Cole Unlikely To Join Liverpool & City After Champions League Pledge

The agent of Joe Cole has dismissed reports claiming the former Chelsea midfielder had agreed terms with AC Milan, and suggested the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City may lose out on the 28-year-old’s coveted signature because they can not guarantee Champions League football next season. Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are the current frontrunners for the England international after Harry Redknapp and Arsene Wenger both openly expressed their admiration for the former West Ham United prodigy, and although Manchester United have allegedly ruled themselves out of the running, it is perhaps too early to discount Sir Alex Ferguson.

Cole’s Chelsea contract expired today after he failed to agree an extension at Stamford Bridge, and the player’s agent, David Giess, suggested the midfielder’s next move would be founded on football reasons and not financial ones. Giess claimed the long-serving former Chelsea star wanted to play Champions League football which would seemingly rule out both Liverpool and Manchester City who finished seventh and fifth in the Premier League last season. The midfielder’s agent also intimated that his client wanted to remain in England, despite reportedly lucrative advances from Serie A giants AC Milan, and therefore the race for Cole would appear to be between Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Manchester United.

Since Chelsea announced their decision to withdraw Cole’s contract offer after lengthy and ultimately unsuccessful negotiations, the former West Ham United starlet has been one of the most in-demand players on the continent. A host of the Premier League’s top clubs have been linked, but comments from his agent, would on the surface at least, appear to rule Manchester City and Liverpool out. Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and possibly Manchester United would now appear best placed to sign the former Chelsea player, and in the past Harry Redknapp, Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson have all been admirers of the mercurial playmaker.

Cole’s underwhelming but ultimately brief showings at the World Cup finals, where he failed to start in any of England’s four games, actually saw the midfielder’s stock rise because of the mediocrity displayed by those picked ahead of him. Despite Chelsea’s decision to release the player, he remains one of the most coveted players in the Premier League, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City all at one stage or other being linked.

Giess told Soccernet: "Football is the most important thing to Joe and continuing to play in the Champions League is high on his priorities."

Cole’s agent also played down reports linking him with a move to AC Milan, dismissing talk of a profitable three year deal worth £3 million a year as "pure press speculation". The ex-Chelsea star’s agent hinted a move to the continent was unlikely.

Hodgson Defends Rovers Record

New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has defended his record in English football and insisted he has learned from failures earlier in his career.

The 62-year-old's appointment on a three-year contract at Anfield has received a lukewarm response in some quarters.

Despite his relative success with Fulham, making them a solid mid-table Barclays Premier League side and guiding them to the Europa League final, there are those who still remember his unsuccessful spell at Blackburn between 1997 and 1998.

Hodgson led a side which narrowly escaped relegation to a sixth-placed finish in his first season only to be sacked in December 1998 with the club bottom of the table.

But Hodgson still defends his time at Ewood Park.

"Blackburn was the only place I have been sacked and that was somewhat harsh," he said.

"I took a team which had avoided relegation by one point into European football and then lost four of the very best players - three to injury and one to a forced sale to Rangers - the following year.

"Admittedly the start of the following season was not as good and we built up expectations but it is difficult for me to see Blackburn as a complete failure.

"I did make mistakes there; you always make mistakes when you fail somewhere.

"I have analysed those failures but I don't think they were quite as blatant as some people would like to think."

The former Inter Milan boss also hit out at critics who say he has not had enough experience at big clubs.

"Blackburn were a top side when I went there, we finished sixth in the league, Udinese have had success in the past and the four years I had with the Swiss national team going to the World Cup and European championships was successful.

"I regard comments like that as far too insular."

If expectations were high at Blackburn the targets Hodgson will be set at Liverpool will be astronomical in comparison.

First he has to persuade star players Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard to stay, then he has to somehow strengthen a squad lacking in depth on a very tight budget and finally get the club back into the Champions League after finishing seventh last season.

Hodgson wants to bring in some new faces but will fully assess the merits of the squad he has inherited before making any decisions.

"I haven't had time to sit down with the chairman (Martin Broughton), chief executive (Christian Purslow), with Kenny Dalglish, Sammy Lee, with Eduardo (Macia), the chief scout," he said.

"Before we decide what we need I need to canvas the opinions of all these people about what has been going on.

"I need to hear what the backroom staff think and not base my opinions on the Liverpool matches I saw this season.

"We need some players and I would like to come into the club with one or two players which will freshen things up.

"But we have to make very good decisions and use any money we get very wisely - we won't be able to splash out money left, right and centre."

Broughton: No Reds Bids Yet

Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton has revealed the club has not yet received any bids since they were put up for sale in May by co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

There has been much speculation about who is interested in taking over from the American pair, who finally admitted two months ago they had taken the Reds as far as they could after three turbulent years.

