Joe Allen To Shine For Liverpool This Season

Joe Allen: the midfielder who Brendan Rodgers described as one of the most technically sound players he has ever worked with.

The player Rodgers spent a huge chunk of money to buy. Allen and his midfield partners were instrumental in helping the Swans to a respectable position during their first season in the Premier League.

Allen came to Anfield having to fight against the likes of Steven Gerrard, Lucas Leiva, Jordan Henderson, Jonjo Shelvey and others for a midfield spot.

The first few matches into his Reds career showed glimpses of his talent. He was everywhere. He was at the start of every attack, the last ditch tackler, the midfield game breaker and the one who kept the tempo of team going with his short smart passes.

But over the course of the season, his performances deteriorated. His enthusiasm was there for all to see but he was not able to live up to the price tag and the faith put into him by the manager. He then faced stiff competition with Lucas coming back from injury and also Henderson who kept on improving over the course of season.

He kept playing second fiddle to other midfielders and had to wait until January to score his first goal. But what was evident from this period was the willingness Allen had to get into any position and play for the team. Eventually he was ruled out for reminder of season in mid-march after his shoulder surgery.

Many reports claim that Allen injured himself sometime and was carrying the injury for long and this may have caused the decline in his performances. But all this should be noted considering this was a new phase for now just the player but also the club.

Rodgers came into the club with a different philosophy and ideas from what Kenny Dalglish had. Both has similarities in the sense that both set up teams to play pass and move football. But the ideas and strategy that Rodgers had were different.

For a new young manager to come into the club and enforce his ideas onto the team often takes time. But as evident from the second half of last season, once the team got a better idea of the philosophy, they started playing much better. This was the scenario where Allen would have thrived. He would have gelled in well with players like Coutinho and Sturridge who always wait for the smart pass and make their move.

So what makes this season better for Allen?

Premier League index and Opta stats suggest that Allen passed the ball forward more than Mikel Arteta did and only slightly less Yaya Toure.

Allen was also the team’s best long-range passer and was second in the league at 89.6% completion. His statistics and gameplay dropped only after the Merseyside derby and that coincided with the shoulder injury he picked up.

Rodgers claimed that Allen plays similar to Paul Scholes in sense that both are comfortable at keeping possession of the ball and rarely give away which is a rarity in the Premier League.

Like Didier Hamann, Allen possesses the intelligence and skills to play in a number of positions and that makes him crucial for the upcoming season. He can fill in for Gerrard or Coutinho when either of them drift away from their positions and carry on the same work as the former ones would do.

Allen was used alongside Gerrard in certain games and he was given the duty to break plays. But he is not a proper defensive midfielder like Lucas who will get it right every time.

If he plays alongside a proper defensive midfielder he can focus solely on what he does best. He also need to work on his final passes into the box and the ability to run counter attacks with one pass. If he gets into positions to shoot he should be able to provide at least five to 10 goals during the season which can help the team go forward.

Allen has come back into the team fitter and hungry to prove himself. If he can get into the same rhythm, passing game and control as the one he has during the start of last season then we can surely expect a very good season for the young Welsh midfielder.

Match Report: Indonesia All Stars 0 - 2 Liverpool

Liverpool got their pre-season tour off to a winning start as goals from Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling handed them a comfortable 2-0 win over an Indonesia XI in Jakarta.

Coutinho got the Reds going with a 10th-minute opener and Sterling sealed the win two minutes from time as Brendan Rodgers' men prepared to go to Australia to face Melbourne Victory on Wednesday.

They will then round off their tour with a game in Thailand on July 28 before beginning their Barclays Premier League campaign against Stoke on August 17.

Coutinho opened the scoring as he attempted to find new signing Luis Alberto but the ball ended up back at his feet, allowing the Brazilian to slot home underneath goalkeeper Kurnia Meiga.

Stewart Downing then brought a save out of the stopper before Alberto hit the post.

And he was not to be the only newcomer to trouble the woodwork as Iago Aspas hit the bar before the break.

Simon Mignolet did well to save a long-range effort from Sergio Van Dijk but the Reds should have gone two up as Coutinho put a great chance over the bar.

Multiple substitutions came in the last half-hour and Sterling hit the bar twice soon after being introduced.

But he was not to be denied in the 88th minute as he side-footed into an empty net after some good work from Oussama Assaidi and Jordon Ibe.

Coutinho Scores In Liverpool Friendly Victory

Philippe Coutinho scored his second goal of preseason as Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners over an Indonesian XI on their Asian tour.

