to an enquiry he made a couple weeks ago which was swiftly rebuffed by the north London club.

Benitez added yesterday: 'Keane is clearly a player that has game intelligence and we are looking for players who can fit into our systems and improve the team.'

By making their intentions known, Liverpool are confident they can force the issue as Keane has often spoken of his desire to play there.

It is a tactic that has worked with Gareth Barry, who has since demanded that Aston Villa allow him to go to Benitez's side, although an agreement has yet to be reached.

Spurs insist that Keane has not handed in a transfer request or is up for sale, but that won't stop Benitez from planning on pairing him with Fernando Torres up front.

Head coach Juande Ramos is still looking to sign a central defender and defensive midfielder and, though he is planning a mass clear-out, many of the players available won't generate too much money.

Newcastle Agree Fee With Liverpool For Guthrie

Newcastle's spending capabilities were further highlighted when they captured young Liverpool midfielder Danny Guthrie for £2million.

The 21-year-old, who spent last season at Bolton on loan, becomes Kevin Keegan’ s second signing after Jonas Gutierrez bought out his contact at Real Mallorca before concluding his own move to St James’ Park last week.

Kevin Keegan was dismayed at the amount he was told he could spend by owner Mike Ashley, believed to be in the region of £20 million, and desperately needs to add bodies to one of the smallest squads in the Barclays Premier League.

He has been forced to re-evaluate his plans and was alerted to Guthrie’s availability when he was offered the player when Rafa Benitez enquired about James Milner earlier in the summer.

Keegan, who is ready to offer Derek Fazackerly a role on his coaching staff, is facing another fight to keep volatile French midfielder Charles N’Zogbia.

N’Zogbia was unhappy for the majority of last season and has confirmed he wants to move to the capital.

'At the end of last season I didn't play a lot, so that has given me desire to play somewhere else,' he said. 'When I will talk with the coach it will be clearer. My priority is to play. I have dreamt about Arsenal since I was kid. I would be delighted to join them. It is a famous team that has big coverage in France, but Tottenham is exciting too.

'I have never played in Ligue 1. That could be an experience in my career, but frankly, it is not my current priority. I am playing in one of the best leagues in the world, and I feel a little like at home here.'

Newcastle team-mate Shay Given has curbed talk of his possible move to the Emirates Stadium.

'I don’t know where the story came from,' he said. 'I’ve said all along that I’m extremely happy living and playing here in Newcastle.

'I want to help to move this club forward and hopefully we’ll get new players in and strengthen the squad. We want to get this place going.'

Ashley meanwhile has reiterated his desire to have outside investment in the club he bought 13 months ago.

'It would be very useful if we had some multi-billionaire partners that wanted a stake in Newcastle United' he said. 'It would help but Newcastle United is not a thing you would make a profit on.'

Benitez Likely To Give Chance To New Players As Liverpool's Pre-season Campaign Begins

Rafael Benitez will give his supporting cast the chance to shine tomorrow in Liverpool's first pre-season friendly.

They travel across the Mersey to face neighbours Tranmere in a 15,000 sell-out match at Prenton Park.

Benitez cannot call on his Spanish contingent of Fernando Torres, Jose Reina, Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa who are all still on holiday after their Euro 2008 triumph.

And skipper Steven Gerrard has only just returned to training after being given an extended break following his summer matches with England.

Benitez is likely to give debuts to new signings Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena, who were only unveiled at Anfield yesterday.

He said: 'We will field the players we have been working with this week, their commitment has been fantastic.'

Benitez is expected to also use Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel during the match, with the likelihood of a different eleven playing in each half.

Benitez added: "Our aim is to bring through young players and that can save us money, money that we can eventually spend on big names.

'We have a fantastic group of young players, in the future they will save us money. At the moment we have to still buy big names and the only way to do that is to sell players.'

Liverpool will leave for their Swiss training camp on Sunday, and they will play games against Lucern on Wednesday and Wisla Krakow next Saturday.

They will also travel to face Hertha Berlin on July 22 before returning to the UK to face Rangers in Glasgow on July 26.

Peter Crouch Completes Portsmouth Move

Striker Peter Crouch has finally completed his move from Liverpool to Portsmouth, signing a four-year contract with the FA Cup holders.

The deal, which could be worth up to £11 million, sees the 27-year-old return to Portsmouth six years after leaving the south coast club.

