IgPig

In the normal course of events if he were to leave Milan and wanted to come to the UK and his transfer fee was affordable I am sure we would be one of the clubs he'd look at and vice versa However, things aren't normal any more with Chelsea. Abramovich has been trying to get him since he arrived, and I think his going to Chelsea has been arranged for ages. The press conference at Milan was just to get the fans used to the idea.

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No one expects that.

SHould get a few million for champions league winner traore I would think.

Echo Traore may be first out of AnfieldMay 19 2006 By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo DJIMI TRAORE is set to be the first out of the Anfield exit door this summer as Liverpool seek suitable offers for the defender. The Frenchman has failed to build on his triumphant Champions League campaign which saw him rewarded with anew contract last year. Now the left-back has been told he can leave Liverpool for the right price. Manager Rafa Benitez had high hopes Traore would acquire some consistency and erase some of the mistakes which blighted his career. But the 26-year-old has been unable to claim aregular starting place this term, when he fell well behind John Arne Riise and Stephen Warnock in the pecking order. The imminent arrival of Valencia full-back Fabio Aurelio will further relegate Traore, while his chances of forcing his way in at centre-half are dashed by the signings of long-term prospects Daniel Agger and Gabriel Paletta. Benitez will be hoping to attract adecent fee for a player who's acquired vast European experience since joining Liverpool in 1999. Fulham and Everton have made bids for the versatile defender in the past, although it remains to be seen if their interest will be revived. Manchester City also made an enquiry for the left back towards the end of the season, but Stuart Pearce has limited funds and is understood to be unwilling to meet Benitez's valuation. Bolton are another club who've been linked with Traore previously, and Sam Allardyce is reported to have more money at his disposal this summer. Numerous Liverpool players are currently being linked with moves out of the club, but as so often in the past, shifting those who are surplus to requirements is often as difficult as recruiting new faces. While players such as Jan Kromkamp and, more surprisingly, Harry Kewell are also regularly being touted as possible departures, Benitez will be assessing all his transfer options before making such major decisions. And he certainly won't be prepared to let players of such calibre leave on the cheap. The futures of many current stars will become clearer after the World Cup, particularly if they impress and attract substantial offers. Much depends on whether Benitez can secure his top transfer targets, and how much wheeling and dealing will be required to bring them to the club, before he makes a final decision on who to let go.

One of the other players should, as a practical joke, plant some hard drugs in his house and call the police.

Zenden and Riise as well don't forget.

Didn't quite manage it with the loss of Viera. Losing Henry would take longer to get over. Frankly, I couldn't care less how we win the league.

His presence didn't help them compete in the league this year, and without him they'd inevitably be weaker. Not like his leaving would have generated the ridiculous amount of money it takes to replace someone of his quality either. You saw how Arsenal reacted with losing there midfield talisman at the start of the season. The reaction to losing Henry would be greater.

good news for the league, but bad news in as much as Arsenal without Henry would be in deep trouble and no longer a competitor.

These guys were there too. Keep it under your hat though

I see it as more significant - I guess we'll find out soon enough

Irrelevant whether its public or not - we appear to have been asking all our potential signings (or at least the expensive ones) to express the desire to only come to Liverpool as a bargaining tool. As I said, a reasonable strategy although one that can be limiting.

The second sentence is something oft repeated (particularly by Bascombe) about numerous targets that for whatever reason we have failed to get over the last 12 months or so. I think Walcott is the most recent example. I understand the reasons for wanting them to do so but it does make it more difficult to sign them. There may be perfectly valid reasons for them not wanting to come out and declare there desire to move to us, that are a severe hindrance. Walcott not wanting to screw over the club that helped him so much for example.

Sounds ominously familiar

Agree with all of that

Nothing would have been said about the ref had it gone the other way, Despite Andy Gray's denials.

No class.

People are getting caught up in the nonsensical jingoistic sky propaganda. You offer Arsene the following before the match:- You are 1..0 up at half time, after your player dives to win a free kick You are down to 10 men Ronaldinho has no impact on the outcome of the game Any goals Barca score must be set up by a substitute Any Barca winner must be scored by a substitute full back Henry has 2 1 on 1's win the keeper Arsene bites your fu**ing hand off. The ref was crap but he was crap for both teams. The sending off could have gone either way. Arsenal's goal came from a dive. Henry was bitter in the post match interview, cause he knew he f***ed up. Big game player my a***. Hopefully Stevie sends him a text after this one with a few tips on how to hold your nerve in a big game.

Neither is it from West Yorkshire, doesn't stop me posting shee'ite though

2 years is a long time to wait.....

Sure. He might have been a big success. Would we still have the 2 trophies in the cabinet though? Prolly not I think, as a lot of that was down to Rafa. Houllier was probably wrong in that respect, and Rafa's record suggest he's right. Litmanen its difficult to say, houllier might have played him more than he did, but hindsight suggests his legs had gone.

I think its more a case of him not getting the best out of Europes best manager than the other way round. I am sure Rafa could easily change the team to play in a way that suited Cisse, but only at the expense of other areas of the team. It'd be easier for Cisse to try and learn what Rafa wants from him and improve. He's not demonstrated any willingness to do that.