Martin Kelly Eyes Long-Awaited Return

The opening day of a new season is always eagerly anticipated but for Martin Kelly tomorrow’s game against Sunderland at Anfield holds special significance.

Nearly six months ago the 21-year-old Academy graduate limped away from Upton Park disconsolately after tearing his hamstring.

The injury cruelly halted his progress and brought a premature end to the defender’s breakthrough campaign.

Since then he has embarked on a gruelling rehabilitation program and has proved his fitness with some impressive displays in pre-season.

With Glen Johnson set to miss tomorrow’s clash with the Black Cats after straining his hamstring against Valencia last weekend, Kelly is likely to get the nod to start at right-back.

Kelly is taking nothing for granted but admits he would relish the prospect of making a long-awaited return to competitive action.

"With Glen getting a little knock I’m not sure what’s going to happen in terms of Saturday but I’m looking forward to the season and being part of this terrific Liverpool squad," Kelly said.

"After being out for so long it’s been great to play a full part in pre-season and I can’t wait for the season to start.

"I’m just happy to have stayed injury-free over the summer and hopefully with all the work I’ve done I can stay fit and enjoy a good year."

It was a devastating setback for Kelly when he pulled up during the Reds’ 3-1 defeat at West Ham in February. Initially he hoped to return to action inside six weeks but the injury took much longer to clear up.

Countless hours have been spent bulking up in the gym to ensure his body is able to support his powerful 6ft3ins frame.

And the Whiston-born youngster, who grew up in Newton-le-Willows, has even taken up yoga to boost his chances of remaining on the pitch and off the treatment table.

"Initially I thought it was cramp in the game at West Ham but when I tried to get up I knew something was badly wrong," he said.

"The tear was so large because of the speed I was going. It was tough to deal with.

"I hoped to get back before the end of the season but the first rehab program didn’t really work out.

"On the last day before I was due to resume full training I sprinted and felt a twinge in my hamstring. Another scan showed the injury had happened again.

"It was a setback and it meant I was put on a different program and I had to work twice as hard to get back.

"It involved a lot more strengthening work around my hamstrings, calfs, quads and upper body. With the speed I go I needed more muscle.

"A few months ago I started doing yoga twice a week. At the start you wonder whether it’s really going to help but I’ve got into it.

"It’s hard work but I’ve really felt the benefits. It’s all about getting my body as strong as possible.

"A couple of days after each game now I get tested to make sure the strength hasn’t decreased. It’s about ensuring we stay on top of it."

Kelly graduated to Melwood from the Academy in the summer 2007 and was part of Gary Ablett’s title winning reserves side the following season.

Rafa Benitez handed him a debut in the Champions League against PSV Eindhoven in December 2008 and he went on to enjoy a successful loan spell with Huddersfield.

Kelly produced a man of the match performance on his first start against Lyon at Anfield in October 2009 but a groin injury kept him out for four months and on his return he was limited to two substitute appearances.

It was last season when Kelly’s Anfield career truly took off and after shining in the Europa League games under Roy Hodgson, he blossomed further under the guidance of Kenny Dalglish.

After Johnson had to pull out of the FA Cup tie at Old Trafford in January because his partner was due to give birth, Dalglish turned to Kelly for his first game in charge and his faith was richly rewarded.

Kelly retained the right-back spot and his performances were so good that England international Johnson was asked to play on the left instead.

"I was made up with how last season went for me before I got injured," he said.

"Playing in the Europa League helped me a lot. Then Kenny gave me a chance at Old Trafford and that really boosted my confidence.

"I didn’t find out until quite late on that I was playing. There was no time to get nervous, I was just excited and wanted to get out there. Steven Gerrard helped me a lot that day.

"I didn’t look back from there and I owe Kenny a lot for the games he gave me. You always train as hard as you can in the hope you will get the chance to play.

"The injury came at the wrong time for me as I was enjoying a good run but that’s just part of football.

"I’ve come back from that and feel stronger than ever."

With Johnson sidelined, Kelly has the opportunity to stake a claim for a regular spot in the Reds’ backline this term.

But the youngster’s only focus is on trying to help ensure the Reds get their campaign off to a flying start against Steve Bruce’s side.

"With Glen being England’s right-back there is no-one better for me to learn from," he said.

"Glen is a terrific player and it’s great for my development to be able to work with him. He’s helped me a lot with my game and I hope he makes a fast recovery.

"There’s competition for places here but you’ve got to expect that at all big clubs.

"We’re ready for the season and we all want to get off to a winning start.

"It won’t be easy because Sunderland are a good side and have made some good signings this summer.

"But we’ve worked really hard on team shape and we just need to put what we’ve been doing on the training ground into practice."

Evans Tells Liverpool Fans To Be Patient For Success

Roy Evans has warned Liverpool fans to be patient with Kenny Dalglish’s new-look Liverpool side.