Crouch jumped at the chance of regular first-team football having struggled to establish himself in Liverpool's starting side.

Crouch, who will work with Harry Redknapp for the third time in his career, said: "It's fantastic to be back. I believe Harry gets the best out of me and think the best years of my career can be here. This club is going places and they can match my ambitions.

"The chance of regular first team football was part of the appeal. I know I'll have to work hard to prove myself in training, but I believe my best years are in front of me."

Crouch is convinced Portsmouth can break into the top four in the next four years.

"This is an ambitious club," he said. "It's getting a new stadium and it's going places. The squad and the team is in place to challenge.

"This year, coming on the back of winning the FA Cup, we might be able to improve our league form. There's a nucleus of clubs just behind the big four where we are at the moment and I think we can get to the top of that queue.

"I've signed for four years and hopefully beyond that. I certainly believe within that time frame we can get into that top four."

Portsmouth manager Redknapp, whose team will this season compete in the Uefa Cup for the very first time, said: "Bringing a player like Peter here shows how far we have come and how far we can go. I'm delighted he's back.

"I never expected to see him back here. He went off to Liverpool and did a fantastic job in my opinion and I'm looking forward to seeing him and Jermain Defoe up front - a big one and a little one - and we've got other good forwards here."

Crouch, who scored 40 goals in 135 appearances for Liverpool, began his professional career as a trainee at Tottenham before spells at QPR, Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Norwich and Southampton before joining Liverpool.

Rafa Hints At Alonso Exit

Rafa Benitez has hinted that he still intends for Xabi Alonso to leave Liverpool this summer, telling the gathered media ‘he knows my ideas and he knows why’.

Alonso has been the £14 million target of Juventus all season, in a deal that would facilitate Liverpool’s £17 million move for Gareth Barry.

The Reds want closer to £16 million for their Spanish midfielder, which has caused The Old Lady to stall on the transfer.

It now appears Alonso’s move may collapse, a situation that does not seem very satisfactory to Benitez.

"The situation with Alonso has not changed. Juventus made an offer that was not good enough and now we are just waiting,” he explained.

“I do not know, really, whether that will go through.

"Xabi wants to stay because he is happy here but he also knows that Juventus is a top side.

“I have talked to him, he knows my ideas and he knows why. So we will try to find a solution for him, for us, and the best for the club."

Benitez did reveal that all his signings will be made by using funds from the sales of others, and Alonso would certainly be the most lucrative departure for The Reds.

"We know the situation regarding what we can spend, and we are trying to find solutions if we do not have enough money.

"And we will still try to sign players that will make us better. But if you do not have too much money and that is clear, we will have to have a little bit of imagination to progress in the market.”

O'Neill Clears Way For Barry To Complete Liverpool Deal

Gareth Barry is set to finally secure his £18m move from Aston Villa to Liverpool in the next few days after the two clubs re-opened negotiations yesterday. The impasse was broken following a letter submitted to Liverpool by Villa manager Martin O'Neill outlining how he wants the deal to be structured.

Villa have not wavered in their valuation of Barry but are prepared to accept Steve Finnan, in exchange, as part of the transfer. O'Neill has told Liverpool he values the full-back at just £1m so would still want £17m for Barry. He has also insisted that Liverpool adhere to the Premier League payment structure of half of the Barry money to be paid now and the rest within the next 12 months.

Although Liverpool, who had a £15m offer for Barry rejected last week, are still quibbling over that and Finnan's value – they rate the 32-year-old at £2m despite the fact he is in the final year of his contract – it appears the deal is finally underway. None of the stipulations are insurmountable.

O'Neill, who has been preparing an £11m bid for Valencia right-back Miguel, does not regard the wrangle over Finnan as crucial and is keen to resolve Barry's future as quickly as possible so that his pre-season preparations are not affected any longer.

"Liverpool have come back to us and we have responded to their proposal with a letter," O'Neill said. "We're waiting to hear back from Liverpool after putting that proposal to them. I'm sure there will be some sort of resolution."

O'Neill is also more relaxed about the situation now that Steve Sidwell's £5m move from Chelsea has been agreed and wants to rule a line under the Barry saga. It has also become increasingly acrimonious with the 27-year-old Villa captain being fined two weeks wages, around £80,000, for giving an "unauthorised interview", and then banned from club premises.