But Broughton said he expected the first serious offers to come in within a couple of weeks and the process would then continue after that with a view to a final sale being completed by August or September.

"There have not been any offers at this stage," said the British Airways chairman who was brought in to oversee the sale.

"There haven't been any offers to turn down and I wouldn't have expected there to have been at this stage.

"There are a number of interested parties but there's no specific deadline on it.

"We are looking to the middle of July-ish for the first round of bids but that's not a final stage - that's a first entry through.

"We're hopeful - and I wouldn't put it any stronger than that - that a deal can be done by the end of the transfer season.

"That was always from the outset a hope rather than necessarily an expectation, because these things can take time.

"We are on course, pretty well, with where we would have expected to be."

Hicks had been quoted as suggesting the asking price for the club could be as high as £800million and they would hold out for the best offer.

However, Broughton - appointed by Barclays Capital - confirmed Hicks and Gillett could not veto a sale and no acceptable figure had been set to sell.

"The process is well under way. The owners have stepped aside, stepped down. I'm overseeing the process and Barclays Capital are running the process," he added.

"The owners can't block the sale of the club. I read all too frequently numbers being floated about in the media, normally associated with Tom Hicks' name. I would like to make it clear there is no number. There is no base line.

"This is a willing buyer, willing seller auction. We will do a deal with what we consider to be the best bidder.

"The best bidder may not be the highest bidder. It's about more than just money.

"It's about stadium development, the team and the whole piece.

"Once we've been through the process, the best bidder gets it."

Hodgson Gets Instant Boost

Roy Hodgson has been handed an instant boost as the new Liverpool manager after being told he will not have to sell prize assets Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, despite the club's financial difficulties. Supporters had feared the ex-Fulham boss would have to sell the duo this summer to help service debts. But chairman Martin Broughton assured Hodgson he will not have to offload any players.

"Players are not for sale," said Broughton. "We don't need the money and we don't have to sell them because of the debt."

Hodgson, who is not allowed to return to Fulham to sign any of his former players as part of his severance deal from the London club, admits he is facing one of the biggest challenges of his long managerial career but cannot wait to get started.

He has not discussed his transfer budget yet, but is expected to make several signings and knows he will come under immediate pressure to stop the rot at Anfield after replacing Rafael Benitez. The Spaniard quit Anfield last month after six years following a disappointing season that saw them finish seventh in the table.

"I expect the club and supporters to crave success and it's my job to make sure we deliver when it matters and not let them down," said Hodgson. He said he will speak to Gerrard and Jamie Carragher in the next week to discuss what went wrong on the pitch last season, and is determined he has the ability to transform the fortunes of the club.

Liverpool were the pre-eminent club in English football during the 1970s and 1980s. But they were last crowned champions of England in 1990 and have not won the domestic title in the Premier League era. Hodgson, 62, who has signed a three-year contract, said: "The number one priority is always the team. I want to help them do better and get back into the Champions League where the club has always been. My work will be on the field with the players and the training ground. I want to be a football manager and coach."

Earlier he was heralded as the "right man for the job," by club captain Gerrard while Carragher, the vice captain, said "his appointment has given us all a lift," he said.

Hodgson said it was important to the club to keep hold of the two key players. "I personally can't nail their feet to the floor, but I can persuade them to stay here and have a good season because there is everything to play for. The club is anxious to keep best players and we will do everything in our power to make it happen," he said.

Hodgson won plaudits last season for guiding lightly regarded Fulham to the final of the UEFA Europa League, the successor to the UEFA Cup, beating Italian giants Juventus along the way. He had previously steered the west London club to an unprecedented seventh-place finish in the Premier League in 2008/09 and last term kept the Cottagers in mid-table despite their European commitments.

Named by his fellow league managers as manager of the year, Hodgson had been linked with England after their disappointing FIFA World Cup™ campaign under Fabio Capello, but negotiations were already at an advanced stage with the Merseysiders who moved to close the deal with speed.

Unlike many English counterparts, Hodgson has spent much of his managerial career abroad, having started with Swedish side Halmstad in 1976. He enjoyed instant success, leading them to two Swedish titles and would later coach Malmo after a brief stint with Bristol City. He has also been in charge of Inter Milan and Premier League Blackburn while, at international level, he has also had stints as manager of Switzerland, Finland and the United Arab Emirates.

Ian Rush: Sceptics Must Give Roy Hodgson A Chance To Prove Himself At Liverpool

Former Liverpool striker Ian Rush believes that the Reds' hierarchy has made a wise decision in appointing Roy Hodgson as the new manager at Anfield.