Dalglish has splashed out big money this summer, bringing five new faces into Anfield including Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing, and Jose Enrique.

But the former Reds boss has told talkSPORT the side won’t transform overnight and it may take time for them to gel as a unit

He said: “They’ve spent a fair amount of money and made some big changes, which they needed to do. They’ve brought in some British quality, which is nice to see, but the biggest problem they have got is getting the team to gel.

“They’ve added pace and youth to their squad. [Stewart] Downing will give some great pace down both flanks and Andy Carroll, when he starts firing on all cylinders, will see the benefit of that.

“But the fans have just got to be a little bit patient because it takes a while [to gel] if you bring in five or six players.”

Evans also insisted after spending the summer adding to the squad, Dalglish now faces the tough task of shipping some players out.

A host of top earners are believed to be available for transfer at Anfield including Joe Cole, Alberto Aquilani and Christian Poulsen, with the focus now shifted to selling rather than buying.

“They’ve got to get rid of some players,” he added. “They’ve got a massive squad now with the ones they’ve brought in.

"And if you get players who are not in the team and the squad, they start to sap a little bit of energy out of the squad itself. Not because they behave badly, just because they’re frustrated they don’t get a game. So you’ve got to get five or six players out.”

Norwich Close To Landing Liverpool Defender

Norwich's £800,000 bid for Daniel Ayala has been successful and the Liverpool defender is on his way to Carrow Road to discuss personal terms and undertake a medical.

A string of clubs were interested in the 20-year-old defender but Norwich have beaten rivals Ipswich and Hull to land him.

Ayala joined Liverpool from Sevilla in 2007 but the Spain Under-21 international has failed to establish himself in the first team.

And the Spaniard is now set for Carrow Road, as Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish confirmed: "The only one going out is Daniel Ayala to Norwich."

Wilson Would Consider Loan

Danny Wilson admits he may be forced to consider a loan move away from Liverpool this season in a bid to boost his international career. The 19-year-old made just eight appearances last term following his switch to Anfield from Rangers a year ago. The young defender partnered Gary Caldwell in Scotland's 2-1 win over Denmark on Wednesday night but knows he will need more game time at club level if he hopes to retain a place in boss Craig Levein's plans.

Asked if a loan move could be an option, Wilson said: "It's been mentioned but there have been no offers yet so it's difficult to try to decide what's going to happen. "If there are no offers, you can't really do much about it so I'm just working hard and trying to keep a part of things. But we've got a lot of players now at Liverpool and it's going to be difficult. "There are five centre-backs there and we are all of good quality so the manager has a difficult decision and whatever his decision is, I'll respect that.”I didn't play enough last season and I wouldn't really like to repeat that next season. I can only do what I'm doing. "If it's enough, it's enough. If it's not, I'll just need to work that bit harder."

Wilson was linked with a return to Rangers on loan earlier this summer and says he would not rule out another spell at Ibrox if he received the call from Ally McCoist. He said: "I don't see why not, if the option was there. But the option's not there so it's difficult for me to comment on that. "I'll consider any team, once the offers come in I'll evaluate them and decide what's best for me and my career." Wilson was used in an unfamiliar left-back role last season and says he would be more than happy to demonstrate his versatility once again if it meant nailing down a place in Kenny Dalglish's side.

He said: "I'm a centre-back but if the manager decides that he wants me at left-back I can't have any problems with that and I'll do it no problem at all.”If he wants to put me in goal, I'll go in goal. I'm one of those kind of players who always gives my all for the team wherever I'm chosen to play." On his national team hopes, Wilson added: "If I'm playing more regularly it's better for me and it's better for the team.”He (Levein) says he obviously wants me to be playing a bit more regularly and I can fully understand that. I want that myself. "He's not said to me that I have to be playing but obviously it helps if I'm out there playing."

Tom Werner: We Will Spend Big To Bring Glory Back To Anfield

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner says the club will continue to spend big in order to bring success back to Anfield.

The Reds have embarked upon one of its busiest ever periods in the transfer market since being taken over by the Fenway Sports Group (FSG) back in October of last year, after a torrid few years under previous owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

Newcastle left-back Jose Enrique will become manager Kenny Dalglish's fifth signing when he finalizes his £5.5m move from Newcastle this week, taking the Reds' spending under FSG to well past the £100m mark in under a year.

And Werner insists he and principal owner John W Henry will continue to provide the backing for Dalglish and Director of Football Damien Comolli as they look to improve the squad further, and says the club is determined to end its 21-year-wait for a league title, and its five-year silverware drought.

"I don't think anybody is working harder than we are right now to continue to see if we can recruit talent," said Werner. "We are willing to spend pounds to upgrade the team and I think that both clubs, both the Boston Red Sox (FSG's other major sporting interest) and Liverpool, are blessed with management that is tireless and smart and I think that is the essential ingredient.