Sidwell will undergo a medical and should sign today before flying out to join up with the squad at their training camp in Switzerland. The 25-year-old is due to make his debut on Saturday in a friendly in Zurich.

At the same time Liverpool, having secured a potential £11m for Peter Crouch, who has agreed terms on a move to Portsmouth, feel they are in a position to push ahead with their bid for Barry. They are also close to completing a £3m deal for the Brazilian goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri who will arrive from Palmeiras, and be understudy to Pepe Reina, after completing his medical and obtaining a work permit, with Charles Itandje on the verge of being sold to Galatasaray for around £2m.

Manager Rafael Benitez, who needs to generate funds to add to his transfer kitty of around £20m, is also keen to offload Scott Carson, who was on loan to Villa last season, but no club has come close to matching his £10m valuation.

Benitez spoke yesterday of his admiration for Valencia's David Villa and although the club are willing to sell, the striker appears to want to remain in Spain.

Benitez Keen On Keane

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez ruled out making a move for Spain striker David Villa on Thursday.

Benitez, who has allowed striker Peter Crouch to join Portsmouth, had been linked with the Valencia player who starred at last month's Euro 2008 finals.

"I said the other day that Villa is one of the names we had on our list, but I can say at this moment that it is not an option for us," Benitez told Liverpool's website (www.liverpoolfc.tv).

"We know Villa is a very good player, we know the price and we know the players we have, so when you consider everything we decided he was one of the names but, at this moment, not our target."

However, Benitez confirmed that a move for Tottenham Hotspur's Ireland striker Robbie Keane was a possibility.

"Keane is one of the other names and OK we are still working with other names. We were in contact and we will see now," he said.

Dutch Coach De Haan Blasts Benitez

Dutch U-23 boss Foppe De Haan is sticking to his guns, shrugging off Rafael Benitez concerns that Ryan Babel's Olympic participation could seriously disrupt his plans for the injury-plagued starlet.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez must have been relieved to see his Euro 2008 battlers arrive back on Merseyside with a tough pre-season schedule looming for the Reds.

However, the wily Spaniard wasn't happy to learn that Holland Olympics coach Foppe De Haan was eager to take injury-plagued Ryan Babel to Beijing, with Javier Mascherano also looking to join up with the Argentina squad.

De Haan previously admitted that crocked Babel was a big loss to the Netherlands’ Euro 2008 squad, saying: “His absence was a large blow to the national side. He could have been our secret weapon.”

The 21-year-old, an £11.5m signing from Ajax, last summer ruptured his Achilles’ tendon in training ahead of the Austria and Switzerland showpiece and Benitez was keen for him to rest up in order to enjoy a full pre-season in order to hit the ground running.

The worried boss told the Liverpool Echo this week: "This season is very important for him, so this is a big problem. We prepare him and then he goes away with the national team."

However, bullish De Haan has now hit back at Benitez, insisting "As I understand it, coaches always think about themselves first."

If Babel does indeed head for China, he'll miss a couple of early Premiership matches and the third round or Champions League qualifying.

Dossena: Liverpool The Most Prestigious English Team

Italian defender Andrea Dossena has given his first interview since joining Liverpool, and he has described his new club as the “most prestigious team in England”.

Dossena officially completed his transfer from Udinese last week, and in the process became Liverpool’s first-ever Italian signing.

The 26-year-old left back, who has won one cap for Italy put pen to paper on a four year contract at Anfield, and he believes that his English heart will make him a success in the Premiership.

"Even from training I realise English football is different,” Dossena told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"It's all about possession and the ball seems to move quicker. There is also a great determination among the players in training, but these are all qualities that are characteristic of me too. In this way, I feel half English, half Italian.”

Dossena also spoke about his pride at being able to play for such a prestigious side as Liverpool, who are England’s most successful ever club.

"It is an honour to be wearing such a prestigious shirt." he enthused.

"It was great for me that Liverpool were so determined to have me in their squad. It is a very important shirt to wear and I will do my best. I have a great will to work hard and succeed and achieve great results.

"Of course I'll feel very strong emotions when I wear the shirt at Anfield for the first time but after the first few seconds these will be replaced by a focus on what I am doing.

"There are so many great players here and I hope to be playing beside them as soon as possible.

"I believe I will bring determination as my main strength. I have a will to succeed and achieve results. These are also characteristics I have seen in Liverpool as a team."

