yuriska

Some new news from Juve regarding Alonso: La Stampa My Italian isn't very good (I've cut some stuff out too), but it's basically: The hour of X approaches. The hour of Xabi. Tomorrow, thursday at the latest: the time left that the Juventus have given in order to complete their major signing for Ranieri for the next season. Most likely it will be Xabi Alonso, 26, the midfielder of Liverpool that they've been chasing for more than a month. Meanhile he has become champion of Europe with Spain, but the distance of two and half million between the offer (€16) and demanded (€18,5) has remained frozen. This is no longer a problem, after last Wednesday: the money is there for the reinforcement of the midfield. If it hasn't it is because Juventus still haven't given up hope of getting Aquilani. But day after day this looks more like an impossible dream. - But instead of waiting, and being left with not getting any target for midfield, the time has arrived to finish the negotiations. Xabi (Ranieri's 1st choice) is getting impatient and wants to know where his future is before his holidays, not least Liverpool are also getting impatient with the prolonged uncertainty. Either way the transfer saga will finish this week - Blanc wants all transfers completed by the 4th of July. Meanwhile all the interest in Stankovic, Veloso and Milito is all words right now. The hour is for Xabi.

Looks like Anderson will get a chance next year (2009-2010) if he does well at Forrest: Liverpool agreed to improved terms and to extend Anderson's current contract by another year with the proviso he proves himself in the Championship next season. In his first interview about his new contract, he told the Melton Times: "It shows the confidence the club (Liverpool) has in me which is really nice. "They told me it is a massive season for me. They said if I do really well in the Championship they want me to come back and push on to be a Liverpool player, but if not they will see how it goes and maybe at the end of the season they will let me go. More

It would seem he is going to fight it out with Hicks and attempt to stay. Link

Meanwhile our old 1st team coach Alex Miller seems to be doing well in Japan: The Scot arrived in Chiba in May to succeed Josip Kuze who was fired after recording no wins in the first 11 games of the season. Under Miller, the club has been unbeaten in six league and cup games. There is still a long way to go for the bottom club but there is now hope that JEF can avoid the dreaded drop into J2. A point at high-flying FC Tokyo at the weekend was welcome as was the pre-match song of “You’ll never walk alone.” "I thought I was back at Anfield," Miller told reporters. "I was hoping the team in yellow had Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. But unfortunately, no. "We started very well. We had an opportunity with the penalty but the goalkeeper had a good save. But after that I think our ball possession was poor. We allowed Tokyo to dictate the game up until halftime. "I was proud of the players because they have to realize when they come to Tokyo, they have to believe in themselves. They've got to believe in themselves when they play the big teams that they're good enough." Link

For Football-rumours that at least isn't that badI mean the italian is obviously Dossena, the German speaker is Deggen. Two spaniards heh..... Like Rafa always goes for spaniards. The guy who started that rumour at least made it sound believable.

According to the Guardian we have agreed a fee with Roma of just over 4m to sell Riise. Rafael Benítez, the Liverpool manager, has a transfer fund of just over £20m and the rest of his budget depends on how much he raises through player sales. Liverpool expect to sign the 26-year-old left-back Andrea Dossena from Udinese. They are close to finalising a deal initially worth £6m to the Italian club but potentially £8m with add-ons and the player underwent a medical on Merseyside last week and has agreed personal terms. Dossena's arrival may coincide with the departure of his fellow left-back John Arne Riise to Roma. Liverpool yesterday agreed a fee of just over £4m for the 27-year-old Norwegian, who must now decide if he wishes to pursue a career in Serie A.

More on the Babel to Olympics. He might recover in 5-7 weeks - BBC.

It's all happening... Gazzetta dello Sport saying that the General Manager of Udinese has flown to Liverpool to negotiate over Dossena. They want €12m. ~ £9.5m Link

Telegraph has picked up on it now: Link

According to the Italian media (Gazzetta) we wanted €23million and they offered 13. Currently negotiations are that Juve offered €15m and we said €20m. Italian Link Doesn't mean we want to sell, but if the right offer comes around.......

Well with this season Aurelio started 23, Riise 22, Arbeloa 12, Insua 2 Assuming Arbeloa will stay as a right back except for special marking jobs (i.e. Messi) means that we have quite a gap to fill with the new Left-back. Insua should still get half-a-dozen games Aurelio will be good competition for the new left back. On another note Right Back: Finnan - 31, Arbeloa - 22, Carragher - 6 Centrebacks: Carragher - 47, Hyypia - 40, Skrtel - 19, Agger - 5, Arbeloa - 4, Hobbs - 3

What's this going to do for the development of Insua then? We'll have three left-backs and I assume then that Aurelio will be second choice. Insua will play Carling and maybe FA cups? step up his level maybe aim to be second choice by the end of the season?

well he is a defender and a 'lateral' which can mean anything between fullback to wing-half to winger. so the logic is a full-back. Any Italian footie watchers can shed light on his ability?

Wasn't it against Dortmund? I remember that game.

I remember that. How about when he played against Valencia? That was bad.

Lets not start that s*** again......... I think it has been revealed that the £17.1m fee (+ £1.5m for the loan) included Mascherano's wages for the duration of his loan say, but from now on his wages are separate. And probably expensive, given his status. On another note: Does anyone think whether this 'good CV' signing that Elisha hinted at is for a position that needs strengthening (LB, RB or upfront) or one that is completely random? I've discounted the wings as he said that it was a uninspiring candidate.

Has anyone thought of Roberto Carlos for left back? Fantastic CV and probably past it.

Assuming Pennant wants to go....Player swaps don't happen too regularly as often the player being 'let go' wants to move elsewhere. Pennant 'might' be ok with moving to Villa because they are in competition for Europe (UEFA) etc. while Wigan would be like when he was at Birmingham again. If he has any hopes of getting in the England team (I'm not saying he can - I don't think he can - but he probably believes he should be) he won't want to move to a club that will be fighting relegation all the time.

Indeed. Decent players in decent teams. We need decent players in excellent teams to replace some of our dross...... And excellent players from excellent teams to push us to the title. Unhappily the latter are beyond our buying power. (unless we spunk our whole transfer budget on one player. - Not really a good move and Rafa knows this.) So we will find more legs for tables and chairs from Lidl and let the top two keep buying from Harrods. Improving the team incrimentally instead of a quantum leap that we would all want. c'est la vie!

1. Torres 2. Mascherano 3. Kuyt

1. Carragher 2. Kuyt 3. Alonso

"Old Speckled Hen" Nicely strong so I don't have any nerves. If that fails there is a nice bottle of bourbon next!

1. Pennant 2. Hyypia 3. Lucas

1. Kuyt 2. Alonso 3. Skrtel

I think that is disingenuous. If one or the other had turned up, then the outcry would be that they are bringing the circus to something that should be sacred, their petty squabbles distracting from what should be rememberence. But if they don't appear, then they are not deserving to be Liverpool owners! Damned if they do, damned if they don't. Did they show up last year?