Coutinho opened the scoring and Raheem Sterling added a second in the final minutes to seal the win for the Reds as they prepare for the upcoming Premier League campaign.

The Brazilian slalomed past two defenders via a fortunate bounce of the ball and coolly slotted a finish past the advancing goalkeeper.

Lucas Leiva was also deployed alongside Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard in what was a comfortable second half.

Both Brazilians made way in the second half in a raft of substitutions and Jordon Ibe's superb run set up Oussama Assaidi to square a pass to Sterling for the second goal.

The Reds will now head to Australia as they prepare to take on Melbourne Victory in the next stage of their preseason tour.

Liverpool Make Ben Arfa Approach

Liverpool has made contact with Newcastle over the signing of Hatem Ben Arfa, according to reports.

The Daily Star cite speculation in L’Equipe when claiming that Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has made an approach for the 26-year-old, who has been linked with a move to Anfield in the past.

Indeed, The Daily Express reported at the end of May that Liverpool were set to go head-to-head with AS Monaco and Spurs in a £10million battle for the player.

Ben Arfa has suffered a number of injury nightmares during his time with Newcastle, who he joined from Marseille in 2011 after a year on loan at St. James’ Park.

During that season-long loan, he suffered a broken leg, but was still snapped up by the Toon for an undisclosed fee.

He impressed the following season when fit for Alan Pardew’s side, but again missed large spells of last term with a hamstring problem.

Rodgers must have seen enough to believe the player can enhance the attack at Liverpool, having already added Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas to the ranks at Anfield.

A 13-cap international with Les Bleus, there is little doubting the winger’s credentials, but keeping him fit would surely be the key if he did move to Merseyside from Tyneside.

Liverpool Drop Interest In Chelsea's Bertrand

Liverpool have dropped their interest in Chelsea defender Ryan Bertrand after baulking at the player’s wage demands, Goal understands

The Reds made an approach to the Londoners for the 23-year-old but were told he would demand a salary package worth more than £60,000-a-week.

Bertrand currently earns £35,000-a-week at Chelsea and is happy at Stamford Bridge having made 38 appearances for the club last season.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers worked with the England international at Chelsea and values his versatility, with Bertrand also comfortable in a midfield role.

But the Reds are no longer pursuing a deal for Bertrand and will look at other options to reinforce their left side ahead of the new season.

Rodgers has already been busy in the transfer market this summer brining in experienced former Arsenal defender Kolo Toure, Belgium goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and La Liga duo Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto.

Liverpool Miss Out On Barcelona Bargain

Cristian Tello is set to sign a new deal with the club which would make the release clause activation in his previous deal null and void.

Liverpool recently missed out on Henrikh Mkhitaryan and it now looks likely they are on the verge of missing out on yet another long-term transfer target.

For the second summer in a row the club has been linked with the same Barcelona player because of an issue with his contract.

A year ago Liverpool was one of many teams linked with the signature of talented Spanish winger Cristian Tello. The pacy forward only had 12 months remaining on his contract at the time and it was rumoured he was unhappy with his lack of first-team football at the club.

Therefore the assumption was made that Barca would cash in on Tello and Liverpool; along with AC Milan and others were linked with a vested interest in the player.

Six months later however and he signed a long-term extension to his deal.

However that new deal had a clause written into it similar to that in Thiago Alcantara’s; and if Tello did not play a certain percentage of games in the season for Blaugrana he would have a release clause activated.

That release clause was just €10 million (approximately £8.5 million) and after Tello did not play the requisite amount of minutes for the club the clause was activated at the end of the season.

Along with the arrival of Neymar it seemed that Tello was finally destined for a Catalan exit; with Liverpool again strongly linked with taking advantage of his contract issues.

Other teams were also mentioned including Borussia Dortmund, Fulham and even Tottenham but it was always Liverpool who headed the running in the media's eye due to the style in which Tello plays being conducive to Brendan Rodgers’ footballing philosophy.

But unfortunately nobody will be signing him.

It seems that Tello will continue to be a Barcelona player for the foreseeable future after reports in Spain suggested he was on the verge of signing a new deal with the club this week which would eliminate such a clause.

For Barcelona it is good news because at just 21-years-old if a team, including Liverpool, could have snapped up Tello for just £8.5 million it would absolutely be a deal that would come back to haunt them a little ways down the line.

Lucky for them his obvious adoration for the club has outweighed any starting ambitions as he will continue to fight for a starting spot amongst one of the best attacking line-ups in world football today.

Lucas Still Hopeful Of Making 2014 World Cup Team

Liverpool's defensive midfielder Lucas Leiva still hopes to be included in the Brazilian squad for the 2014 World Cup.