Finally Dossena spoke about his international ambitions, saying that he hopes his move to Liverpool will lead to him winning a regular place in the Italy squad.

"The Premier League is followed and it will be up to the national manager to watch the players abroad," he said.

"I am aware, though, that I am at the most prestigious team in England. There are other players who play abroad who are getting caps, like Luca Toni."

Benitez: Duo Give Us New Threat

Rafa Benitez is convinced the arrival of Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena can give Liverpool the added dimension needed to make a sustained challenge for the Barclays Premier League title next season.

The Reds boss - who was speaking at an afternoon press conference held to unveil the duo to the members of the media - believes the full-backs will give his side more attacking verve in the wide areas.

"I think everyone was thinking the same as us, that we needed to improve in the wide areas," he said.

"We have the spine of the team with Torres, Gerrard, Mascherano and all these players that we know. In the wide areas maybe we needed something different so we were looking for full-backs with an offensive mentality.

"Dossena likes to play football, and Degen is the same, he goes forward with quality. So we now have two players who can go forward and they will compete for their positions and hopefully it will be good for the team."

Benitez has been linked with a whole host of Europe's top talent this summer but insists it is more about improving the side in areas where he feels they will benefit rather than signing big names.

"Sometimes it is not about how much money you spend but getting the players you need," he continued.

"We needed full-backs with different qualities and these two players could be good for us. Afterwards maybe you can sign big names and maybe people will be happy, but the priority is to sign the players that you want and need - in this case two full-backs who can give something more to the team."

While neither player has experienced the fast pace of the English league, the Reds boss is confident the two players - who arrive from the Bundesliga and Serie A respectively - will prove their quality and make a rapid transition into life in the Premier League.

"I think all foreign players need time to adjust and it depends on the mentality," he said.

"Both players are very good professionals and that was one of the things we were looking for; a strong mentality and they can compete as well, so I think they will be okay.

"They played in the Italian league and the German league. They are both leagues with a high level and strong players so I think they will settle quickly.

"Degen can talk English, although he is more comfortable in German and he can also speak French. His English is okay. Dossena is learning. He can understand Spanish so it will be easy for him and we can talk in Italian too, so it is not a problem."

The new additions mean Benitez has a variety of full-backs at his disposal for the new campaign and he expects his latest recruits to battle it out with the likes of Steve Finnan, Fabio Aurelio and Alvaro Arbeloa for a place in his starting XI - although he does feel Saturday's pre-season friendly at Tranmere could come too soon for both players.

"They will need to compete for their positions," he said. "We will also need to see about the international players who have returned. I think that with Dossena, maybe he will not play against Tranmere.

"Degen we are working with and we will see. In terms of the Premier League they can both be ready if they train well in the pre-season.

"If they can give us the things that they have both spoken about with an offensive mentality and quality with the ball then it will help us and also the two strikers."

Rafa Benitez: Title Is Priority For Liverpool FC

Rafael Benitez has made ending Liverpool’s championship drought his priority for the forthcoming campaign.

The Anfield outfit last won the title back in 1990 and finished last season in fourth place, 11 points adrift of champions Manchester United.

Since taking charge four years ago, Benitez has led Liverpool to glory in the European Cup and Uefa

Super Cup in 2005 and the FA Cup the following year.

The Anfield outfit were also beaten finalists in the League Cup and World Club Championship in 2005 and the European Cup two years later.

However, the Premier League has become the holy grail for Liverpool, particularly as United’s most recent triumph has moved the Old Trafford outfit to within one of their record 18 championships.

And Benitez, who hopes to bolster his squad numbers further in the coming days, has revealed realistically challenging for the title is now his team’s primary target.

“I’m confident this is our best squad we’ve had during my time here,” he said. “We were looking for players to improve our weaknesses. I think we have found some of them, hopefully we can find some in a few days or a few weeks.

“At a club like Liverpool you want to win every trophy. If you said to me to put them in an order of priority, I’d say the Premier League, then the Champions League, the FA Cup and the League Cup. We’ll try to win all of them.

“We have enough confidence. We are hopefully going to be better than last season. We must try to work as hard as before and get as close as possible. If we can challenge, then why can’t we do something more important?”

Liverpool’s best league finish under Benitez came in 2006 when they ended the campaign nine points adrift of champions Chelsea in third place.