The appointment has received a lukewarm reaction from some quarters, with many pointing out Hodgson's lack of genuine success at the very highest level.

Rush dismisses such suggestions though.

"I know Roy quite well and it's a good appointment," the former Wales international told The Liverpool Echo.

"When he was manager of Finland I spent some time over there and when I was doing my UEFA Pro badge in Wales he came down to do two days with us.

"I've also met him at various UEFA meetings over the years and I've always been really impressed with what he has to say.

"Tactically, he's very astute, he's highly respected across Europe and if you look at his CV he's been everywhere.

"He's proved himself at club and international level and has managed big clubs like Inter Milan.

"Roy was being talked about as the next England manager so it's good to see Liverpool move quickly to get him before the FA make any decision about Fabio Capello."

Rush believes that Hodgson's fine record at Fulham in the last two seasons is reason enough to trust the man at Anfield.

"He did a fantastic job at Fulham turning them from a club in danger of going down to one which reached the final of the Europa League," the Welshman added.

"They had one of their best seasons ever and that was down to Roy's organizational skills. He exceeded expectations.

"Now he's got a better squad to work with at Liverpool so let's see what he can do.

"I think Liverpool or Manchester United are the only two clubs Roy would have left Fulham for so it just goes to show what a massive name the club is.

"Roy's target has to be to get the club back in the Champions League next season; that's where we belong.

"I'm sure he will sit down with all the key players in the near future.

"Roy has to sell his plans to them and show them the way forward."

Roy Hodgson Lines Up Sami Hyypia For Return To Liverpool As Coach

Sami Hyypia could be in line for a shock return to Liverpool as part of Roy Hodgson’s backroom staff, Goal.com UK can reveal.

Hyypia, who spent a decade at Anfield before joining Bayer Leverkusen last summer, has another season to run on his contract with the Bundesliga club.

But Hodgson, who was manager of the Finland team that Hyypia captained during their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, has told friends that he would like to reunite the central defender with Liverpool in a coaching capacity.

The pair had a strong working relationship with Finland and Hyypia said last year that he would like to return to Anfield one day as a coach.

Hodgson, who was appointed as the new Liverpool boss earlier this week, is starting to assemble his new coaching team.

He will be joined at Anfield by his former Fulham assistant Mike Kelly although there has been no official approach for him yet, and Rafael Benitez’s deputy Sammy Lee is expected to be part of Hodgson’s new set-up.

It would also represent a coup for Hodgson to have such a popular recent former player on his backroom staff as Hyypia, who is held in such high esteem by supporters for his service to the club.

Yet the centre-back may prefer to wait another year before going into coaching. After sliding down the pecking order in his final season at Liverpool, he featured in 32 of Leverkusen's 34 Bundesliga matches last season as the unfancied club finished fourth in the league.

Hodgson Appoints Dalglish As Head of Football Development

New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is keen to retain the services of club legend Kenny Dalglish - even though he was appointed to the top job the Scot was overlooked for.

The 62-year-old officially took over on Thursday after signing a three-year contract having impressed in a final round of interviews at the weekend against one other unnamed candidate.

Dalglish, who given the role of identifying candidates to replace Rafael Benitez, had wanted a return to the role he successfully undertook in the late 1980s and early 1990s but was not even considered by Liverpool’s board.

The man generally regarded as the club’s greatest player may see that as something of a slight but Hodgson, a friend of Dalglish, very much wants him to remain on board.

Dalglish is currently involved in youth development at the academy and is an ambassador for the club.

"Kenny will play a very big part in bringing youth players through," said Hodgson.

"If he is going to take on the role of head of football development his role in making that bridge between Kirkby (where the academy is based) and Melwood (the first team training ground) is going to be a vital one.

"I think he has lots of other roles to play. With his position at the football club I compare him to Giacinto Facchetti at Inter or Bobby Charlton at Manchester United - they have such a role to play.

"When this club needs representing, especially on a foreign stage, who better to represent it than Kenny Dalglish?

"I am hoping that between those two roles, ambassador and head of youth development, and the advice and help he is going to give me in my job, we will get great currency out of Kenny if he wants to be part of that and I hope he does.

"I had a long conversation with Kenny before I got the job and we need to sit down together now to work out how it will work in practice.

"With goodwill on his side - and there is plenty of goodwill on my side - we should find a solution."

Chairman Martin Broughton was somewhat dismissive when asked about how Dalglish’s expression of interest in the manager’s job had been received by the board.

"Kenny put his name forward for wanting the job and we appreciated the fact he was keen to do it but for us he was never a candidate and I explained that to him," he said.

