Bayern Enter Chase For Liverpool Target Enrique

Bayern Munich is ready to challenge Liverpool in the battle to lure Jose Enrique from Newcastle United.

And Toon boss Alan Pardew, already in a fight to hang on to key midfielder Joey Barton, is facing up to the fact that top scorer Kevin Nolan is now a target for West Ham.

It had seemed that Anfield boss Kenny Dalglish was in pole position to land Enrique this summer, despite AC Milan’s interest in the Spanish left-back.

But Bayern, who can boast a £100million transfer kitty, have other ideas.

Enrique enters the final year of his Newcastle contract this summer, and is on record as saying he wants to play Champions League football.

Bayern hope that could swing the deal for them – the German giants also believe they will snatch third place in the Bundesliga this term and qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Officials from Munich were represented at St James’ Park on Tuesday night, watching Enrique in Newcastle’s 0-0 draw with Manchester United.

West Ham have been checking out 28-year-old Magpies midfielder Nolan recently, and fancy pairing him with Football Writers Player of the Year Scott Parker next season if they beat the drop.

Nolan, who has two years of his contract to run, is in talks over a new deal with the Toon top brass.

Barton was on West Ham’s radar earlier in the season, and has stalled on his contract talks stating: “I’ll wait and see if players like Kevin Nolan, Cheik Tiote and Jose Enrique stay.

“If Nolan signs a new deal, I will as well.”

Jeremy Menez Eyed By Liverpool As He Seeks Roma Exit

Reds manager Kenny Dalglish and director of football Damien Comolli have made signing a new wideman to supply Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez their top priority for the summer transfer window.

Comolli has been monitoring the progress of Menez for some time and the 23-year-old has now indicated he is ready to move to England.

The France international was non-committal when recently asked about his future, but has now fallen out with both his boss and Roma's fans.

He was involved in a bust-up with coach Vincenzo Montella during the 1-0 loss to Inter Milan in the first leg of the Italian Cup semi-final and the club's Ultras later pelted his car with stones.

Menez was not hurt in the attack but, according to the Daily Mail, it was the final straw and he has now decided to move on in the summer.

Liverpool are likely to face competition from Arsenal in the race to sign the ex-Sochaux and Monaco star, while Manchester United have been linked with him in the past.

The Anfield club have also been credited with an interest in Aston Villa's Stewart Downing and Fiorentina's Juan Vargas in their search for a new winger.

Brad Smith Yet To Decide Between Australia or England

Liverpool fullback Brad Smith has left the door open to playing for Australia - despite making England's U17 European Championship squad.

The left-back joined the Reds last year and has quickly caught the eye of England scouts.

Given the complete change in his surroundings it is perhaps no surprise to learn that he has yet to decide where his true allegiance lies.

"I was born in Australia and lived there for 14 years before moving over here," he told liverpoolfc.tv.

"I went on to play for the same school as Jack Robinson but I'm completely focused on playing here now.

"I suppose I'm half English and half Australian! I don't know who I would support if the two teams played each other."

Pacheco Loving Norwich Experience

Dani Pacheco is loving his loan at Norwich City.

The Spanish striker hit his first goal in the 5-1 derby thrashing of Ipswich Town.

The on-loan Liverpool star, who joined the action as an 84th minute substitute was quick to air his delight with the result on his personal twitter account.

"Great result tonight. Amazing atmosphere, love derbys! Our fans were amazing! Happy for my goal as well. 3 games left, come on boys!!"

Pacheco's final tweet of the night read: "what a great day. Time to sleep now and rest for Monday. Thanks to everybody for the support today, fans been amazing. More of that Monday!"

Liverpool Held By Bristol Women

Grace McCatty's stoppage-time goal earned Bristol Academy a 1-1 Women's Super League draw with Liverpool.

The Reds took the lead through Michelle Evans' well-struck 20-yard half-volley on 42 minutes.

But the home side pressed their opponents in the second half and their equalizer came when McCatty's low shot was deflected into the Liverpool net.

The result gave Bristol their first point of the campaign but still leaves them bottom of the eight-team table.

Academy trounced their opponents 3-0 in last Sunday's FA Cup semi-final and, in their first home game of the season, were out to impress in front of an expectant crowd of 707.

But they found the going much tougher in this rapid re-match.