The manager has already started reshuffling his squad, with Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena bolstering the full-back berths while John Arne Riise has joined Roma and Peter Crouch is poised to complete a move to Portsmouth.

“Everyone agreed that we needed to improve in the wide areas,” added Benitez. “We are looking for wingers and we’ve brought in two offensive full-backs in Degen and Dossena, who can go forward and give different options to the strikers.

“We are working really hard and are close to finishing some deals. We are hoping to progress with some big names and players who can improve us in the future.”

Liverpool are seeking a swift conclusion to the Gareth Barry transfer saga, although Xabi Alonso’s future is in limbo with the Serie A side considering their interest in the Spanish international.

Benitez is also tracking Robbie Keane and Valencia winger David Silva.

Juve Pull Out Of Alonso Deal

Juventus have reportedly pulled the plug on their pursuit of Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, a decision which could have vast repercussions for both clubs’ transfer plans.

The Sun claims Juve have scrapped their plans to bring Alonso to Turin, despite the move appearing all but done after several weeks of negotiations.

Prior to EURO 2008, it seemed only a matter of putting to pen to paper but closing talks were put off during the tournament and have failed to pick up where they left off.

It is believed the Reds are now refusing to budge from their original ₤16million asking price, a figure the Old Lady simply will not – or cannot – meet.

Hence, the Bianconeri have turned to alternative targets such as Sevilla’s Christian Poulsen and Internazionale’s Dejan Stankovic – the latter of whose proposed move has met with angry protests from the Juve faithful.

But the situation at Anfield is even more interesting, as Alonso’s non-departure could effectively scupper Rafa Benitez’s hopes of landing Aston Villa wantaway Gareth Barry.

It is understood Benitez was to use the cash from the Basque playmaker’s transfer to fund the Barry deal, as Villa are demanding ₤18million for their skipper. The Merseyside giants have repeatedly denied that this was the case, but that stance will most certainly be tested now.

The timing of these happenings also leaves Barry in a particularly unpleasant situation, as the England midfielder effectively severed ties with Villa recently when he publicly declared his desire to join Liverpool.

As Villa have already secured a replacement in Steve Sidwell, the 27-year-old could be out in the cold if Benitez decides to drop the deal and focus on attacking reinforcements instead.

Rafa Still Chasing Silva

Liverpool are ready to step up their interest in Valencia winger David Silva, according to reports.

The Sun claims that the Merseyside giants are aiming to tie up a deal for around ₤16million as they seek to increase their flair options this summer.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez announced yesterday that he is keeping a very close eye on David Villa, the Valencia striker who scored four-goals at EURO 2008 last month to help Spain to their first major title in over four decades.

Benitez’s revelation sent up warning signals all across Europe, as many believed the wily Spaniard may have been using Villa – an obvious target, given his link with Fernando Torres for La Furia Roja – as a smokescreen for a more secretive deal.

And in Silva, who also featured prominently in Austria and Switzerland, he has a player who will cost half the price – in both wage and transfer fee – of his Mestalla team-mate and would bring some much-needed versatility to Liverpool’s attack.

Although usually classed as a winger, the 22-year-old is an elusive playmaker who can works all across the park and in between the lines, making him a perfect candidate to slot into either wide role in the Reds’ 4-2-3-1 shape.

Los Che may not necessarily be amicable sellers but their current financial state means they must offload either Villa or Silva, their two most bankable stars, with whom Barcelona have also been linked.

Villa Frustrate Liverpool Over Gareth Barry

Gareth Barry is facing up to the prospect of another weekend in limbo as Liverpool and Aston Villa continue to haggle over the finer points of his proposed move to Anfield.

Despite a busy day of transfer activity at both clubs yesterday, Barry remained in the West Midlands after Villa wrote to Liverpool outlining their demands to agree to the sale of the England international. Having already rejected bids of up to £15 million for Barry, the letter is understood to ask for £17 million, to be paid in full in the next 12 months, plus defender Steve Finnan.

Yet negotiations remain deadlocked as Liverpool rate Finnan at £2 million while Villa, who were last night in talks with Chelsea's £5 million-rated Steve Sidwell, a likely replacement for Barry, believe the full-back is only worth half of that figure as he enters the final year of his contract.