"The experience of being in New England when the Red Sox won (the World Series) after 86 years of drought, is hard to actually articulate, it was as if the whole region was floating for quite a while. When you think about 86 years, you think about the fact that some people came to Fenway Park in 1920 and passed away before seeing the world championship.

"One of the things that happened after we won the World Series is that people were actually buying World Series pennants and bringing them to their parents grave so that they could participate in that success. So I know how sports can have such a great impact on your life, and just lift you up.

"We want to win trophies. We want to have more trophies in our trophy case. I know the joy; I've seen the pictures when you all came back from (the 2005 Champions League win in) Istanbul, and to see the thousands and thousands of people lining the streets in Liverpool, that is such a dream.

"I think to look at my career in sports, the lessons that I learnt in San Diego helped us become better stewards in Boston, and hopefully we'll be better stewards in Liverpool through the lessons we've learnt. I think the most important thing, and it may seem obvious, is to put a quality product out there for your fans.

"These are people who spend their hard earned pounds to come to see the club. We've got supporters all around the world who expect a quality product, and so it's been our goal to try to improve our position on the pitch, and to try and create a environment for players to say they want to play in Liverpool, and bring some of the lustre that all the fans know back to the club."

Liverpool kick-off their Premier League campaign against Sunderland at Anfield tomorrow afternoon, with many tipping the Reds to make a sustained bid for Champions League qualification this season.

And Werner believes that with Dalglish, who signed a three-year contract as manager in May, at the helm, and with the support of the Anfield crowd, the club should be aiming high heading into the new campaign.

"I can't think of somebody who embodies the relentlessness and the drive and the attitude of excellence better than Kenny," he said. "Obviously we knew of him before we met him. I think he is a natural leader.

"I've had the privilege to watch him as he trains the men at Melwood, and I just think he's so charismatic and I think he's been able to instil a sense of purpose into the club, and when he says something I think people listen."

He added: "(Fans in America) care so much about the Boston Red Sox, just as our fans around the world care for Liverpool.

"They're knowledgeable, they tell you when they're unhappy, and I've heard some comments about that as the Chairman of Liverpool! They'll say, you know, have a beer with me because we know you're doing a good job and I guess from my own point of view, the thing that drives me is for John, and I, and you to leave the club in better shape than when we got there.

"Our hope is that we can make our fans proud of what we have done. I don't want to promise so much. I know John has said we're going to be top four, and Kenny says, well, why can't we win? But we just want to move forward we want to be better this year than last year and just keep going on the right track."

Liverpool And Everton Appeal For Calm

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish and Everton boss David Moyes have called for calm following the unrest throughout the country during the week.

The new Premier League season is due to start on Saturday but after England's friendly with Holland was called off and the midweek Carling Cup program was disrupted it remains to be seen if all 20 teams will play their opening fixtures.

Dalglish, who leads Liverpool into a league campaign for the first time since 1990, used the club's official website to ask for Liverpudlians to "pull together''.

"The city has made incredible progress over the past few years and no-one wants to see our restored reputation damaged by what we have witnessed over the last couple of days. For everyone's sake let's stop this now and pull together for the benefit of the whole community,'' he said.

Reds captain Steven Gerrard, who will miss the start of the season following an ongoing groin problem, echoed his manager's sentiments. He said: "This is a city which has always stuck together in difficult times and supported each other. If there are people thinking of going out and causing problems, then please think again.

"The community doesn't want you behaving like this. We're proud of how Liverpool has been transformed and we shouldn't let the actions of a few have such an impact on the rest of the people who live here and care about the city.''

Their words were echoed by Everton's Moyes, who said: "There can be no justification for the shocking display of behaviour that has been witnessed throughout the city of Liverpool and the rest of the country over the past few days.

"The mindless actions by small groups of individuals cannot be condoned and along with the rest of the Merseyside community, everyone at Everton Football Club gives its full support to the police and local authorities in bringing an end to the troubles.''

Moyes added: "As a result of recent events, football has already suffered and we need to ensure that this stops immediately so thousands of people up and down the country can enjoy one of the most anticipated weekends of the year - the start of the Premier League season.''

Despite the ongoing problems and policing issues QPR owner Bernie Ecclestone told BBC Sport he believes allowing the situation to disrupt the start of the new top-flight season would be disastrous.

"I tell you what, it gives a terrible message to the rest of the world. The Premier League is watched all over the world and wherever I travel and turn on [the TV] I see Manchester United playing someone,'' he said.

"It is important and it is watched worldwide so it gives a very bad message [about] England and we're about to have the Olympic Games so it is not a good message to give. Can you imagine if these sort of things happened when the Games were being staged? It would be terrible.''

Greg Clarke, the chairman of the Football League, warned that policing the streets would take priority and that matches will be postponed if police officers are required elsewhere.

"The police have to make these calls. If they feel they have more important things to do than send officers to football grounds, we will support that decision,'' he told Sky Sports News.