Bristol hit back after Evans had broken the deadlock and almost equalized when Liverpool goalkeeper Andrea Worrell had to save a mis-directed headed clearance by her team-mate Cheryl Foster.

Bristol continued to press but the visitors held firm and looked set to claim a slice of revenge for their FA Cup dismissal as the game went into stoppage time.

But McCatty grabbed her last-gasp equalizer following a Helen Bleazard corner.

Despite having to settle for a point, Liverpool has leapfrogged Chelsea and Lincoln into fifth place.

Match Preview: Liverpool vs Birmingham

Injury problems have once again disrupted Liverpool’s preparations in the build up to the visit of Birmingham City this weekend. Both Jamie Carragher and Andy Carroll suffered injuries at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday and remain doubtful for Saturday’s game, stretching an already depleted squad, which is hanging on by its fingernails to the hope of European football next season.

They may be missing players through injury, but Liverpool will undoubtedly be feeling good about themselves after showing immense character to rescue a point from their trip to North London. Dirk Kuyt’s 102nd minute penalty – unsurprisingly the latest goal scored in Premier League history – showed nerves of steel whilst the performances of academy graduates John Flanagan, Jack Robinson and Jay Spearing drew much praise from the national media.

Coming on the back of a morale boosting 3-0 win over Manchester City, there is clearly a belief amongst the Reds that they can compete with the top teams in the league. Throughout this season, however, it has been the performances against the sides propping up the table which have given most cause for concern.

Against the teams currently in the bottom half of the Premier League, Liverpool have taken just 25 points from a possible 54 (their record against the top ten, 24 from 45, reads significantly better), and most recently this has manifested itself in defeats at West Brom and West Ham. Home defeats against Blackpool and Wolves, as well as a draw against Wigan, however, suggest this problem is not simply one of away day blues.

Birmingham have not been an easy team for Liverpool to face in recent years, indeed under Rafa Benítez the Reds never came out of a league match on top, although there was the small matter of a 7-0 victory in the FA Cup. The last seven league meetings between the two sides have all ended in draws whilst Birmingham did the double over Benítez in his first season in England. A first league win in the fixture since the 8th May 2004 would be timely in the continued chase for 5th place.

Liverpool has major worries over both Carragher and Carroll after the draw at the Emirates Stadium. Carroll slipped in the penalty area and suffered a knee injury which, although not as serious as was first feared, threatens to keep him out of this weekend’s match. Carragher, who was knocked unconscious in a clash of heads with Flanagan, has recovered remarkably quickly, but there remain doubts as to whether the medical department will clear him to play.

Should both be ruled out, Liverpool’s squad will be stretched almost to breaking point. Sotirios Kyrgiakos would be the most likely option to replace Carragher, whilst Dirk Kuyt may well be called upon to play up front should Carroll be ruled out. Maxi Rodríguez would be the most likely candidate to fill Kuyt’s vacant place on the right flank, though it was the returning Jonjo Shelvey who came on for the final twenty minutes against Arsenal when Carroll was withdrawn.

Birmingham are boosted by the return of centre back Martin Jiranek, who suffered a groin strain in the Carling Cup Final, meaning that Liam Ridgewell could be slotted back into his favoured left back position. That is likely to be the only change from the team that lost 3-1 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday as Birmingham look for the few points they need to cement their place in the Premier League.

Starting XIs

Liverpool (possible): Reina; Flanagan, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Robinson; Kuyt, Lucas, Spearing, Meireles; Suárez, Carroll

Birmingham (probable): Foster; Carr, Jiranek, Johnson, Ridgewell; Larsson, Ferguson, Gardner, Fahey, Hleb; Jerome

Kenny Eyes End To Seven-Year Jinx

Kenny Dalglish is confident his Liverpool side can break a seven-year jinx on Saturday by beating Birmingham City in the league.

Rafael Benitez failed to gain three points against the midlanders during his Anfield tenure - while Roy Hodgson could only manage a goalless draw at St Andrew's earlier this season.

Emile Heskey, Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen were the scorers the last time we overcame Birmingham in a league match back in May 2004 - but Dalglish isn't concerning himself with history.

"The past doesn't matter," he told Liverpoolfc.tv. "It's what happens on Saturday that's going to determine the result. Obviously we'd love it to change and improve our record against them."

Liverpool would be third in the league if the season started when Dalglish re-took the reins in January - proof of the potential within the squad, according to the gaffer.