The midfielder talked with Liverpool's official site about it, he said: "It's a big season for us. We always talk about this.

"We know how difficult it is to be involved with the squad. I was involved before the injuries so I probably feel worse than him, because I was there and very close to making the Confederations and the World Cup.

"Now it's harder, but this season is a last chance to try and impress and get a place in the national squad.

"The World Cup in our country will be amazing. Every international break that you are not involved in becomes harder, but you have to believe until the end."

Reina Set To Join Napoli On Loan

Liverpool's Pepe Reina is set to link up with his former manager Rafael Benítez at Napoli on a season-long loan deal.

The Spanish goalkeeper's place at Anfield had looked increasingly uncertain since Liverpool signed Simon Mignolet for £9m from Sunderland in June and the prospect of having one of the club's highest earners on the bench appears to have forced a decision.

The Spaniard had been given time off after the Confederations Cup and was due to fly to Australia to link up with the Liverpool squad on their pre-season tour. The academy keeper Danny Ward will instead travel to Melbourne as back-up to Mignolet and Brad Jones.

Benítez turned to Reina after being frustrated in his attempts to sign Julio Cesar on a season-long loan deal from Queens Park Rangers.

Partick Snap Up Reds' Mukendi

Partick Thistle have signed Liverpool youngster Henoc Mukendi on loan.

The 19-year-old will remain at Firhill until at least January 1, 2014.

Mukendi has been part of the Liverpool Academy set-up since 2007 and has progressed through the youth ranks at Anfield.

The teenager, who can play as a striker or wide on the left, will be hoping to aid Partick's bid for top flight survival as they prepare for a return to the Scottish Premier League this coming season.

The player's loan is subject to international clearance, but if granted in time he will be part of the squad for tomorrow's friendly with Arbroath at Gayfield.

Conor Coady Close To Joining Sheffield United On Loan

Sheffield United boss David Weir has revealed that the club is close to signing Liverpool midfielder Conor Coady on a six-month loan.

The England Under-20 captain, who made one first-team appearance for the Reds last season, has been branded "a top player" by Weir.

"Conor is a top player, I've seen him a lot and desperate to join us as well. Liverpool have been great to deal with and Brendan Rodgers has been fantastic," Weir told Sky Sports News.

"It benefits both sides, which is what a loan is supposed to do."

It is understood that Sheffield United have beaten a host of Championship clubs to his signature.

Liverpool Extend Standard Chartered Sponsorship Deal

Liverpool have agreed an extension with shirt sponsors Standard Chartered, which will see the international banking group continue sponsorship of the Reds’ shirts until the end of the 2015-16 campaign, according to The Daily Mail.

The north west outfit had been in negotiations with the organization for months relating to an extension, and while no figures in relation to terms have yet been disclosed neither side is thought to have harboured any desire to walk away from the deal.

When the group first took over the shirt sponsorship from Carlsberg in July 2010, Liverpool had just finished second in the Premier League and was Champions League regulars.

Glory on the pitch may have waned somewhat in that time, but optimism remains high at Anfield under the regime of Brendan Rodgers, who has impressed many with his ability to make good deals in a swift fashion in the transfer market.

Liverpool’s chief commercial officer, Billy Hogan, said: “When Standard Chartered first came on board we knew we found a partner that shares our passion for community and desire to make a positive difference.

“We are delighted to announce the extension of our partnership, which shows the belief and continued commitment to the work that we are doing together and the values that we share.”

The club had been linked with a sponsorship agreement with Qatar-based telecom firm Ooredoo, but these links appear to have been of little substance, with both the club and the sponsors reiterating the healthy relationship shared between the two parties.

Group chief executive of Standard Chartered PLC, Peter Sands, also commented on the deal: “Our sponsorship of Liverpool Football Club has proved successful for both parties and we are delighted to be extending our partnership.

“Liverpool is hugely popular in the markets where we do business, and we are excited about the opportunity to continue to work with this fantastic club and their passionate fans.”

Rodgers Adamant Over Suarez

Brendan Rodgers has warned potential suitors that Luis Suarez will not be going anywhere this summer ‘unless something drastic happens’.

Suarez has left no one in doubt about his desire to leave Anfield but Liverpool have made it abundantly clear that the striker is not for sale by rejecting an offer from Arsenal for the Uruguay international.

While Suarez would be willing to consider a move to another Premier League club, Rodgers is not prepared to sell and fully expects him to remain at Anfield for the foreseeable future.

“Luis Suarez is a wonderful player and he is still very much a Liverpool player,” Suarez told reporters at a press conference in Jakarta.