"Our priority is to make sure the police are out there dealing with unrest on the streets. We want to keep our games going ahead but that is a secondary priority.''

"We have to support the police and the government in making the streets safe, then after that we can think about 'let's get our football games going ahead.'

"If they need to move police away from football games, we will cancel those football games. We don't believe the situation will go on much longer, history tells us these things tend to peter out and we will make sure football games can go ahead as and when.''

Wednesday's game between Bristol Rovers and Watford became the fifth Carling Cup tie to be postponed after four call-offs on Tuesday.

Liverpool Agree £6m Fee For Jose Enrique

Liverpool moved closer to solving their problem at left-back after agreeing a fee with Newcastle for defender Jose Enrique.

Liverpool will discuss personal terms with the Spaniard when he arrives on Merseyside for his medical at their Melwood training ground this afternoon.

Enrique, 25, will cost Liverpool in the region of £6million but will fill a position which they struggled with last season.

"Liverpool FC confirmed today that they had agreed a fee with Newcastle United have been in negotiation with for the transfer of Jose Enrique," said a club statement.

"The club has now been given permission to discuss personal terms with the player, who will travel to Liverpool to undergo a medical."

Enrique joined the Magpies for £6.3million from Villarreal in August 2007 but was in the final year of his contract at St James' Park and had made it clear he would not be signing a new deal.

Providing there are no hitches to the move the defender will become Kenny Dalglish's fifth signing of the summer, following midfielders Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson and back-up goalkeeper Alexander Doni to Anfield.

Dalglish was unsuccessful in his bid to try to sign Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy earlier in the summer, with the Frenchman opting to join Manchester City, but the Scot has been looking for a long-term solution to a position which has been a source of frustration for a number of seasons.

Former manager Rafael Benitez tried several options with varying degrees of success, with the injury-plagued Fabio Aurelio, inexperienced Emiliano Insua and the woeful Andrea Dossena all trying but failing to hold down a regular position.

His successor Roy Hodgson signed Paul Konchesky from former club Fulham when he arrived last summer but the player was soon found out and lasted only marginally longer than his manager.

Hodgson was replaced in early January and by the end of the month Konchesky had been loaned out to Nottingham Forest and has since found a permanent home in the npower Championship at Leicester.

Dalglish's temporary fix was to give right-back Glen Johnson an unaccustomed role on the left and he performed well, with teenaged reserve team defender Jack Robinson filling in admirably when the England international was injured.

Aurelio, fitness-permitting, and Robinson seem likely to provide the back-up to Enrique which means Argentina international Emiliano Insua, who returned from a season-long loan at Galatasaray this summer, may have to find another club.

Liverpool In €7m Boca Battle Over Argentine Ace

Liverpool face competition from Boca Juniors and Inter Milan in the race to sign Argentine international midfielder Fernando Gago.

The Real Madrid defensive midfielder is one of a number of players thought to be available this summer, with Jose Mourinho looking to sell players in order to free funds for more transfers at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Spanish paper Marca sights Liverpool alongside the Serie 'A' giants Inter are leading the chase for the player, with the quoted €7 million price tag potentially too much for Boca to move for the 25-year-old.

It's not the first time Gago has appeared on the Reds' radar, with former Anfield chief Roy Hodgson thought to be keen on the player last summer and current Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish linked with a move back in January.

Liverpool has already spent big this summer, with Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson bolstering the midfield ranks at Anfield after big-money moves.

After only four senior appearances in La Liga last term, the former Boca starlet will be eager to play first team football once again, although it's unclear if Liverpool would be able to offer that to the player.

Liverpool Trailing France Under-21 Full-Back Loris Nery

Saint-Etienne youngster Loris Nery is attracting the attention of Liverpool director Damien Comolli, who previously used to ply his trade at the French club.

Nery is a 20-year-old defender who signed his first professional contract with the Ligue 1 side last August and made his debut the following month.

The versatile full-back can play anywhere in defence and has represented France at the Under-16, U-20 and U-21 levels.

Now L'Equipe reports that the Merseyside club is willing to tie down the youngster on a long-term deal before loaning him back to a French outfit.

Nery's current contract with Saint-Etienne runs until 2013, and it is thought that he has been offered a two-year extension by the Ligue 1 side.

Lucas Declares Himself Ready To Face Sunderland

Liverpool's Lucas Leiva remains optimistic about his place in the team to face Sunderland on the opening day of the season, despite the arrival of additional midfielders and his participation in this summer's Copa America.

The Brazilian has been at the centre of speculation regarding Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish's lineup for Saturday's match against Sunderland, with many tipping the player to miss out on a first team place.

However last campaign's club Player of the Season remains positive, insisting the lack of a summer break will not leave him short of match fitness.

Speaking to Liverpool's official website, he stated: "I'm fit. I didn't have a full holiday and was training with the national team, so it won't be a problem for me to be available for Saturday."