"It reflects on how well the players have done," he said. "Their approach has been fantastic since we came in and their determination to get results has been superb. It's a work in progress but there are quite positive signs.

"If you support Liverpool Football Club then I think you will have enjoyed what's gone on, but like Oliver Twist we'd still like to get a wee bit more."

Liverpool go into Saturday's 3pm kick-off on the back of a victory against Manchester City and a draw at the Emirates, results gained with several Academy graduates on the teamsheet.

Dalglish is keen to moderate the hype surrounding players such as 17-year-old Jack Robinson and 18-year-old John Flanagan, but he admits it's not easy with all the media coverage of football today.

"It's easy for us - though it might be difficult for the press," he said. "The lads find it quite easy. They're good lads and they're well grounded. I don't think we'll have a problem, and I don't think they'll get carried away.

"They can be immensely proud of the way they've played in the games they've been involved in but we won't get carried away.

"We've got some experienced heads and so have they at home - their parents and relatives. They'll be able to keep their feet on the ground.

"It's difficult for local lads to progress in football. Sometimes they're dragged from one thing to another but for these lads to have got as far as they have shows you they've got some determination. They also respect the profession they're in and what they have to do to be good at that profession. They are quite strong individuals."

One of the experienced heads at Dalglish's disposal is Steve Clarke.

Speaking to us earlier in the week, he revealed how the coaching staff goes about keeping young players grounded.

"We keep on at them every day in training," he said. "When you come into work you can reflect a bit on the previous performance but in football the next game is always coming up. There is no point dwelling on what you've done - it's what you're going to do in the following game.

"They've got good people around them, they'll get good advice and they seem to me to be very level-headed boys. I'm sure they'll continue to progress."

Clarke and Dalglish will pit their wits against a man they know well this weekend in Blues boss Alex McLeish.

But our first-team coach isn't expecting any favours despite City having steered themselves clear of the drop zone in recent weeks.

"I know Alex through his time in Scotland, I think I played against him a few times," said Clarke. "He will have been coming to the end of his career as I was starting out in mine!

"I know him well and he's done a good job there. Winning the League Cup with Birmingham was a big thing. They've almost got enough points in the league but they're not quite in a position yet where they can relax and so it'll be a difficult game for us."

Speculation Is Growing That Pepe Reina Wants To Stay At Liverpool

Pepe Reina looks set to stay at Liverpool for next season, despite speculation mounting that he was fed up with not winning trophies, according to The Sun.

The Liverpool goalkeeper appeared set to leave the Kop in the summer, with ex Liverpool goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov and Hugo Lloris looking likely replacements, as well as a list of other names in the pipeline.

Mihaylov was recently quoted as saying he was sure Reina was leaving to head to a club in Spain.

“I know from my agent Pepe Reina wants to go back to Spain," he said.

"His desire dates back one or two years. He's one of the best keepers in the world but his form is not as it should be in a club like Liverpool.”

While Reina had signed a six year deal six months ago, a £20 million release clause was inserted into his contract, giving weight to Mihaylov's beliefs.

But it appears Mihaylov might be wrong, as Reina has praised Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish on a number of occasions now, indicating that the goalkeeper might indeed stay with Liverpool after all.

"He's a legend in Liverpool - and I mean a legend because sometimes that word is used too much for other people.

“Kenny knows exactly what the [Liverpool] people think and what the supporters want to see.”

Dalglish has ensured a resurrection of Liverpool, with the club going from facing relegation to challenging for Europa League qualification. If Reina does believe that Dalglish knows what Liverpool people want, the goalkeeper will surely know that the people want trophies and Champions League qualification, which is what Reina wants too.

Dalglish recently made a personal appeal to Reina to stay with Liverpool, telling reporters: “I can't speak for Pepe Reina on how he sees it and believes it's going.

“I can only tell you about how me personally and the club as a whole feels about him.

“Whatever he feels about us going in the right direction or not is up to him, but he doesn't look too unhappy to me.

“I have always believed he is one of the best in the Premiership, if not the best, maybe even in football.”

And so through Dalglish’s personal appeals to Reina, the Spaniard is looking poised to stay with the Anfield club.

Liverpool Chase Bayern Munich Captain Philip Lahm

Liverpool are reportedly plotting a surprise move for Bayern Munich captain Philip Lahm.