“No matter who the player is, nobody is bigger than Liverpool Football Club.

“Luis is a very important member of this squad and I am looking forward to working with him again this season after he had such a fantastic season.

“There has been lots of speculation about Luis moving to another club but, as I said, he is very much a Liverpool player.

“We had an offer that was nowhere near what we value him at. He’s one of the top strikers in the world.

“Of course he wants to work and play at the top level. But unless something drastic happens, he will be staying here.

“He has got three years left on his contract. We are looking forward to him helping us get into the Champions League spots.

“That’s a competition we are fighting to get into. The great name and history of Liverpool dictates we should be in that competition.

“It is difficult these days with the finance some clubs have but I believe that we will put up a great fight this season. Let’s hope we can get back to where we belong.”

Liverpool Target Mad Greek Defender

Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers continue their summer of rebuilding with a bid for Greek international Kyriakos Papadopoulos. The Metro believes Anfield chiefs have offered Bundesliga club Schalke 04 £12m for the 21-year-old.

Unfortunately for Liverpool fans, the German club is likely to be unwilling to negotiate at that fee, with reports the Greek has a £19m release clause.

Worse still, Rodgers will have to move fast to sign the man he hopes will replace club veteran and icon Jamie Carragher in the back four, after reports linked Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich and Spanish club Atlético Madrid to the versatile defender. And that may not be all. In May, the Liverpool Echo linked Manchester City and Chelsea with the player as well.

Both Bayern and Atlético (and City and Chelsea as well) have the finances needed to match that release clause and all four clubs can offer the player Champions League football, which could help convince Papadopoulos to leave the Royal Blues. The one good news for Rodgers is the defender is understood to prefer a move to the Premier League.

The Greek is contracted to the Veltins-Arena till 2016.

Rodgers has already signed one centre-back in Ivory Coast's Kolo Toure. However, the former Arsenal man, who joins from Manchester City on a free, is 32 years old and cannot be considered a long-term option, which Papadopoulos definitely is.

The Reds' fans should be a little concerned though. For all his talent, Papadopoulos has a growing reputation for a fiery temper. The story of an argument with national team boss Fernando Santos' over his exclusion from the opening game of the country's Euro 2012 campaign is now the stuff of legends.

Philipp Selldorf, a correspondent with Süddeutsche Zeitung, a Munich newspaper, was quoted in a Guardian blog as saying, "Papa was only 18 when he came to Schalke. The supporters love Papa because of his passion. They can see he is always fighting. They admire his bravery but also worry that he might be a little mad. This is something the management also worry about - if Schalke are losing at half-time they find it hard to get through to Papa in the dressing room."

Liverpool Face Serie A Fight Over Midfield Target

Liverpool is in danger of missing out of transfer target Christian Eriksen as AC Milan is trying to hijack the deal.

According to talkSPORT, Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers is keen on the Denmark international and was contemplating a move for him this summer.

The report says Liverpool will have to act fast as AC Milan have shown serious interest in the Ajax starlet, who look set to leave Holland this summer.

Eriksen is approaching the final year of his contract at Ajax and has yet to come to terms with a new one, but has been open about admitting he will listen to offers from abroad.

Liverpool was encouraged last week when Eriksen reportedly turned down an offer to join Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, which intensified speculation that he would be moving to Anfield.

However, this latest report claims Milan’s interest is strong and they have the advantage of being able to offer the 21-year-old Champions League football, while Liverpool are not in Europe this term.

Barcelona Ready To Move For Daniel Agger

Barcelona has reportedly identified Liverpool centre-back Daniel Agger as a key summer acquisition in the Primera Division champions' pursuit of defensive reinforcements.

The Catalan giants are keen to recruit at least one more centre-back before the transfer deadline and, according to El Mundo Deportivo, have placed Agger at the summit of their list of targets.

Eric Abidal's departure and the advancing years of Carles Puyol have led Barcelona to enter the market for a central defender, with Thiago Silva of Paris Saint-Germain the club's initial top choice.

Thiago has, however, maintained his intention to remain at the Parc des Princes, and now Barcelona will reportedly ramp up their bid to bring Agger from Anfield to the Camp Nou.

Agger improved his reputation as a ball-playing centre-back under Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers last season, enjoying arguably his most impressive season during six years on Merseyside.

Liverpool, then, would be loath to allow Agger to leave the club even after Rodgers signed Kolo Toure from Manchester City to provide him with a greater breadth of options at the back.

Agger has made 209 appearances for Liverpool since signing for the Reds from Brondby for a fee of £6 million during the summer transfer window of 2005.