"We see Kenny as having an excellent long-term future at this club.

"He is happy in his current ambassadorial role but we would like to build on that role - although we haven’t defined what that will be yet because it is for Roy and Kenny to work beyond that."

Hodgson said who the board chose or did not choose was out of his control but that in no way did he want to force Dalglish out of the club, quite the opposite in fact.

"Kenny Dalglish should be at Liverpool until he decides he no longer wants to be a part of football," added the former Fulham manager.

"I can’t have any comment on the people who wanted to be candidates, it was up to the board to decide who they wanted and the chairman distinctly answered that question by saying they did not want Kenny to be a candidate for the job, but they do want him to be a part of the club today and in the future.

"They want him to use all of his skills to be part of the club long-haul to make sure we bring some players through."

Julio Baptista Faces Premier League Future As Liverpool & Manchester City Join Race To Sign Him

Roma striker Julio Baptista continues to be linked with the Premier League, and now Liverpool and Manchester City have joined Tottenham in the race to sign him.

Il Romanista newspaper reports the player's agents Alessandro Lucci and Juan Figuer will be in London this weekend to open up dialogue with the trio of Premier League clubs.

Tottenham have been tipped as the favourites to land the former Arsenal loanee, but they face competition from Anfield and Eastlands.

Roma are hopeful of selling the player they signed from Real Madrid two years ago. Since then Baptista has been unable to break ground at Trigoria and he was peripheral to Claudio Ranieri's plans last term.

He is eager for a fresh start and he wouldn't mind a return to the Premier League having played there with the Gunners. A €9 million offer could see him leave the capital, but last week agent Lucci said that he had not received any offers from clubs in England.

Liverpool's Yossi Benayoun To Ink £5.5m Deal At Chelsea On Friday

Yossi Benayoun will confirm his exit from Liverpool within the next 24 hours and put pen to paper on a £5.5 million deal to join Chelsea, according to a report from The Sun.

It is understood one of new Reds boss Roy Hodgson's first acts in his new role was to rubber stamp the winger's departure.

The Israeli is expected to commit to a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

Meanwhile, The Independent reports that Benayoun will earn around £55,000 a week with the Blues.

It also claims that Hodgson will be handed around £15m by the Anfield board to bring in reinforcements, with Javier Mascherano also expected to leave the Reds and uncertainty still surrounding the futures of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

Roy Hodgson 'Honoured' To Be Appointed Liverpool FC Boss

New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson admits he is "honoured" to have been given the job at Anfield.

The 62-year-old has impressed at Fulham and when the club decided to part company with former boss Rafael Benitez a month ago the Englishman was their first choice.

Following a couple of weeks of negotiations Hodgson has finally been confirmed as manager on a three-year contract after Liverpool agreed to pay the Cottagers somewhere in the region of £2million to release him from his 12-month rolling contract.

Hodgson arrived at the club’s Melwood training ground this morning to meet those players who had returned for the first day of pre-season, although many of the club’s stars are still on leave after playing at the World Cup.

He will then give his first press conference at 1.30pm at Anfield this afternoon.

"This is the biggest job in club football and I’m honoured to be taking on the role of manager of Britain’s most successful football club," said Hodgson.

"I look forward to meeting the players and the supporters and getting down to work at Melwood."

One of the new manager’s first major tasks will be to persuade the likes of captain Steven Gerrard and star striker Fernando Torres that they can have a successful future under him.

The pair, along with midfielder Javier Mascherano, are the three big names who have all been linked with moves away this summer.

Torres and Mascherano are still at the World Cup while Gerrard returned home a few days ago after a dismal campaign with England and all three are not expected back at training for some time yet.

Hodgson has less than a month to get to know his players and prepare them for a Europa League third qualifying round first-leg tie on July 29.

He is at least familiar with the prospect, having guided Fulham from that starting point all the way to the final last season, eventually losing to Atletico Madrid.

The former Inter Milan and Switzerland manager then has to begin the task of strengthening a squad, severely lacking strength in depth, on a restricted budget - much as his predecessor had to do in the last couple of seasons of his reign.

Roy Hodgson Can't Guarantee Keeping Steven Gerrard And Fernando Torres At The Club

New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson refused to guarantee keeping Reds stars Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard at the club as he took over as manager on Thursday.

Hodgson hinted that he and the club would be doing their utmost to ensure that Gerrard and Torres would stay at the club amid rumours linking the pair with big-money exits from Anfield, but stopped short of promising the duo would stay.