According to Sportingo, the Reds and Chelsea are both chasing the £23 million-rated full-back and Bayern are already looking for a potential replacement.

Although it would seem unlikely that the Bundesliga giants would sell their skipper, Liverpool and Chelsea are both reportedly prepared to test their resolve in the summer.

The Blues are thought to be in the market for a world class right-back, with Jose Bosingwa's career at Stamford Bridge stagnating and Branislav Ivanovic not a particularly useful attacking option on the flanks.

Liverpool, meanwhile are known to be after defensive reinforcements and a deal for Lahm would certainly represent quite a coup for the Anfield club.

However, it would be a surprise if Liverpool did launch a bid for the 27-year-old with Glen Johnson and the increasingly impressive Martin Kelly already providing Kenny Dalglish with capable options on the right.

A more pressing issue for Liverpool is the acquisition of a new left-back with the injury-prone Fabio Aurelio currently the only senior player at Anfield who is a natural in that position.

Liverpool is reportedly closing in Newcastle's Jose Enrique as they look to solve their left-sided woes in time for next season.

Johnson Committed To Reds

Glen Johnson has insisted he has no regrets about joining Liverpool and is looking forward to a bright future with the club.

The England international has endured long periods of frustration since making the move to Anfield from Portsmouth in the summer of 2009.

He could not help the Reds qualify for the UEFA Champions League last season under Rafa Benitez and was criticized by Roy Hodgson at the start of this term following a series of disappointing performances.

Injuries have also hampered Johnson's progress and he now finds his place under threat from youngsters such as Martin Kelly and John Flanagan.

However, the right-back maintains that he never looks back at the moment he came to the club and wishes he had made a different decision.

Johnson feels the Reds are heading in an exciting direction under Kenny Dalglish and new owners Fenway Sports Group, and is eager to play a part.

Asked if he had any regrets about joining Liverpool, Johnson told the Daily Telegraph: "No. Not at all.

"I definitely see my future here. It has never entered my head that I made the wrong choice.

"I am not the sort of person who, just because things are going badly, would jump ship.

"It was difficult for the club at the start of this season but we are over the hill now and everything is looking bright.

"The new owners coming in was like a cloud being lifted. Everyone feels like we are over the worst of it, we have fantastic owners, a fantastic manager and a fantastic coaching staff. With a few signings this summer, we will be a force."

Johnson knows from his time at Pompey how important it is to have stability at a club, and he is enjoying life with Liverpool since FSG took control.

"They have spent a lot of money," he said. "If it was me, I wouldn't spend that much unless I was dedicated to it.

"They do not want to be part of the club, they want to take it on. Why else would they buy it? It is exciting times.

"Kenny has brought the smile back to everyone's faces, and Steve Clarke [the first-team coach] has been fantastic.

"I feel a lot more settled now than I did. I had always lived in London before. It was a big change."

Spearing Relishing Reds Run

Jay Spearing believes his patience has paid off at Liverpool after earning a run in the first team this term.

The 22-year-old was reduced to a bit-part player at Anfield under previous managers Rafa Benitez and Roy Hodgson and started just three games last season.

Now with Kenny Dalglish at the helm Spearing has been given a new lease of life and is set to make his 12th start of the season against Birmingham on Saturday.

Happy to have a foot firmly in the first-team door, the combative midfielder is keen to seize the opportunity after his hard work paid dividends.

"I have had to be patient for two or three years now and different managers have given me different opportunities," he told the Daily Star.

"I used to come in and then be out the next week. At that time I wanted to nail a position down as much as possible.

"It didn't happen for me then. But thankfully, now it has and I just have to keep it going and make the most of my chances."

With first-team openings few and far between last term Spearing was forced to venture out on loan in search of games, landing at Championship side Leicester.

Despite loving his time at the Walkers Stadium, the player was forced to admit he may have to drop down a division on a permanent basis.

He added: "I hadn't played as much as I would have liked, so I went to Leicester, played some games and loved every minute of it.

"We were lucky enough to get into the play-offs. I knew that if I kept grafting and kept showing different managers that I wanted it, one day it would come for me.

"It was hard. There were times when I thought to myself, 'What's going on? Am I going to break through at Liverpool?'

"It is something I have been wanting to do for four or five years, not just this season, and there have been times when I thought I might have to look elsewhere.