"I am really excited to be back and really looking forward to the new season. We're in a good mood at the moment and hopefully we'll start well on Saturday."

Dalglish Backs Henderson

Jordan Henderson should not be targeted by Sunderland's boo boys when they play Liverpool, according to Kenny Dalglish.

Liverpool moved quickly to sign the midfielder in the close season, sealing a £20million deal for his services.

At just 20, Henderson had become a feature of Steve Bruce's midfield and had earned himself an England cap.

Fate has now ensured that Sunderland will provide the opposition in his and Liverpool's opening game of the season at Anfield.

Nevertheless, Dalglish hopes the Black Cats fans will show some understanding to a player they have been able to profit so handsomely off.

"Obviously Jordan is one they've lost. He's a good player who they would have been understandably reluctant to let go," he told the Liverpool Echo.

"But sometimes as a manager you've got to be philosophical and say if a player wants to go we should let him leave. I don't think [Sunderland fans] will have any animosity towards Jordan.

"Sunderland will be a difficult fixture. There's been a major turnaround of players there over the summer.

"We'll need to do a bit of revision and see which players Steve has brought in and let go. Their team will be very different to the one we faced back in March."

Aquilani Keen To Make Impact At Liverpool

Alberto Aquilani insists there is no desperation on his part to leave Liverpool, admitting he would "love to make a mark" at Anfield this season.

Aquilani's big-money switch from Roma to Liverpool has failed to produce rewards so far, with the Italy international making less than 10 starts in his debut season. Earmarked as the replacement for Xabi Alonso, Aquilani fell a distance short of previous standards set by the Real Madrid man.

However, a year on loan at Juventus has revitalized the 27-year-old. Voted by many as Juventus' player of the season, Aquilani naturally wanted to stay where his football was succeeding, but a deal could not be negotiated.

Since then the creative midfielder has enjoyed an excellent pre-season, creating several goals for his Liverpool colleagues, suggesting he may have a future under the passing ethos of Kenny Dalglish. Speculation continues that Aquilani will leave, with Fiorentina strongly linked, but the Italian insists he will knuckle down if he remains at Liverpool.

"I'd love to make my mark at Liverpool. The transfer market is open until August 31, so we'll see what happens," Aquilani said.

"All I can say is that there has been a lot of talk. Obviously I would take the offer of a permanent move into consideration with Liverpool.

"I wasn't following the Italian media much over the summer, but whatever happens I am at a great club like Liverpool."

'It'll Prepare Us For Europe'

Rodolfo Borrell believes Manchester City will provide the perfect opposition for Liverpool Reserves ahead of next week's eagerly-anticipated NextGen Series opener against Sporting Lisbon.

The second-string's head coach has identified several similarities between the two sides and hopes to use the final encounter of pre-season to fine tune his preparations for the big kick off.

Speaking prior to this afternoon's clash at Hyde United, Borrell told Liverpoolfc.tv: "I'm looking to play against a very good squad and the initial idea was to use this game as a rehearsal for the Sporting Lisbon game.

"Sporting are a fantastic side that have very quick and technically-gifted players. These are the types of players Manchester City are looking to use at U18, U19 and reserve team level.

"With this in mind I felt they were the obvious choice. The stronger the team they play, the better for us. Like I say, they have some characteristics, especially in midfield and up front, that are similar to the Portuguese team and that can help us."

The reserves have suffered mixed fortunes in pre-season, notching up one win and two draws from five outings.

Borrell is unfazed by the results of their warm-up games and remains confident his players will benefit from coming up against teams with a strong physical approach.

He said: "At the moment I am quite happy. It has been a tough pre-season. We've got a lot of young players coming into the reserve team and I think that is the right way for a club like Liverpool to move forward.

"We look at the reserves as one step forward from the U18s and no longer just use players in the squad who are 22, 23, and 24 years old.

"The result of this is that the squad is very young. We know that we might have some problems at the beginning of the season in terms of results because we are going to perform against reserve team squads with players that are much older and have developed more physically.

"I know that we need to be able to handle this and that the lads must face this as a reality as soon as possible. That is why I picked out some very tough games for our pre-season.

"It has been difficult but I think we have adopted the correct approach in our preparations for the new campaign."

Kenny Dalglish Wary Of New-Look Sunderland

Kenny Dalglish has warned his Liverpool FC players not to be caught cold by a new-look Sunderland this weekend.

LFC begin their Premier League campaign on Saturday by welcoming the Black Cats.

While most eyes will be on Liverpool’s new summer signings, Sunderland have been even busier in the transfer market with manager Steve Bruce transforming his team after they faltered badly during the second half of last season.

And a wary Dalglish said: “People say it’s more important to win the first game than any other. I’m not sure about that. You obviously want to win it, but after five or six weeks the opening day is usually forgotten about.

“What is certain is that Sunderland will be a difficult fixture. There’s been a major turnaround in players there over the summer.