"It's important, of course. I don't think there's anybody here at the club who would welcome losing them. Certainly the fans wouldn't welcome losing them and us as a club I'm sure will do everything we can to make certain they stay with us," he told Liverpool's official website.

"I'll be trying to persuade them that this is the place to be. I'll ask them to give me a chance to work with you and give us a chance to improve on last season.

"They're all disappointed, I'm sure, after last season's results and I'll be doing my level best. It would be foolish to give guarantees that it's going to happen because I can't speak for the players themselves, but I'll be doing my best to keep them."

With the disappointment of last season, which saw the Reds fail to qualify for the Champions League, Hodgson is keen to get back into the top four.

"The ambition initially is to do better," he added. "For Liverpool the ambition always has to be to try and achieve a Champions League place and that's what we'll be trying to do as soon as possible. There's no point in setting low goals to make yourself look a bit better if you get beyond that goal.

"I don't think any of the players or staff wants anything other than a successful Liverpool year and we want to hit the ground running. You can't do more than work for that.

"There's no point throwing out empty promises. Words are words and actions are actions and we have to show by our actions first of all on the training field and then at Anfield and other stadiums that we're ready and good enough. That's my task, to work with the players and ensure we are good enough."

The 62-year-old has signed a three-year contract with the Reds, and has already begun thinking about what shape the future of his side might take, but does not want to stray far away from what have been the guiding principles of the club since the days of Bill Shankly.

"It's very important you have that as a manager. At Liverpool it's highlighted really because the traditions here are so great, but even if you go to a smaller club it's still important that you're aware of what the club has done in the past and what the club means to the people," Hodgson said.

"There's nowhere more keen on what a club means to the people than the city of Liverpool.

"It'd be foolish to compare [with other jobs] but it'd also be dishonest to say anything other than it's going to be a highlight of my career. I have worked long and hard to reach the level I have reached.

"I'm extremely proud. The club's tradition in terms of its football and its managers is really second to none and it was an opportunity which was absolutely impossible to turn down. I am both proud and excited at the prospect of working as the Liverpool manager."

Hodgson is well aware of the 'Liverpool style' having observed the club since its rise to prominence from relative obscurity in the 1960s.

"What we picked up was the Liverpool style. On paper it was a relatively simple style but in actual fact simplicity is the hardest thing to achieve," he explained.

"Working in Sweden, as I was at the time, they were all very impressed with the quality of the passing, the quality of the movement, the way players were always available for each other. Of course the quality of the players they produced at that time, firstly Toshack and Keegan and then Dalglish and Rush, and then the great partnerships at the back with Smith, Thompson, Hansen and Lawrenson; we were brought up on that.

"When I was at Malmo I brought a group of coaches over and Bob Paisley was great. Graeme Souness was the coach but Bob was still around at Melwood and I remember having a cup of tea with him. He was a really interesting man to meet.

"You can never turn the clock back and live those times again, but it would be nice if we could fashion an image again which in some way represents what these people pioneered so many years ago."

Reds skipper Gerrard and stalwart defender Jamie Carragher have backed the new boss already and Hodgson is pleased that the news of his appointment has been well-received.

"That was really nice and I am looking forward immensely to meeting them. I bumped into Jamie in Port Elizabeth but had no chance to really speak to him and that would have been too soon anyway," he added.

"I am looking forward to speaking to those two in particular today, but also getting in touch with the other players who are either on holiday or still at the World Cup."

As for his priorities now that he has been appointed, Hodgson is ready to set about creating a positive environment to work in, and then move on to establishing the size of his transfer budget and any potential new signings.

"It's important to get started straightaway, working with the players, trying to create an environment which will give us a chance to become better and hopefully improve upon the last season," he asserted.

"I'll see the ones who are here today. There are a couple of meetings this afternoon with senior players, in particular Steven and Jamie, and I'll contact the rest by telephone.

"I will make certain that before the end of the week I have had a conversation with all of the players to tell them I'm here and am looking forward to welcoming them back when they come.

Hodgson was coy when it came to revealing the identities of any possible new players though, adding: "We haven't really had a lot of time to talk about that as yet.

"It was only on Tuesday it was finalised that I would be the new manager. I've had very little time to sit down with the chairman and chief executive and in particular the chief scout to see what avenues he's been pursuing.

"Of course I know players and I've got ideas, but it'd be very wrong for me at the moment to start talking in detail about that. It's a major area of work."

He also hinted the board would allow him to reinvest any money raised from sales back in the team.

"One thing they made clear to me is we have to work within whatever restraints are in place at the club, but they've also made clear that if we were unfortunate to lose somebody then that money would be made available," he explained.

