Anfield side set for major overhaul.
Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli to lead the way in bid to refresh the playing staff at Anfield
Liverpool are planning a radical overhaul of their squad this summer with a source at the club revealing that they are planning “up to 22 deals” in and out of the club.
Director of Football Damien Comolli has been working since his appointment to identify priority targets and will receive support from the club’s owners, the Fenway Sports Group, this summer as the club seek to build a squad capable of getting back into the Champions League.
Kenny Dalglish, who is hoping to remain as manager, has spoken of the need to complement the club’s emerging talent with investment and it is understood that Comolli and his scouting team located two or three targets for each position they want to strengthen.
Most of these are aged between 19 and 24 as the club wants to invest in players whose talent can be developed and whose value will increase.
Rennes winger Sylvain Marveaux is expected to be the first signing when the window opens on June 1.
The club are being described as “a long way down the road” to securing the Bosman free transfer of the former France Under-21 international.
Liverpool are looking at further reinforcements in the wide areas, another striker, a left-back and cover at centre back. If enough players can be sold, there could be as many as 11 signings.
The club are working on trying to set up deals for the players out on loan – Paul Konchesky, Alberto Aquilani, Philipp Degen, Nabir El Zhar and Emiliano Insua – while there has also been interest in David Ngog, Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Milan Jovanovic, all of whom are for sale.
SOURCE: Daily Telegraph
Life under Kenny Dalglish continues to be bright with the caretaker boss, who will surely be handed a permanent deal this summer, continuing to get the most out of his fairly average squad, a squad the Anfield boss is keen to freshen up with significant moves in the transfer market this summer.
It seems like a lifetime ago that Roy Hodgson was presiding over multiple failures at the Liverpool helm and whilst the former Fulham boss is doing a great job at West Brom it did seem that he was the wrong person at the wrong time and his brief reign as boss of the Merseyside giants was as dismal as it was depressing for the club’s supporters who had probably wanted Kenny Dalglish all along.
New strike pairing Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll have more than ably exorcised the ghost of Fernando Torres, who finally ended his goal drought yesterday, and the likes of Lucas and Raul Meireles have also improved dramatically in recent months.
The air of enthusiasm and confidence in the future is further exemplified by the impressive displays from youngsters Martin Kelly (before he got injured), John Flanagan and Jack Robinson and Dalglish and director of football Damien Comolli are keen to invest transfer funds handed to them by Fenway Sports Group this summer.
Liverpool are reportedly looking for new wingers with the likes of Sylvain Marveaux, Ashley Young and Stewart Downing strongly linked with possible moves to the club. Dalglish also seems very keen on bringing in Charlie Adam from Blackpool but one wonders where exactly the Scottish international would fit into the current set-up.
There also appears a need to beef up the centre of the Liverpool defence and to that end there has been much speculation that Bolton’s Gary Cahill is Dalglish’s first choice to resolve that issue. It seems the up turn in form has also helped to dispel the notion that big names could leave with Pepe Reina apparently keen to stay at the club and Dirk Kuyt putting pen to paper on a lucrative new deal.
The future seems bright at Anfield and an assault on the top four next season seems very likely.
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