"It is one of those things when you need the support of family and friends to keep you going and I believed in myself and knew at some point if I kept going it would come."

Kenny Dalglish Finds Fringe Benefits But Summer Exodus Still Likely

Kenny Dalglish has praised Liverpool's fringe players for their contribution towards the club's upturn in fortunes, although that will not prevent a cull of the squad at the end of the season.

Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic, David Ngog and Christian Poulsen have rarely featured since Dalglish became manager in January and Liverpool are likely to consider to offers for all in the summer. Cole has started just two Europa League games under the new manager and Jonjo Shelvey was preferred to the former England international when Dalglish was forced to withdraw the injured Andy Carroll against Arsenal last weekend.

Despite the club reportedly securing the biggest kit deal in English football with a £25m-a-year contract with the Boston-based Warrior Sports, Liverpool are looking to raise additional transfer funds in the summer and will offload players currently out on loan, such as Alberto Aquilani, Emiliano Insúa and Paul Konchesky. Yet Dalglish says he has had no problems from those he has overlooked.

"The important thing for us is the players who aren't playing because their attitude is really important. They have been brilliant," the Liverpool manager said, speaking ahead of Saturday's home game against Birmingham City. "They came in on Monday morning and trained fantastically well. Most of them are forward players, apart from Christian, and it's difficult for us to get them a game because our injuries are at the back. They are deserving of a game because of their attitude and the way they have gone about their work."

One player who has voiced his disaffection at Liverpool is the Serbia international Jovanovic, who admits he "made a mistake" in moving to Anfield on a free transfer last summer having been signed by Rafael Benítez. But Dalglish countered: "I don't know what's going to happen with Milan. He's been injured and still has a problem with his knee so if you are not fit it's difficult to be selected."

The Liverpool manager believes there is a new-found belief in the squad since his arrival, with the signings of Carroll and Luis Suárez instrumental in lifting the mood of the club. He said: "I had belief in them [when he took over] but they had to get belief in themselves. The first game at Old Trafford after they went down to 10 men after giving a penalty away in the first minute to the same referee we've got on Saturday [Howard Webb], it was fantastic the way they hung on in there.

"OK, we lost at Blackpool, but you could see they were determined to get something out of the game. They've been fantastic in training, their approach and their attitude, and I think getting Luis and Andy was a big thing in January. That lifted everyone. I think also bringing the youngsters in, if they're good enough to play, in a strange way gives the other first-team players a lift seeing some young faces in there."

McLeish - Carroll Rejected Scots

Alex McLeish has revealed he tried to lure Andy Carroll to play for Scotland while he was national team manager.

The Birmingham boss will come face-to-face with the man mountain on Saturday when they play Liverpool.

Carroll qualifies to play for Scotland through his grandmother who was born in that country but he spurned McLeish's advances and also his successor's Craig Levin.

Liverpool shelled out a British record £35million in January to prise him from Newcastle as a replacement for Fernando Torres.

Carroll has since cemented his international future with England as he opened his account at international level in the friendly against Ghana last month.

"Andy Carroll has come on leaps and bounds and I did try and get him to play for Scotland when I was manager," said McLeish.

"I was aware that he had got Scottish connections through his family. He was 19 at that stage, a reserve player really at Newcastle, and I was quite hot on trying to get him to play for Scotland at that stage.

"But unfortunately he said 'no' and we all know what he has already achieved in his career.

"Certainly since he has gone to Liverpool, he has formed a great partnership with Luis Suarez."

The Sun Boycott Remains As Strong As Ever

On Monday, shortly before RTÉ released a public statement about the issue, a text came through: Ronnie Whelan and Ray Houghton would not now be appearing on the Sun-sponsored ‘Premier Soccer Sunday’.

The decision to remove them from the show was thanks to the tireless campaigning of Irish Reds and came as a huge relief. The two players stopped playing for Liverpool a long time ago but any introduction for either of them will always include the club’s name. In effect their appearance on the show would give ammunition to the tiny minority who think it’s possible to be a Liverpool fan and a Sun reader. It would also give ammunition to the sick, small-minded, individuals who feel that it’s acceptable to abuse Reds based on the Sun’s false version of events.

Having already spoken on the issue to The Irish Independent, journal.ie and Dublin radio station Spin 103.8 before the announcement was made it was clear that the story was gaining a lot of attention in Ireland. After the announcement had been made there came another request to talk to Irish Radio, this time to the national station Newstalk.