"I'm hoping that won't be the case because I don't want to lose anybody, but we haven't gone much further than that. The Chairman is here today and I'm sure that during the course of the day, when I've spoken to the players, there will be meetings and discussions along those avenues as well."

The former Inter coach also had a clear message for the Reds supporters.

"The message is thank-you for having me here. I'm really looking forward to working with your team and looking forward to getting your support, which I've seen so many times throughout the years," he stated.

"I said recently that this is one of those clubs where your motto 'You'll Never Walk Alone' is really lived by the fans. It's a club where you feel you're not alone. I shall need lots of help and lots of support and I sincerely hope you make sure I never walk alone.

"That would be my message. Help me to do a good job and I'll do my best to do it."

Roy Hodgson Hoping To Bring In Brede Hangeland, Danny Murphy, Gilberto Silva & Rafael van der Vaart

Roy Hodgson is believed to be targeting Brede Hangeland, Danny Murphy, Gilberto Silva & Rafael van der Vaart.

The former Inter boss had a sensational campaign last season with Fulham, guiding the London club all the way to the final of the Europa League.

England's failure in the 2010 World Cup had seen him linked with a potential move to take over the reins of the national team, but recent reports point towards the gaffer being unveiled as the latest to take to the helm at Anfield.

Goal.com UK had previously revealed that the Fulham manager would not join the Merseyside club, unless he had some semblance of a transfer kitty at his disposal.

Now The Daily Mail claims that he will be handed £15 million to go shopping, with the £25m sale of Javier Mascherano to Barcelona and a £6m injection from Yossi Benayoun's move to Chelsea to make up his transfer budget.

It is said that Hodgson will look towards bringing in Panathinaikos' defensive midfielder Gilberto Silva as a replacement if the Argentine should push through with a move to the Catalan club, with an Anfield return for Danny Murphy also reported to be under consideration.

Additionally, to strengthen a Reds that looked shaky on more than a few occasions last season, the 62-year-old is believed to have cast his eye on raiding his former club for Brede Hangeland.

It has been speculated that the success achieved under Hodgson will be convincing enough for the Norway international to switch allegiances and move to Merseyside.

Hodgson is also reportedly interested in bringing in Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart to Anfield, amidst claims that the now manager of the Spanish club, Jose Mourinho, will let go of the player.

Barcelona To Launch £25m Swoop For Liverpool's Javier Mascherano Once Yaya Toure Completes Manchester City Move

Barcelona has been reported to be in line to swoop with a £25 million bid to secure the services of Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano.

The Argentina skipper has for some time been linked with a move away from Merseyside, with reports pointing towards his wife being unhappy in England.

And the recent managerial movement that saw former boss Rafael Benitez leave Anfield for the San Siro, saw the player being linked with a move to Inter Milan.

However, the president of the Italian champions, Massimo Moratti, recently admitted that it was "unlikely" that the 26-year-old would make a move to the European champions.

Now The Sun reports that the Catalan club are set to make a bid for the midfielder, once the sale of Yaya Toure to Manchester City reaches fruition.

Toure's agent has previously admitted that his client is in search of regular football, while maintaining that he expects Barca to accept a bid from City because of the financial pluses while dealing with the Eastlands club.

Deschamps Considered Reds

Marseille boss Didier Deschamps has confirmed he considered Liverpool's approach before agreeing a contract extension with the French champions.

The Reds contacted the French champions over their interest in appointing the former France World Cup-winning captain as a successor to Rafa Benitez.

But Deschamps swiftly ended speculation over his future by signing a contract extension which keeps him at Stade Velodrome until June 2012.

 

Deschamps said: "I have been contacted by a great club, and of course it leads you to think.

"It was not a money matter. I have always favoured the sporting aspect.

"I have extended, and I am pleased with it. The chairman wanted it. I am always asking for respect from the players, I had to fulfil my commitment."

The coach also confirmed his desire to keep captain Mamadou Niang, even if the club will be forced to cut their wages to get reinforcements.

He added: "I wish him to stay. Mamade is fine here, I have no worry about that case. I know I already have a competitive team."

Deschamps added his summer recruitment campaign will be quieter than last year with four targets at most, with one of them, wing-back Cesar Azpilicueta, having already been snapped up.

He said: "The players achieved something amazing last term (the championship and league cup double), and it will be difficult this season.

"The priority will be to finish among the three top teams to get new qualification for the Champions League.

"It is essential for the club. Then, we would reach a new step by getting though the Champions League group stage."

Brede Hangeland Transfer Battle Begins As Arsenal Take On Liverpool

Former Fulham manager Roy Hodgson faces a battle to sign top-rated defender Brede Hangeland for his new club Liverpool, with Arsene Wenger about to lodge an audacious move to tempt him to Arsenal.