“We’ll need to do a bit of revision and see which players Steve (Bruce) has brought in and let go.

“It might be difficult to remember them all and their team will be very different from the side we faced back in March.”

Andy Carroll signed off a profitable pre-season personally last weekend with a goal in the 2-0 win against Valencia.

Carroll appeared in all six of Liverpool’s warm-up games and Dalglish believes the striker, who arrived in January from Newcastle United nursing a thigh problem, is fitter than at any time during his fledgling Anfield career.

“Andy Carroll’s injury meant he was only able to train at 100% on rare occasions last season,” said the Liverpool manager.

“He even played in some games when we knew he wasn’t going to be at his best.

“Now he’s fully over that knock and has been able to do a lot more on the training field in pre-season. That’s showed in the games he’s played over the last few weeks. He’s fitter and scoring some goals.”

Victorien Angban Set For Five-Year Deal With Reds

Liverpool is set to sign Ivory Coast youngster Victorien Angban, according to France Football.

The Under-17 international played a pivotal part with his country during the recent World Cup, playing alongside striker Souleymane Coulibaly, who broke a 10-year scoring record by scoring nine goals during the recent World Cup in Mexico.

Such form helped Coulibaly secure a move to Tottenham Hotspur earlier this summer, and now Angban looks like moving to the Barclays Premier League with Liverpool.

Liverpool have already invested in their future this summer, securing deals for Marco Bueno, who has joined on a 10-day trial subject to signing a five-year deal, and Nacho, another who has had a trial with the club earlier this year.

The club has brought through the likes of John Flanagan, Martin Kelly and Jay Spearing through their youth system in recent months, as the club continues to invest in its future under Fenway Sports Group.

Kenny Dalglish has also been allowed to invest in his first-team squad this summer, with the likes of Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Alexander Doni and Stewart Downing joining the ranks at Liverpool.

Agent Of Alvaro Pereira Invites €30m Bid For Liverpool Target

The agent of Porto full-back Alvaro Pereira has refused to rule out a summer move for the Uruguayan but admits any interested clubs will have to pay his full €30 million release clause.

The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to Premier League giants Liverpool and Chelsea, as well as mega-rich French side PSG and his agent Alejandro Savich believes a move could happen.

"Until now there has been no contact with us," he told Maisfutebol.

"In fact, I can say more: this time we have no offers from any club for Alvaro Pereira.

"I can only speak about the present and the truth is that there are no official offers.

"Alvaro Pereira will start training on Wednesday with FC Porto, but the market only closes on August 31 and until August 31 and anything can happen.

"He is aware that he has a contract until 2015 and that for now is focused on FC Porto, but also knows that things change quickly and that any time something could happen.

"If a club can pay the clause of €30m then we will see.”

Talk of Pereira departing Porto has intensified since last season’s Europa League winners completed the signing of Alex Sandro from Santos earlier in the summer.

Hull Hope To Win Ayala Chase

Hull City assistant manager Craig Shakespeare admits the club has rivals for the signature of Liverpool defender Daniel Ayala.

The Spaniard impressed during a loan spell at the KC Stadium last season and the Tigers are keen to bring Ayala back on a permanent basis.

A fee in the region of £850,000 is reported to have been agreed with Liverpool and Hull is now looking to meet the player's demands.

However, there have been claims that Premier League new boys Swansea City and the Tigers' Championship rivals Ipswich Town are looking to hijack the deal.

Shakespeare is aware of other interest in Ayala, but remains optimistic that the youngster can be added to Nigel Pearson's squad.

"We believe we have made a fair offer but we're not sure where Daniel and his agent see him next," said Shakespeare in the Hull Daily Mail.

"We would love to have him back on board here but there is another club involved."

Ipswich boss Paul Jewell is keen to improve his squad this week ahead of his side's game at home to Hull on Saturday.

Downing Reveals Gerrard Role In Liverpool Transfer

England winger Stewart Downing admits he faces a challenge to fight his way into the Liverpool team, but is relishing the battle.

Downing arrived for £20 million from Aston Villa this summer and, with Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam also being added to an already cluttered midfield area, he is not guaranteed a spot in the starting XI.

Instead, he will have to prove that he has what it takes to complement skipper Steven Gerrard, who played an integral role in convincing Downing to sign for the Reds.

"If you have a mixture of the foreign lads and the British then it is a good mix I think," Downing told the Mirror. "I knew Steven and Carra before I came and they said 'good atmosphere, great set of lads, we work very hard'. The manager is demanding and that is something I wanted to sample.

"Once I knew I had a chance of coming to Anfield I spoke to him but he didn't really have to sell the club to me. It is a pull already. It has been brilliant and training has been really good. It is a challenge to get in this team and do well."

He is hoping that a move to Liverpool will ignite his stuttering England career, which he admits is a source of disgruntlement at present. "I hope I can become an integral part for England," Downing said. "So far I would say my England career has been frustrating."