There was some disappointment at the lack of any word from either player about the position they’d been in. RTÉ just said they wouldn’t now be appearing on the show – they didn’t say why.

If the two had made it clear that they fully support the boycott and pulled out as soon as they were informed of the sponsorship situation it would have helped repair their reputations and raise even more awareness of the boycott.

Their reputations are of course for them alone to worry about – it’s up to them to decide if their status amongst supporters was damaged during the time taken for them to be withdrawn. It’s up to them to decide if any damage can be fixed by just leaving it to heal of its own accord. And of course any hit their reputations might have taken is nothing compared to what their appearance on the show would have done.

Awareness still got a massive boost from the coverage afforded to the story. People previously unaware of the boycott have been made aware there is one, and why. The response to posting a link to the full transcript on Twitter was for a number of supporters already aware of the boycott to express their shock at how bad the Sun’s fabricated version of the disaster really was. Younger Reds are getting the full details and coming to the same conclusion that the younger Reds of 22 years ago made – to boycott.

The boycott is also increasingly coming to the attention of supporters around the world. And of course it isn’t just supporters of Liverpool who join in the boycott after seeing the lies that were told.

A point raised quite often is whether or not Liverpool fans should be dictating how ex-players can make a living. The simple response is that ex-players get these offers because they used to play for Liverpool and were given huge support from those fans; to turn work down when it relates to that one boycotted publication isn’t a great deal to ask in return.

Another point raised regularly is whether there is anything The Sun can do to bring an end to the boycott after 22 years. It’s a fair question: what will it take?

It’s a question that only the families and survivors can answer and there’s little point asking them before the truth – not the lies the Sun headlined ‘The Truth’ – is made public.

The Sun wasn’t the only newspaper to print the lies fed by a Conservative MP and the high-ups in South Yorkshire police. But it was the only paper that didn’t follow it up with an immediate retraction. Instead The Sun waited years, waiting until fresh attention was drawn to their lies, attention that came after Wayne Rooney spoke exclusively to them.

Their apology was seen as insincere, all the more because it included a dig at the Liverpool Echo for writing about the boycott and the backlash to the Rooney story.

The Sun’s lies have got in the way of the truth coming out. They have allowed small-minded scum to have sick fun at the expense of survivors and the families of the victims. They added to the trauma and suffering.

The panel set up in 2009 following Andy Burnham’s appearance at the memorial service is quietly suggesting that the truth might finally be close. That truth will come as a huge comfort to those affected by Hillsborough.

Until that truth does come out, until that truth becomes the accepted version of events so that small-minded scum are shouted down by those who excuse their behaviour, there is absolutely no chance that the boycott will end.

Until then no true Liverpool supporter will allow The Sun into their home in any form; printed, electronic or as the sponsor of a TV show they watch.

Don’t buy the Sun.

Kenny Dalglish Calls For Liverpool To Continue Spending Spree

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has insisted the club must continue spending this summer in order to continue their revival, but has assured the team’s young players they will be given first team opportunities.

The Merseyside club invested £57.8 million in January on forward pairing Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, having raised £56m from the sales of Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel.

Dalglish has called for a continuation of investment in top-class players with the likes of Bolton defender Gary Cahill, Aston Villa’s Ashley Young and Blackpool captain Charlie Adam linked with moves to Merseyside.

Speaking to The Guardian, Dalglish said: "Every summer is important for the club. The better the business, the more successful the club is going to be. If you do good business, you've more chance of being successful.

“That just doesn't mean buying players and letting players go, it's about developing what else you have. This summer is going to be very important, not just for Liverpool Football Club, but every football club. And the better decisions you make, the better business you do, the better chance you have of setting yourself up for next season."

The Scotsman, however, has pledged not to disregard the club's youth prospect having seen Martin Kelly, Jay Spearing, John Flanagan and Jack Robinson all step up into the senior squad this season.

"It's important that there is room for development for players, but it's also important that you don't use it as an excuse not to spend money and not improve what you've already got," he continued.

"Age does not determine their ability to play. So if we're convinced we have young players who are better than what's available, then we'll keep our younger players. There's no two ways about it.

“But that does not say we don't want to improve as a football club in any way, shape or form. We do need to leave some path open if we do think there are players who can come in.