Napoli Turn Their Attentions To Liverpool Goalkeeper

Napoli has turned their attentions to Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina after continued holdups in their attempt to sign QPR’s Julio Cesar.

The Partenopei are keen to improve between the posts this summer and have already wrapped up the signing of highly rated Brazilian shot stopper Rafael from Santos.

With Morgan De Sanctis also reportedly headed for the exit, the Azzurri were said to be close to wrapping up the signing of Julio Cesar from QPR.

Radio Kiss Kiss report that the Brazilian number one is not keen to lower his wages to join Napoli, meaning that the Partenopei have turned their attention to Liverpool’s Pepe Reina as an alternative.

Reina has the same agent as coach Rafa Benitez and new signing Jose Callejon which could facilitate a move to Aurelio De Laurentiis’ club.

Reina has been at Liverpool since 2005 after signing from Spanish outfit Villarreal. He has since gone on to make 394 appearances for the Merseyside club.

Liverpool Defender Open To Loan Move

Liverpool youngster Andre Wisdom has admitted he is prepared to go out on loan if he cannot get first team opportunities at Anfield next season.

Along with Raheem Sterling and Suso, Wisdom was part of a trio of young talents fast tracked into the Liverpool first team by Brendan Rodgers last season, all of whom impressed with the 20-year-old full back making 19 appearances for the first team.

But with Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique ahead of him again in the pecking order and the return of long-term absentee Martin Kelly imminent, first team chances may prove harder to come by for the England Under-21 international.

"The manager has told me to consider it and keep it in mind," Wisdom told Liverpool's official website.

"With us not being in the Europa League, the opportunity of playing every week is going to slim down a bit. Going on loan is an option. I am open to any idea that is positive."

"Last year I made my debut in the Europa League and then in the Premier League. Being in the first team means things have changed massively for me. The competition is a lot harder, the demands are a lot greater. But it is good and I'm enjoying it."

Wisdom signed a new long term contract at Anfield in January of this year suggesting the versatile defender remains firmly in Rodgers' long term vision at the club.

The Leeds-born full back has been linked with a loan move to Fulham in recent weeks, where the youngster could certainly prove to be a helpful addition to Martin Jol's side.

As well as the return of Kelly, who was ruled out in September last year after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament, Rodgers is expected to make more additions to his defensive options following the retirement of Jamie Carragher and with the future of Sebastien Coates and Martin Skrtel uncertain.

The club remains linked with Sporting Lisbon starlet Tiago Ilori, while some reports suggest the club is still pursuing the possibility of bringing Schalke defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos to Anfield.

Liverpool Miss Out On Atsu

Liverpool has missed out on Christian Atsu after negotiations with Porto broke down, according to reports.

TalkSPORT cite reports in Portuguese newspaper O Jogo when claiming that Brendan Rodgers has been left frustrated in pursuit of the player, after an initial £3.4million bid was rejected for the 21-year-old.

The Reds have held an interest in the 16-cap Ghanaian international for several months, the radio station claims, and were hoping to bring the player to Anfield this summer.

However, the Liverpool boss will now have to look elsewhere, with the report claiming the Merseyside giants are unwilling to increase their offer for the former Rio Ave loanee.

Rodgers has already added attacking talent to the Reds’ squad this summer, with Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas moving to the Premier League from Spain.

Kolo Toure and Simon Mignolet have also been dragged in to improve the Liverpool defence, as the former Swans chief looks to make his mark on the side.

Atsu is not a player who will be joining the influx of new talent though, and may well stay at the Estadio do Dragao this summer.

Alvaro Morata Set For Real Madrid Stay

Liverpool transfer target Alvaro Morata looks set to stay at Real Madrid this summer after declaring he wants to stay at the Bernabeu.

Speaking at a Real Madrid press conference this week, Morata confirmed his intentions to stay in Spain to fight for a place in the first team next season.

Morata has been sparingly used by Madrid in the past couple of seasons following the excellent form of first-team regulars Karim Benzema, Jose Callejon and Gonzalo Higuain.

But with transfer speculation strife regarding the future of Higuain, and a potential transfer to Arsenal, Morata could next season be given more first-team opportunities. Jose Callejon has also left the club, joining Serie A outfit Napoli in recent weeks, lightening the number of strikers further.

Morata featured only 15 times last season under Jose Mourinho, but the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti could mean a change in the squad dynamics next season. And Morata, in the press conference, revealed that he is ready to start the new season playing under Ancelotti.