Rafael Benitez remains optimistic his main summer target - fined and banned from Villa's training ground for criticising manager Martin O'Neill - will sign but the delay in his arrival is a cause of frustration for the Liverpool manager as he prepares for his squad's departure for their Swiss training camp on Sunday.

With Peter Crouch due to complete an £11 million move to Portsmouth in the next 24 hours, Liverpool's money men could easily bow to all of Villa's demands but they insist that the second city club must meet their valuation of Finnan.

While Barry's arrival remains on ice, Liverpool will today officially unveil defenders Andrea Dossena, an £8 million acquisition from Udinese, and Swiss international Philipp Degen, signed on a free from Borussia Dortmund. Brazilian goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri has undergone a medical and should complete his move from Palmeiras within days while Benitez has spoken of his admiration for Valencia's David Villa, who scored four times during Spain's triumphant Euro 2008 campaign.

"He is on our list but maybe it will be difficult, said Benitez, who fears he may be without Ryan Babel for the start of the season. Fit after missing Euro 2008 with an ankle injury, Babel could be selected by Holland for the Olympics.

Liverpool Fury At Losing Ryan Babel

Rafael Benitez is set to lose a third first-team squad member for the start of the new season after it emerged that Ryan Babel is almost certain to compete at the Olympics.

The Holland international has worked hard throughout the summer to overcome an ankle injury that ruled him out of Euro 2008 at the last moment.

Babel has now returned to full training with Liverpool at Melwood, and the Dutch are expected to name him in their squad for the Beijing Olympics.

Benitez said: “Obviously, we are really pleased that Ryan is coming back to training because he is an important player for us and he has worked hard to recover from the injury he suffered with Holland. But we are really worried because after getting him fit it is likely that we could lose him again if he is selected for the Olympics. This is a big problem – we prepare him, then he goes away with the national team.”

Benitez has already lost Lucas to the Brazil squad and fellow midfielder Javier Mascherano as an over-age player with Argentina, who are also likely to call up left-back Emiliano Insua after Real Madrid put a block on Gabriel Heinze’s participation.

Lee Delighted With Reds Role

Former Bolton boss Sammy Lee has declared he is delighted to be back in football since returning to Liverpool in the role of assistant manager.

Lee said: "I hated it. Since leaving school that was the longest time I had out of football.

"When you are in the game, any time you spend out of it is not a happy time. I just found it incredibly frustrating.

"I was able to go and watch matches, but I wasn't the best around the house and you tend to become a pain to the people closest to you.

"The new season can't come quick enough for me."

Lee also feels his tenure as Bolton manager in 2007 will help him with his coaching future.

He added: "My time at Bolton will certainly help me to become a better coach.

"I was very proud and honoured to be given the job and it was only heavily outweighed by the sense of disappointment I had of it not going well.

"Yes, I would have liked longer - you always do - but the facts are I got five points from nine games. I understand why I lost my job. But the Bolton fans were superb to me, my family and the players while I was there.

"I'm still fairly young and the short experience hasn't diminished my ambitions for management.

"But I am focused entirely on Liverpool now and I want to be a part of the success here."

Cavalieri Passes Merseyside Medical

Reports from Brazil claim that Palmeiras goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri has already passed a medical at Liverpool and will make the switch official later today.

Brazilian newspaper Folha claims Cavalieri travelled to Merseyside in the last few days and has successfully completed his physical examination, with the signing to be finalised later today.

The keeper’s agent, Juninho Parmigiani, said: "We will conclude everything tomorrow. He's already had the necessary medical examinations, talked with some of his new team-mates and has been impressed by what Rafael Benitez had to say to him."

Palmeiras’ sporting director, Toninho Celilio, added: "I spoke to him today. He has completed the examinations and is very happy. There are some clauses still being discussed but nothing that can block the deal."

The 26-year-old’s arrival will effectively end the Reds’ supposed interest in Fulham shot-stopper Antti Niemi, while simultaneously signalling the departure of Charles Itandje to Fenerbahce.

It is believed Cavalieri will cost in the region of ₤3million, although no specific fee has been mentioned as yet.

Liverpool Boss Benitez States Valencia's David Villa Is No.1 Target

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has admitted that CF Valencia and Spain forward David Villa is top of his list of potential targets this summer after England striker Peter Crouch's transfer to Portsmouth.