“If they develop then fine, if they don't, we've got a problem. But if you buy a player in and he doesn't produce, you've got a bigger problem."

Meireles Rewarded By Fans

Liverpool midfielder Raul Meireles has been recognized for his impressive performances this season with the PFA Fans' Player of the Year award.

The 28-year-old arrived in late August from Porto in an £11.5million deal and took a while to settle after being played in a number of positions by then manager Roy Hodgson.

But he has played an increasingly influential role in his debut Premier League campaign, turning in a number of sparkling displays.

The Portugal international started to find his best form after Kenny Dalglish replaced Hodgson in early January and he opened his goalscoring account in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.

The strike against Everton signalled a run of five goals in six matches, and he has now beaten off competition from the likes of likes of Arsenal's Samir Nasri, Dimitar Berbatov of Manchester United and Chelsea's David Luiz to claim the coveted PFA prize vote for by fans.

"Raul has always had the ability he has shown recently," said Dalglish.

"Maybe he's settled down a little bit and is more comfortable and confident because he is playing well but there's been nothing drastic [tactically] for any of the players really.

"It is fantastic to see Raul doing so well. He has always been a talented footballer, he's always had what we are seeing now but it's been trying to get it out and it is coming out now and he's scoring goals."

Dalglish Praises Spearing Impact

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has praised midfielder Jay Spearing for stepping into the void left by Steven Gerrard's injury-enforced absence.

With the Reds captain ruled out for the remainder of the season after undergoing a groin operation, the 22-year-old academy graduate has been given a chance in central midfield alongside Lucas.

Spearing probably had the best game of his short first-team career in the win at Sunderland last month, the first Premier League match after Gerrard was sidelined.

Having not started under former boss Roy Hodgson, the former FA Youth Cup-winning captain has played in all three matches since, putting in assured performances against Manchester City and Arsenal.

"Any team in the world would be a better team with Steven Gerrard playing in midfield and we're no different,'' said Dalglish. "You feel for players when they're injured but when they are injured someone else steps up to the plate. It's to their credit that they've all stepped up to the plate; not just Jay, all of them.

"He's always been a good passer but maybe now he's got a bit more confidence and belief in himself and he's encouraged more to do it. The games he's had and the performances he's put in will give him confidence but he still does that (the snapping around people's ankles) and we wouldn't want to take that away from him. Jay's been fantastic in the games he's played for us, and that's a great lift for everyone at the club - to see someone like that coming through.''

Dalglish has not been afraid to give younger, less experienced players a run in the team - although some of his selections have been down to necessity.

Spearing is ahead of Christian Poulsen, who has won more than 80 caps for Denmark, in the midfield pecking order while the likes of teenage defenders John Flanagan and Jack Robinson have been pressed into action because of injuries to Glen Johnson, Daniel Agger and Fabio Aurelio.

"We've got a few injuries and it's how we react to that that's most important to us and they've done fantastically well in adversity,'' added Dalglish. "Jonjo Shelvey was doing really well as well until he got injured but now he's coming back in; Danny Wilson is the same and Martin Kelly too - they've all been really good for us this year. But Jay has been the one who's done as much as anyone.''

Portuguese Star Close To £12m Liverpool Switch

Porto defender Rolando is subject to interest from Liverpool and Roma, reports talkSPORT.

With cash to spend following a recent takeover, Roma are keen to add the Portuguese star to their squad for the new season.

But Liverpool, who will have cash to spend after a takeover of their own, is rivalling the Serie A side for his signature.

The £12 million rated centre-back played every minute of Porto's Liga Sagres winning season, where they went 27 games unbeaten, and his performances have been so impressive that Liverpool have been tracking his progress.

With Kenny Dalglish set to be installed at the helm, the Liverpool boss is looking to add a defender to his ranks with Gary Cahill and Neven Subotic also on the club's radar.

Comolli Sets Liverpool Winger Sights On Schalke Star

Liverpool has turned their transfer sights to winger Jose Manuel Jurado, according to reports.

The Schalke midfielder is in fine form for the German outfit and has impressed in both the Bundesliga and Champions League this term at the Veltins-Arena.

Damien Comolli, director of football at Anfield, is thought to have been alerted to the player's ability, with Liverpool known to be in the market for a winger this summer.

Ashley Young, Eden Hazard and Charles N'Zogbia are three other players thought to be of interest to the Reds, with speculation mounting over who the club will make their move for.