Speaking to El Mundo Deportivo, Morata said: "I'm training well. Here we train every day as if it was your last. I want to stay at Real Madrid and the coach and club both want me to stay too. I have not had to reject any potential offers because I haven't made any. I am focused on training and working with Real Madrid, and looking forward to the first game."

Morata's defiance here looks set to rule out any potential move to Liverpool, who was keen on adding to Spanish signings Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto.

Liverpool Trumped By Sevilla In Gameiro Chase

Liverpool is set to miss out on PSG striker Kevin Gameiro with Sevilla using the cash from Alvaro Negredo's move to Manchester City to bring the striker to Spain.

Reports in Spain suggest that Liverpool had agreed a deal with PSG to take the French international to Anfield.

But with Sevilla now looking for a replacement for Negredo, and with £20m in their pocket, the Andalusians are now in a position to gazump Liverpool's bid.

Sevilla are reportedly aware of the difficulty of becoming involved in negotiations at this late stage but remain optimistic that a deal can be arrived at that would see Gameiro heading for Spain rather than England.

Gameiro moved to PSG in an 11m euro move in 2011 after scoring 50 goals in 108 games at Lorient.

But the 26-year-old struggled for playing time last season behind the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ezequiele Lavezzi at Parc de Princes.

And Gameiro appears to have fallen further down the pecking order with the £55m arrival of Edinson Cavani.

At the end of last season Gameiro spoke of his willingness to move on from PSG in order to secure playing time saying: "I want to play football every time, I am no different to any player.

"It is difficult to sit on the bench but all big clubs in Europe have the same problems, you can't play every game.

"I always wanted to play abroad. At the end of the season we can decide about my future."

Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund were previously also credited with an interest in the player.

Warrior To Sposnor Grass Roots Football

A new title sponsorship of the Keele International Cup has been secured as Warrior Sports has announced that it will become the title sponsor for 2013, replacing previous main sponsor - Umbro.

Held at Keele University in Staffordshire, over 300 amateur and professional teams from 20 different countries will gather to compete throughout July and August in Britain’s biggest tournament. Teams from nations as far as Nigeria, Columbia and the USA will take part in the event which supports the development of youth, amateur and professional footballers by providing the venue to meet and compete.

Richard Wright, general manager of Warrior Football, says the sponsorship will help the brand further engage with players at a grassroots level.

“We are committed to strengthening our presence in the global football market by aligning ourselves with the best international football clubs, players and tournaments,” he said. “This opportunity to build a grassroots sponsorship program that we can activate throughout our international network will be instrumental in taking the Warrior brand to more football players of all ages.”

David Shepherd, managing director of Euroworld Sports Ltd, the organization behind the Keele Cup says the partnership is a winning fit.

“We have been impressed by Warrior’s international plans to build their football business through club and player endorsements. It’s important for us to work with a sponsor who has an international network that we can become part of. Our new partnership with Warrior will provide us the opportunity for a larger international football community to participate in the tournament each year.”

Ayre Hails Infectious Rodgers At Liverpool

Managing director Ian Ayre has admitted it took Brendan Rodgers the best part of a season to get used to Liverpool - but is confident his "infectious" enthusiasm equips him to succeed at Anfield now.

Rodgers joined Liverpool from Swansea last summer after two years at the Welsh club, who he led to promotion and then an 11th-place finish in the Premier League.

But he made a slow start at Liverpool, only taking two points from his first five games and being 12th in the table after 17 matches before improved form took the Reds into the top seven.

And Ayre told the Liverpool Echo: "I think it took him most of last year to understand the size of Liverpool Football Club and he said some of this himself in the final couple of months of last season.

"I think coming from Swansea as an ambitious, young, successful manager and stepping into the Liverpool club was overwhelming in terms of size - certainly not in terms of his ability - and I think he felt that as he went through the season he got more and more used to that."

Liverpool took 36 points from the second half of last season and Ayre believes it shows Rodgers is getting the rewards he deserves.

"He had a fantastic second half of the season," Ayre added. "Brendan is a fantastic person to work with. He's quite infectious, a great person to spend time with and he's very personable with the players.

"He never stops working, is always on the phone, very collaborative and we work great as a team here so we're very optimistic about this year.

"We've made some good investments in the transfer window and we will continue to look at that until the end of August."

Liverpool Ready To Snap Up Kevin Gameiro

Liverpool has set their sights on bringing Paris Saint-Germain star Kevin Gameiro to Anfield.

Having missed out on signing Gameiro, who's faded from the picture in Paris since the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, in January the club are now ready to renew their interest.

According to Andalusian newspaper Eldesmarque, the Reds are ready to go head-to-head with Sevilla to land the 26-year-old.