Liverpool begin their Premier League season at home to Sunderland on Saturday.

Liverpool Boss Dalglish Heads To Ballynahinch

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish took a break from his side’s preparations for the big Premier League kick-off on Saturday by visiting Northern Ireland today.

Just days before the first game of a new campaign, against Sunderland at Anfield, the Kop idol hitched up at Ballynahinch to attend the launch of a three-day Liverpool Academy, held at Assumption Grammar School.

Dalglish was then due to travel to Jordanstown to attend another soccer school, which will see Liverpool Academy coaches run through training programs.

The events are run in conjunction with the Happy Children charity and Dalglish’s visit follows up on a promise he made this year that he would make Northern Ireland a regular fixture in his visiting schedule.

“The events will be non-profit-making and hugely enjoyable for the young kids to attend,” said Dalglish.

“I am hoping to be able to support them as much as possible.

“It is hugely encouraging that the community spirit is alive and well in Northern Ireland.”

Dalglish is relishing the prospect of the coming season and having bought extensively in the transfer market during the summer there are high expectations for the Reds.

The Scot will be determined to start the match with a victory over Steve Bruce’s Sunderland, who themselves have invested heavily in new players in recent months.

Reds Star In The Lake District

Liverpool Reserves recently enjoyed a two-day workshop aimed at enhancing their conduct as professional footballers - both on and off the pitch.

The young Reds retreated to a secluded hotel in the Lake District where they listened to a variety of presentations as well as taking part in some good-natured team building exercises.

The Academy's head of education and welfare, Phil Roscoe was highly satisfied with the outcome of an intense 48 hours and was keen to explain how the club believes such a trip will benefit the stars of the future.

Roscoe told Liverpoolfc.tv: "We spoke with Damien Comolli and agreed that we would do something a bit different with the reserves this season.

"This involved not just concentrating on the football side of things but also taking time out to focus on other areas of life.

"There is a whole package to being a footballer and we want the lads to understand this. Going from U18s to reserves involves more pressure both and off the pitch.

"So what we wanted to do was to bring experts in from various areas so that they could speak to the players about what they could do to maximize their chances of conducting themselves professionally on and off the field."

The program involved insightful presentations on finance, alcoholism and drug abuse.

This was followed by some media training, as well as talks on internet safety and sexual health.

Roscoe continued: "It was quite extensive. Frank McParland kicked it off and discussed what he wanted from the players and how the Academy was changing and improving.

"Damien (Comolli) then wrapped the whole thing up by concluding with what is required of them if they want to become Liverpool's first-team players of the future.

"I was delighted with the overall success of the trip and I'd like to think every single player will take something from it.

"It was a great chance to get them away from the training field and put them into a room where they would be involved in important talks about life skills."

The experts who took part in the program also gave the event their thumbs up.

Liverpool To Have Its Own TV Channel

Liverpool will boast its own television channel to meet a "huge appetite" for more local information, under government plans unveiled yesterday.

The city is among 65 areas – from London to Bangor, in North Wales – where organizations have been invited to set up "local TV", along the lines of successful stations in the United States and France.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said “Liverpool TV” would serve around 800,000 households, stretching as far as Wirral, St Helens, Widnes and Wigan – initially on Channel Eight, on a Freeview box.

And he sought to quash industry scepticism about the viability of the stations by insisting they could be successful on advertising revenues of just £500,000 – and no state funding.

Mr. Hunt said: "This represents the biggest change in the broadcast landscape for decades. These new, local TV services will be a fundamental change in how people get information about their own communities. There's a huge appetite for local news and information, the length and breadth of the country.

"I want people to be able to watch television that's truly relevant to them, about what's happening where they live and featuring the people they know."

Under Mr. Hunt's plans, bids will be lodged in the next few months and Ofcom, the broadcasting watchdog, is expected to select an initial batch of 20 channels to be up and running by 2013. However, a study carried out for the Culture Secretary, last year, suggested local television may only be feasible in up to 12 of the largest cities.

Furthermore, local groups – the Culture Secretary suggested they might include entrepreneurs, universities or media companies – must first put forward a sustainable business case.

Mr. Hunt said just over half of the UK's population could be covered by one of the new channels, which will be based around existing transmitter locations. This means some major cities, including Portsmouth and Ipswich, will miss out.

However, they will be required to show only one hour of original news content every day – although Mr. Hunt said that content would be far more local than the regional news currently found on the BBC and ITV. Ministers sliced £40m from the BBC's licence fee grant to pay for the capital set-up costs of the project, which include adapting the transmitters, but each project will have to be self-funding.

Reds Are Making Promising Progress

Kenny Dalglish was delighted with the way Liverpool put their preparations for the new season back on track with victory over Valencia and reserved special praise for goalscorer Andy Carroll.