The Gunners are putting together a £10million transfer package in the hope of taking Hangeland to north London, where he will provide an experienced partner for Thomas Vermaelen at the heart of the defence.

Hodgson's unveiling at Anfield on Thursday will pave the way for the 62-year-old to begin putting his own stamp on the squad he inherits from Rafael Benitez.

And he will begin by restructuring a defensive line that gave up too many soft goals last season, especially late in games.

Hangeland has been attracting interest from several top clubs in the last 12 months, including Manchester United and Tottenham, as well as Arsenal.

He showed his unswerving loyalty to Hodgson when he signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract last November, but now the former Inter Milan boss has gone to Liverpool the centre-back's future remains shrouded in doubt.

Arsenal hold high hopes of signing the Norwegian ahead of Hodgson as the 29-year-old is now settled in London and is reluctant to move north.

However, the lure of the English tactician could still prove too much - especially as he has already hinted he intends to build his defence around the well-regarded stopper.

Roy Hodgson Is The 'Right Man' For Liverpool, Says Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard has praised Liverpool's appointment of Roy Hodgson as their new manager, saying the club had appointed the "right man".

"The club has made a good appointment in Roy Hodgson," the captain told the Liverpool website. "[The former manager] Rafa [Benítez] left a few weeks ago and I know the club were determined to take their time and get the right man for the job.

"Roy is hugely experienced and I believe he is the right man for Liverpool. I think it's been worth the wait and I'm sure he's just keen now to get on with it and start to quickly put in place his plans for the new season."

Gerrard's future will be one of Hodgson's most pressing concerns over the next few days, with the captain – along with other key players such as the midfielder Javier Mascherano and the striker Fernando Torres – having been linked with a move away from the club.

Carra Relishing Hodgson Era

Jamie Carragher is relishing the prospect of working under Roy Hodgson.

The former Fulham boss was announced as the 18th Liverpool manager after agreeing a three-year deal.

He will become the fourth coach to preside over the Anfield hotseat during Carragher's playing career following Roy Evans, Gerard Houllier and Rafael Benitez.

Even at 32, the vice-captain is always eager to learn and improve - and he cannot wait to team up with a manager whose CV boasts success in both domestic and international football.

Carragher told Liverpoolfc.tv: "I'm really looking forward to the opportunity of working with Roy Hodgson as he's got such a great reputation in the game and is one of the most experienced managers in world football.

"After this period of uncertainty, his appointment has given us all a lift."

Fans On Roy Hodgson

Fans on the official Liverpool FC message boards have today been leaving their thoughts on new Reds boss Roy Hodgson. We've compiled the best of your thoughts and messages of support below:

I'm very optimistic about Hodgson. He is a great student of the game, he knows his football and he knows how he wants the game to be played. I see him as a good man manager who gets a lot out of what he has to work with, he doesn't put square pegs in round holes and he organizes his teams well but not at the expense of playing football.

jonsonos

Hodgson was my number one choice to replace Evans in 1998. I have great faith he'll bring us back some pride, passion and enjoyment when watching our team next season, and we can then take it from there. I'm sure he can win a trophy, too, as getting Fulham to a major cup final is no mean feat.

Gazza74

When I have seen him being interviewed he reminds me of Bob Paisley - he's not flash, doesn't engage in these ridiculous slanging matches and mind games, and just concentrates on the job at hand.

FTLP09

I will be very happy when Hodgson is appointed and we can settle down with an experienced wise old head in charge so that some stability can be brought to the playing side of the club.

Sneets

He is well liked and respected throughout the game.

RedRougeRojo

Look what he did with Fulham; he is a good motivator and man manager, not to mention his experience in world football in Italy, England, Norway, Germany etc...

JENGAFETT

Let's be fair, he plays the game the right way.

the-las

Roy's been managing a lot longer and has achieved some incredible things as well; the way he can turn teams around is astonishing.

MabelMeister

The man is talented, experienced, can speak six fluent languages, has a cool temperament and is a thoroughly nice bloke who is ready for a huge job many believe his career deserves. In my opinion, I think it's fantastic we are giving a talented and experienced English manager a chance to manage a giant of European and world football. I think most level-headed fans realise our squad isn't an entirely true reflection of our seventh-place finish last year and that Roy will have plenty to work with.

StainableKeepo

Roy Hodgson, who I respect very much, has vast experience in Europe and England and we all know about his most recent exploits. I believe he would do well with the Reds and lift us out of this current quagmire.