Gameiro has fallen further down the pecking order at the Paris based club since the arrival of Edinson Cavani, who signed for the club on a five-year-deal.

The Spanish had hoped to tie up a deal for the former Strasbourg hitman in the coming weeks, but now face being outbid by the Premier League outfit.

It'll be important for Sevilla to fill the gaping hole left by Manchester City bound Alvaro Negredo, who looks set to sign for The Citizens.

Liverpool Set To Offer £6million For Morata

Liverpool is hoping to continue their Spanish recruitment drive with a deal for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has already raided La Liga for Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto this summer, and talented forward Morata is his next target.

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool has approached Madrid to discuss a deal for the 20-year-old, who is highly rated in his homeland.

Liverpool believe they can land the striker for around £6million and are encouraged by his previous comments in which he admitted he would be interested in playing in England.

Morata is expected to decide on his future in the coming days, having met with new Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti for the first time this week.

It was hoped that Ancelotti would be open to giving Morata regular match time next season, but he failed to offer assurances over the future and the player is open to leaving.

Madrid would prefer to include Morata in a possible deal for Luis Suarez, but such a swap is not currently on the table.

Morata has a contract with Madrid until 2015.

Disagreement Over Suarez Clause

Liverpool and Luis Suarez's agent are in disagreement over a reported £40 million clause in the striker's contract, according to the Times.

Suarez signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool last summer, and the Times reports that there is confusion regarding a clause inserted in that deal.

The newspaper claims Liverpool interpret the stipulation as that they "must consider" offers of £40m or more, whereas Suarez's agent, Pere Guardiola, believes such an offer "would effectively trigger his release".

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre recently confirmed to Bloomberg that Arsenal has made an offer for the Uruguay international, with a second bid from the Gunners said to be in the region of £35m.

Real Madrid has also been strongly linked with an interest in the forward, although it is claimed the Liga club have yet to table a bid.

Chelsea Facing Showdown With Arsenal For Suarez

Arsenal and Chelsea's battle to try and lure Luis Suarez away from Liverpool intensified as players from both teams pleaded their case from him to join them.

Gunners’ striker Olivier Giroud has revealed he would welcome the competition for a starting berth if he was to head to north London, and would relish the chance of joining him up-front.

He told L'Equipe: "Luis Suarez is someone with whom I could have a good feeling with on the pitch, so I am for his arrival. I'm not afraid of competition.

"With Arsenal we want to qualify for the Champions League."

Arsenal is seen as a front-runner to snap up the Uruguayan international, having already placed a bid and being able to offer Champions League football this term.

But their not alone in their ambitions for Suarez, and Chelsea have also been linked with the formidable forward.

And Blues centre-back Branislav Ivanovic, who was bitten by Suarez during a game, has also revealed his feeling on the recent rumours.

Liverpool To Miss Out On Bayern Starlet

Liverpool has not made a bid for Bayern Munich player Xherdan Shaqiri.

The German clubs chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said that the club has not received an offer for the player.

“Nobody has called about Shaqiri,” he was reported as saying in The Express.

Rumours have been swirling about the player, who only joined Bayern last year from FC Basel, due to the fact that he had not experienced much game time due to the competition for places.

Competition that is not going to get any easier, due to the fact that they have since added Mario Gotze and Thiago Alcantara to their squad.

However, the Champions League winners do not want to let the 21-year-old go, and still think he can develop and play a part in any future success.

“Right now there are no plans (to sell), the coach is completely satisfied with him,” continued Rummenigge.

Liverpool turned their radar towards the Swiss international after they lost out on Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Borussia Dortmund last week.

And while Bayern may be interested in a loan deal, Liverpool is unlikely to want to bring in the player on a temporary basis.

The Reds were prepared to offer around £20m to lure the youngster to Merseyside, but that deal appears to be dead before it even came to life.

Shaqiri only started 13 times in the Bundesliga last season, and came off the bench a further 13 times. He managed four goals and five assists in the league.

Lucas Digne To Snub Liverpool For PSG

Lille full back Lucas Digne looks set to join French Champions Paris Saint Germain despite interest from a number of Premier League clubs including Liverpool.

According to talkSPORT, the defender looks poised on signing for the Parisian club for a reported £12 million.

Apparently, the player is due in Paris this week to complete a medical at club.

Liverpool had been interested in bringing the under-20 international to Anfield but the possible move has broken down since the player has opted to stay in France.

Brendan Rodgers was looking to sign Digne as a possible long-term replacement for current full back Jose Enrique.