The former Newcastle striker, a big money buy in January, notched his third goal of pre-season against the La Liga outfit, to set the Reds on their way, before Dirk Kuyt's late second sealed the win.

"I think the boys deserve great credit for the work they've done out there," he said. "They've worked hard all week on the organizational side of it.

"They got their reward for what they did in training by not conceding any goals and that's as pleasing for us as scoring two at the other end.

"We are delighted with everybody and delighted with the attitude and commitment. Winning against such quality opposition won't do us any harm."

After setting Liverpool on their way against Valencia, Carroll earned praise from manager Dalglish, who claims the England striker is over his injury problems.

"We were delighted by Andy's performance," he said. "You could see him flying about there and that he is over his injury problems. That's great for us.

"He's worked very hard and we are delighted he has got over his knee injury and that he can train properly now."

Despite the victory in the club's final pre-season game before the start of the new season, injury to Glen Johnson marred what was a thoroughly rounded performance from Dalglish's men.

How Charlie Adam Can Help Liverpool Exploit The Pace Of Luis Suarez And Stewart Downing

As the mood of English football’s most celebrated sleeping giant lifted following the return of Kenny Dalglish last January, as did their level of performances on the pitch.

Aided by the arrivals of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll and the emergence of youngsters such as Martin Kelly and John Flanagan, Liverpool ended the season with a tactical fluidity that had been missing at Anfield for nearing two years.

That’s not to say that it was a flawless run-in. Tepid displays against the likes of Braga, West Brom and Tottenham showed Dalglish’s men to be lacking creative direction and an attacking plan B.

Versus West Brom, the vigour and work rate of the Reds in the middle of the park failed to hide the fact that there was a missing link to the front two of Carroll and Suarez.

As a result, the territory of Dalglish’s side remained in the centre of midfield as the side grew narrow, desperate for expansion on the flanks.

Unable to break against Roy Hodgson’s side, the temptation to kick and chase often proved too tempting for the team’s frustrated defenders with the game at 1-1. For the hosts, it was all too easy to defend against and the Baggies’ last-minute penalty rewarded the better side with three points.

However, with over £40 million worth of summer signings having joined the Reds, two new faces in particular can ensure that such one-dimensional play no longer need plague the Merseyside outfit. Just as when the club’s owners appointed King Kenny, Liverpool must look back to the not so distant past for inspiration.

This season, protected by Lucas, Charlie Adam’s wide-ranging distribution can be used to link up in close contact with the more advanced Steven Gerrard or spray balls to the flanks for Suarez and Stewart Downing to latch onto. From here, the Uruguayan can attack the box, cutting in from the channel whereas the former Aston Villa man can utilize his inch-perfect crossing ability to target Carroll in the area.

The more centralized route one option would also benefit, with Gerrard in a position to mop up knockdowns that have come from Carroll in the area in which he is most dangerous: just outside the 18-yard box.

With a three-pronged approach to goal such as this, Dalglish would be able to take advantage of Adam’s vision while maintaining the security of Lucas and the power of Gerrard.

A little more variety and less narrow-minded, this is the formation to continue Liverpool’s ascension.

Scott Dann The Man For Kenny Dalglish

Kenny Dalglish has moved for Birmingham star Scott Dann after Liverpool’s pre-season defensive shambles.

Dalglish wants to make the £8m-rated centre-back his fifth summer signing after seeing his side leak 15 goals in six friendlies.

He was eyeing Liverpool-born Dann, 24, earlier in the summer but opted to strengthen his midfield, landing Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson.

Dann, who has been likened to Kop legend Alan Hansen, missed half of last season after picking up a hamstring injury in January.

Anfield chief Dalglish has been hit by injuries to key defenders Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson in pre-season.

Liverpool Line Up Loan Deal For Man City Defender

Liverpool's need for a left back is inching them closer to proposing a loan move for Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge.


The Reds are short of options in that part of the field having seen Emiliano Insua, Paul Konchesky, Fabio Aurelio and Glen Johnson all turn out in that position to differing levels of success over the past two years. And despite attempts to rectify the situation this summer, the club have still not managed to secure any of their targets.


Lyon's Michel Bastos and Celtic's Emilio Izaguirre had both been shortlisted but with the former speaking publicly about wanting to stay at the Stade Gerland and the latter having suffered a broken leg against Aberdeen on Sunday, options are now limited. As a consequence, Dalglish is now considering making an approach for Bridge in order to have an experienced Premier League operator in that position.


The former Chelsea and Southampton defender might not be the most exotic name to be linked with a move to Anfield but, crucially, he is available and - when given a run of games - is a solid player capable of delivering telling crosses upon which £35m man Andy Carroll would thrive. Any deal would not be concluded until the end of the transfer window as Liverpool still hope to make a permanent signing but if they are unable to do so and can reach an agreement with City over his £93,000 a week wages then Bridge could be wearing the famous red shirt in September.