26-year-old Villa excelled for Spain in the Euro 2008 Finals and, despite picking up an injury, scored four goals in the tournament to help Spain’s La Furia Roja win their first major trophy in 44 years.

Villa performed well in tandem with Fernando Torres in the EURO 2008 Finals in Austria/Switzerland last month and Villa could provide an excellent partner for Torres, who had a spectacular debut season for The Reds.

24-year-old Torres moved to Anfield last summer in a club record deal from Atlético Madrid and went on to become the Reds’ highest goal-scorer for the 2007/08 season, scoring 33 goals to set a new record for a foreign striker in his debut Premiership campaign.

Whereas the other Liverpool strikers – Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel and Andrei Voronin - only managed a combined total of 17 goals last season, with Benitez desperate to bring in an out-and-out striker to Anfield.

"We have Torres, Voronin, Kuyt, Babel and Steven Gerrard, who can play as a second striker," said Benitez.

"But we will try to bring in another option.”

David Villa had another excellent season for Los Che, scoring 18 goals for the Primera Liga outfit, but there is competition to sign Villa, not only from Premiership sides Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, but also from the Continent.

Villa has already stated that he would feel comfortable with a move to Liverpool, saying recently to the Daily Mail: "Liverpool and Chelsea are both big clubs with lots of attraction.

"Liverpool have a Spanish coach and I have lots of friends there.”

Benitez has also now confirmed his interest, and knows the challenge ahead if he wants to convince Villa to make a move to Anfield.

"Villa we know all about. He is on our list. But maybe it will be difficult," said Benitez on Tuesday.

Liverpool FC Back In Talks To Seal Gareth Barry Move

Liverpool are in further negotiations with Aston Villa in an attempt to finally seal the transfer of Gareth Barry.

The Midlanders have sent their Anfield counterparts a letter outlining their demands for the England international midfielder.

It is understood the asking price remains at £18m, with Villa manager O’Neill prepared to lower that to £17m if Steve Finnan heads to Villa Park in part-exchange.

While Liverpool value Finnan at £2m, Villa believe the right-back is worth only half as he has already entered the final year of his contract.

Any agreement will also hinge on the method of payment, with Villa insistent that Liverpool follow the traditional Premier League structure of half the money down immediately and the rest in 12 months’ time.

Rafael Benitez has previously been unwilling to spend £18m on Barry, valuing the player nearer the £15m mark.

However, O’Neill is confident the situation will soon be resolved.

“Liverpool have come back to us and we have responded to their proposal with a letter,’’ said the Villa manager yesterday. “We’re still waiting to hear back from Liverpool after putting that proposal to them. It’s really up to Liverpool. I really don’t know how it’s going to work out at the moment.

“I’m sure there will be some sort of resolution at some stage or another.”

Villa have already made plans for life without their skipper Barry, with Steve Sidwell expected to be unveiled today after finalising his move from Chelsea.

Meanwhile, newly-promoted Stoke City are reportedly ready to raid Liverpool as they seek to bolster their squad for their first-ever Premier League campaign.

Manager Tony Pulis has been monitoring goalkeeper Scott Carson’s situation, although Moroccan international Nabil El Zhar is a more attainable target.

The Reds’ youngster Lucas Leiva has been included in Brazil’s squad for the Olympic Games football tournament next month in Beijing.

And with Javier Mascherano having already been named in the defending champions Argentina’s squad, it means Liverpool are poised to be without both their South American central midfielders for the start of the new Premier League season, which begins with a trip to Sunderland on August 16.

Yossi Benayoun: I’m Staying At Liverpool FC

Yossi Benayoun says he is determined to stay at Liverpool – because manager Rafael Benitez “loves” him.

Manchester City and Tottenham are both keen to recruit the Israeli international midfielder, but Benayoun believes there is no chance of Liverpool cashing in on him.

He said: “Even before the season ended, we determined that I would be staying.

“Benitez told me unequivocally that he brought me here, that I had a very good season, that he’s depending on me and that there’s no way I’ll leave Liverpool.

“I have very good chemistry with Benitez. He loves me. He bought me. I really enjoy being with him – moreover, I had an excellent season. I even surprised myself.

“Benitez didn’t want to hear and isn’t prepared to hear about any possibility of letting me go at any price.”

Benayoun scored 11 goals in 48 appearances in his debut season with Liverpool, although he regularly had to settle for a place on the bench.