LYNDONRED

He is a fantastic tactical manager, and a very good motivator. What he did with Fulham in the Europa League was superb, just look at who they beat along the way.

Paullfc1976

I think you would have to look long and hard to find someone in the game that has a bad word to say about him. He is a professional to the end and far above mind games, instead preferring to concentrate on his players and his job. Whenever I have seen him interviewed or when he has given his opinion on 'footballing matters', he comes across as intelligent, wise and thoughtful, not rash or instinctive. It is exactly what we need at our club at the moment and I for one am thankful we seem to be appointing a man who will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge of the game, as well as the dignity, intelligence and professionalism a Liverpool manager should possess.

paolo1974

Roy Hodgson Is The New Liverpool FC Manager

Roy Hodgson will be officially named Liverpool FC’s new manager on Wednesday.

The 62-year-old is due on Merseyside to complete the formalities of signing a contract after the Reds agreed a compensation package in the region of £2million with Fulham for his release.

Cordial negotiations have been ongoing in the past 72 hours between Liverpool’s Managing Director Christian Purslow and Fulham Chief Executive Alistair Mackintosh and they have now reached a successful conclusion.

Though Liverpool – who has remained tight-lipped throughout their search to replace Rafa Benitez – were linked with a clutch of names, Hodgson was always the number one candidate.

Other names in the frame included former Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini, Galatasary’s Frank Rijkaard and Didier Deschamps of Marseille, while Kenny Dalglish also made it clear he was desperate to take the job on.

Dalglish had initially been named as part of the recruitment process but he was desperate to have a second crack at the post he occupied between 1985 and 1991 when he felt his claims were as strong as the other candidates.

The board, though, were anxious to pursue Hodgson and Liverpool will be his 16th job in a managerial career that has spanned almost 35 years.

His first post was with Swedish side Halmstads in 1976 and he enjoyed instant success, leading them to two Swedish titles; he would later coach Malmo after a brief stint with Bristol City.

Success in charge of the Swiss national team led to him being appointed Inter Milan manager in 1995 and the highlight of his time at the San Siro was an appearance in the 1997 UEFA Cup final appearance, which they lost on penalties to Schalke 04.

Hodgson’s first crack at the Premier League came later that year, when he took over at Blackburn, but things did not go according to plan at Ewood Park – despite qualifying for Europe, he was sacked in December 1998.

Stints with Udinese, the United Arab Emirates, Viking Stavanger and Finland followed before Fulham turned to him in December 2007 and he successfully led their battle to avoid the drop, which they did thanks to a last day with at Portsmouth.

After that, his time at Craven Cottage went from strength to strength and he enhanced his reputation while transforming Fulham’s fortunes, guiding them to their highest Premier League finish and an appearance in the Europa League final.

Now he has a fresh challenge and Hodgson, the LMA’s current Manager of the Year, will meet those Liverpool players who have not been at the World Cup tomorrow when they return for pre-season training.

It had been mooted that Hodgson, who is expected to bring his trusted assistant Mike Kelly with him to Anfield, would be favourite to become England manager if the Football Association decided to sack Fabio Capello.

However, it is understood the delay in Hodgson being appointed to his new role had nothing to do with him waiting to see what happened with England.

One of Hodgson’s first jobs at Anfield will be to ratify Yossi Benayoun’s move to Chelsea after the clubs agreed a fee in the region of £6m for the Israeli midfielder.

Forward Milan Jovanovic Confirms He Will Join Liverpool Despite Inter Link

Serbian forward Milan Jovanovic has rejected reports he was set to pull out of a move to Liverpool after Rafael Benitez left the club.

Jovanovic, 29, represented his country in South Africa, grabbing the winning goal against Germany in their group stage clash. The attacker had allowed his contract at Standard Liege to run down this summer and a free transfer to Anfield was announced in the New Year.

Continued reports of unrest at Liverpool and their failure to qualify for the Champions League had put the switch in doubt, however. Benitez had been linked with bringing him to Inter, while Birmingham City were reported to be ready to hijack the deal.

Speaking to Nieuwsblad, Jovanovic declared he had no intention of making a u-turn.

"I am going to Liverpool. I have signed there for three years. I repeat: no pre-agreement - a real contract," Jovanovic said.

"And the departure of Benitez changes nothing. I have maintained contact with the executive board of Liverpool and everything is good.

"I am working to arrange my visa for England. Next week I go there to collect my work permit.

"Everything is in order since in the last two years I have played 75 per cent of the matches for my national side. Next I am looking for a house.

"On the 14th or 15th July I will join the squad for a training camp in Switzerland. But, as from Thursday, I want to start my individual training programme so I can show them immediately that I am worth a place in the side."