The defender is already fairly experienced despite only being 19 years old. The youngster has already made 40 appearances in Ligue 1 for Lille.

Despite renewing his contract at Lille until 2016, it seems as though the player is set to depart after only playing two whole seasons with the senior squad.

If Digne signs at PSG he will follow Edison Cavani who also chooses to sign for the French club over the Premier League.

Feyenoord Want Liverpool Winger

Feyenoord manager Ronald Koeman has conceded that he would like to sign Liverpool winger Oussama Assaidi this summer.

The 24-year-old joined the Reds from Heerenveen last year, but he struggled to make an impact at Anfield and made just 12 appearances in all competitions.

Following reports that Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers would be prepared to sell the Moroccan, Koeman has admitted that the winger would be welcome at De Kuip.

"I hope that [the deal] comes around soon. Assaidi is a player who can play in different positions - we just have to wait and see whether this is feasible," he is quoted as saying by AD.

FC Twente is also thought to be monitoring Assaidi's situation.

Liverpool Striker Set For Anfield Exit

Liverpool forward Dani Pacheco is set to leave Anfield after revealing he will not be travelling with Brendan Rodgers' squad for the club's pre-season tour of Asia and Australia.

The Spaniard, who featured in Liverpool's 4-0 friendly win against Preston on Saturday, has struggled to establish himself on Merseyside since joining from Barcelona in 2007.

The 22-year-old was snapped up by former Anfield boss Rafa Benitez and tipped for big things after a string of dazzling performances for the club's reserve side.

However, the striker has managed just 17 senior appearances for the Merseysiders and has been sent out on loan four times in the last three seasons.

Reds boss Rodgers named Pacheco in his 28-man squad for forthcoming matches in Indonesia, Australia and Thailand but the player himself says he will be staying behind to sort out his future.

He tweeted: "Finally not travelling to Asia. Will talk about my future this season in next couple of days. Thank you. YNWA."

Stewart Downing Rules Out Move From Liverpool

Stewart Downing has ruled out a move away from Liverpool after speculation linking him with summer switch.

The 28-year-old was told by Brendan Rodgers that he could leave the club at the start of last season but he managed to force his way back into the manager's plans.

"I'm here to stay. I'm enjoying it, especially last season when I got a good run in the team. Hopefully that will continue, and I need to work hard," he told the Liverpool website.

"I want it to continue. It's why I came here, to play in a successful team."

Downing also spoke on his chances of playing in the World Cup next summer in Brazil should England qualify.

The winger has not featured in any of Roy Hodgson's recent teams but he remains hopeful that he can force his way back into the national side.

"It's been difficult as I've not played for England over the last year or so, but I'd love to play at the World Cup," he added.

"It's a year away and I've got a full season to get in the manager's thoughts. I'll just take every game as it comes and see what happens at the end of the year."

Liverpool begin their Premier League campaign at home to Stoke City on August 17.

Liverpool Jet Into Jakarta To Begin 2013 Summer Tour

Liverpool Football Club has kicked off their 2013 summer tour of Asia and Australia after touching down in Indonesia on Wednesday morning.

The Reds arrived at Jakarta airport after a long-haul flight which departed John Lennon airport shortly after 2.30pm BST on Tuesday afternoon - and they did so in style as Garuda Indonesia supplied an aircraft branded with the LFC logo and the words 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.

The journey included a brief stop in Abu Dhabi, during which those on the aircraft were allowed to enter the terminal to stretch their legs - but Fabio Borini was the only player to take advantage of the opportunity, with many of the squad preferring to grab as much sleep as possible ahead of the 12-day tour, which will also take in Australia and Thailand.

Joining the likes of Brendan Rodgers, Steven Gerrard, Philippe Coutinho and summer signings Luis Alberto, Iago Aspas, Simon Mignolet and Kolo Toure were a number of staff from the club's community department, who will take part in coaching activities with local youngsters throughout the course of the trip.

Also on board was Liverpool's official mascot, Mighty Red, and club ambassadors Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler.

Upon touching down in Jakarta a little before 2pm local time, the travelling party were given a fanatical welcome by hundreds of Indonesian Kopites eager to give their heroes a welcome to remember upon LFC's first ever visit to the country.

After arriving at the team hotel in Jakarta, the players enjoyed a bite to eat and a quick rest. They'll later head out on a stroll to stretch the limbs.

Liverpool will take on an Indonesian XI this Saturday at the Gelora Bung Karno National Stadium. They'll then depart for Australia to face Melbourne Victory on July 24 before wrapping up the trip in Bangkok against the Thailand national team on July 28.