But he says the only circumstance in which he would leave the club would be if he was told he was no longer wanted.

He added: “Liverpool is good for me, and it was always clear I want to stay and Liverpool wants me. I got better offers financially, but these tempting offers don’t change my mind.

“If Liverpool wouldn’t want me, I’d leave there in seconds. Even if I had a contract, if I understood they didn’t want me, I’d get up right away and leave. But I’m not leaving Liverpool.”

Meanwhile, Benitez has challenged the club’s youngsters to show him during pre-season they are ready for a first-team call.

The Reds boss knows the likes of Krisztian Nemeth, Damien Plessis, Emiliano Insua and Daniel Pacheco have made great strides over the last 12 months – now he wants them to take another step forward.

Their task will be made easier over the coming weeks as Benitez uses the full contingent of his playing staff during pre-season trips to Switzerland, Spain, Norway and around the UK.

However, a slight complication arises from the fact Nemeth, Andras Simon, Mikel San Jose, Dean Bouzanis and Peter Gulacsi will all be appearing in the European under-19 Championships in the coming weeks.

The manager said: “Clearly some of the young players will be involved in some of our games during pre-season and this is an opportunity for them to show what they can do, although some of them are so good they will play some games with their national teams.

“But we have a lot of confidence in them so if they can be with the first-team players and work with the coaching staff I am sure it will be good for them.

“It is important that they develop their experience at this stage of their careers and afterwards we will see, but it is clear that they have a chance.”

Hungarian trialist Zsolt Poloskei will spend a season-long loan at Liverpool, the club has confirmed.

The midfielder was one of three MTK Hungaria teenagers to arrive at Melwood for pre-season trials.

Having impressed staff, the 17-year-old has already been handed a loan deal and will battle it out for a place in Gary Ablett’s reserves during 2008/09.

Poloskei’s settling in process will be helped by the presence of Peter Gulacsi, Krisztian Nemeth and Andras Simon, who all arrived from MTK a year ago.

Benitez Admits: I'll Be Sorry To See Crouch Go But I Still Have Torres, Voronin, Kuyt, Gerrard - And Maybe Even Villa

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has admitted he wanted to keep Peter Crouch as the England striker prepares to complete his move to Portsmouth.

Crouch has completed a medical at Fratton Park and the finer points of his £11million move back to the south coast are almost complete with Pompey likely to formally confirm the move tomorrow.

But Benitez has preempted Crouch's final departure from Merseyside by saying: 'He is a good professional and a nice person, and we would have wanted him to stay. We offered him a new contract.

'But sometimes you have to understand the player. He wanted to play a lot more, and with Fernando Torres now first choice, that was always going to be difficult.

'I can understand Peter's situation. But he did very well for this club and we always supported him when people doubted the decision to bring him to Anfield.'

Benitez made it clear that he will now try to sign a replacement striker, and refused to rule out a possible move for Spanish star David Villa.

He said: 'We have Torres, Andriy Voronin, Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel and Steven Gerrard, who can play as a second striker.

'But we will try to bring in another option. Villa is a player we know all about and he is on our list. But maybe it will be difficult.'

Benitez now hopes to complete the drawn-out saga of Gareth Barry's move from Aston Villa, which the club still hope to have sealed by the weekend.

Whether that will be in time for Liverpool's first pre-season friendly at Tranmere on Saturday is debatable.

But Benitez would wish to have the midfielder on board for the training camp in Switzerland which starts on Sunday and includes three matches before a return to the UK ahead of the trip to play Rangers in Glasgow on July 26.

Peter Crouch Agrees Personal Terms With Portsmouth

Peter Crouch has agreed personal terms with Portsmouth and is expected to complete his £11 million move to Fratton Park in the coming days.

The Liverpool forward is expected to undergo a medical today before completing his move to the club he left in 2002. While the 27-year-old hopes the move will reinvigorate his England career, Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, hopes the influx of cash will allow him to secure his top targets.

Liverpool accepted Portsmouth's offer on Monday, of which £2m is conditional on his success at Fratton Park. And far from being worried by a perceived drop in class, Crouch, who scored 19 goals in 39 appearances in an earlier spell at Portsmouth, is delighted with the move, having been frustrated by Benítez's selection policy last season.

The striker believes that regular first-team football will help his England career, having yet to start a match under Fabio Capello, the manager.