24-year-old Jurado is the latest player to emerge on the list, with the former Atletico Madrid star tipped to add the creativity Kenny Dalglish is looking for at Liverpool.

Tribalfootball claims both Comolli and Dalglish are convinced the former Spanish U21 international can handle the speed and physicality of Barclays Premier League football at Liverpool.

With financial backing from Fenway Sports Group, who proved they are willing to back the Liverpool boss in the transfer market in January, an offer could potentially be made in the summer.

Poulsen Intent On Proving Himself

Christian Poulsen is determined to resurrect his failed career at Liverpool according to his agent.

The Danish midfielder has not made a positive impact since former manager Roy Hodgson brought him in from Juventus last summer, and he has rarely been seen in the team since Kenny Dalglish replaced the current West Bromwich Albion boss in the Anfield hotseat.

Poulsen's poor appearance record at Liverpool has led to reports linking him with a return to his home country with FC Copengahen, however this is a move that the 31-year-old’s representative Jorn Bonnesen says will not be considered.

“Danish football is of no interest to him this summer,” Bonnesen - who also cited Poulsen's recent injuries as a factor in his misfortune - told Bold. “It is not in Christian’s thinking.

“Christian really likes life at Liverpool, both on and off the field. He has a contract for another two years and will continue working hard to secure more playing time.

“He has been out with a hamstring injury for recent matches – that’s why he hasn’t been in the squad.

“Liverpool have a few injuries at the moment, so there will be opportunities for him in the run-in.”

Aquilani Doesn't Want Reds Return

Alberto Aquilani has made it clear he would rather sign a permanent deal with Juventus than return to Liverpool for next season.

quilani has been a success during his loan spell in Turin and Reds manager Kenny Dalglish said on Thursday there was a chance the Italy international "could be a valuable asset" at Anfield next season.

However Aquilani, who joined Liverpool from Roma for £17 million in the summer of 2009, has underlined that he wants to join Juve, who have an option to sign the player for £13 million.

"My situation is simple. It all depends on Juventus - if they want to, (they can) buy me without asking anyone's opinion," Aquilani told Gazzetta dello Sport. "I would like to stay in Turin for a long time and win a lot.

"I want to be a protagonist in the new winning cycle that is opening up at Juventus. I have no doubt that Juve's project is a winner, they just need a little patience.

"I played with great continuity, without any particular problems. I finally removed the tag of me always being injured. I knew I was healthy, that I was just unlucky in the past, but in football people just want to label someone."

Liverpool Agree Massive Kit Deal

Liverpool Football Club have signed a deal worth a reported £25million a year with Boston-based Warrior Sports.

The deal is twice what Adidas are currently paying for the rights to produce Liverpool’s kits, and is a new record in English football – eclipsing Manchester United’s current deal with Nike.

Little known in the UK, Warrior Sports are a subsidiary of New Balance and have been increasingly moving into kit manufacturing, including a deal with Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group and their ownership of the Boston Red Sox.

The deal will come into place from the 2012/13 season.

Reports today say Liverpool’s kits are the fourth most selling replica kits in world football, only behind Man United, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Dalglish Praises Impact Of John Flanagan And Jack Robinson

Kenny Dalglish has praised the impact youngsters John Flanagan and Jack Robinson have had since being thrust into first-team action after injuries had left Liverpool short of defensive options.

Both defenders have handled the spotlight of the Premier League exceptionally well and played a crucial part in the Reds victory over Manchester City and the draw with Arsenal at the Emirates.

Dalglish is hopeful their good form continues but is wary of burning his young defenders out. He also admitted the dangers of the players getting carried away with their good performances which were highlighted in the media.

"We're delighted with what they've done and the fact it's been against Man City and Arsenal speaks volumes for them and the way they've been brought up," Dalglish told reporters.

"We just hope it continues, but at the same time we're not going to get carried away and we're not going to destroy the boys.

"We've got to be conscious of the fact they are only kids and we've got to know, and look for, any wee signs maybe it's a proper time to give them a rest if they need it," he added. "We've got to look after them and be consistent.

"We've got to keep our feet on the ground. There's no chance of yourselves [journalists] keeping your feet on the ground, so we've got to do that for them.

"But they are very level headed and the boys that come through the Academy do so with the same principals that are relevant to being a decent footballer - and that's that the team comes first."