Liverpool to Splash Out £35m On Brand New Centre Back Pairing: Dalglish to Build New Anfield Generation

Anfield boss keen on talented defensive duo.

KENNY DALGLISH’S Liverpool are lining up a £15m summer move for Blackburn starlet Phil Jones.

Kenny Dalglish and director of football Damien Comolli watched the centre-back face Manchester City on Monday.

The club are searching for a top-class defender to strengthen the Anfield squad and Jones, 19, would provide perfect cover for Jamie Carragher, 33. (Daily Star)

Tottenham and Liverpool are in a straight shootout for Bolton defender Gary Cahill.

The England centre-half has been linked with moves to every side in the top five, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal also said to be in the running.

But Harry Redknapp and Kenny Dalglish are believed to be the only two managers chasing the £15million-rated 25-year-old. (Daily Mirror)

As Kenny Dalglish looks to put together transfer plans this summer he appears to have one eye on the homegrown regulations and is seemingly seeking to pick up talented English stars who can help in his attempts to build for a bright future.

The Liverpool boss is likely to be well backed in the transfer market by the club’s owners and FSG (Fenway Sports Group) are keen that the Anfield manager looks to bring in young players with great potential and good sell on value and this defensive pair meet those criteria.

Phil Jones has shown maturity beyond his years and is now a regular in the Blackburn Rovers first team and given that the Ewood Park side has struggled since Sam Allardyce was sacked the teenager may well be tempted by the prospect of a move to Merseyside, and clearly if the Lancashire club avoid the drop then the chances of a move increase significantly.

Gary Cahill could be a harder nut to crack. The England international is wanted by a number of big clubs and the good season that the Trotters have had may make it harder to sign the former Aston Villa man, however the financial problems that Bolton reportedly find themselves in may mean they have to sell their prized asset but are apparently looking to get at least £20m for the determined centre back.

Liverpool currently have a lack of strength in depth in the central defensive area and given the ages of Jamie Carragher and Sotirios Kyrgiakos, 33 and 31 respectively, and the injury concerns over Daniel Agger, it makes great sense to bring in reinforcements.

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Liverpool Boss Plans £35m Triple Premier League Swoop: Dalglish Targets Aston Villa, Birmingham City and Blackpool Stars

Anfield boss lines up trio of new additions.

Liverpool are planning a triple Premier League swoop as they look to improve his Anfield squad this summer. The club’s new owners are ready to hand boss Kenny Dalglish significant funds and the Scot will make moves to sign Blackpool playmaker Charlie Adam, Birmingham City defender Scott Dann and Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing.

Dalglish is hoping to add more natural wide options to his attack having seen the likes of Maxi, Milan Jovanovic and Joe Cole fail to make an impact and will therefore look to lure England international Downing to Merseyside and given the poor season the Midlands club have had this season could help to tempt the former Middlesbrough man to make a move to Liverpool.

Kenny Dalglish is also keen to beef up his defensive options and given that Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Jamie Carragher are both over 30 and that Daniel Agger is plagued with knocks a move to bring in further central defensive options makes a great deal of sense and the Liverpool manager has identified Scott Dann as a potential target.

The 24 year old England hopeful has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since January and has for the past season and a half formed a solid partnership with Roger Johnson and the Liverpool born defender would surely be tempted by a move to his home-town club.

The third target on Dalglish’s radar is Blackpool playmaker Charlie Adam who is likely to leave Bloomfield Road this summer regardless of whether the Tangerines avoid the drop but Liverpool will have to fight the likes of Aston Villa and Tottenham who are also both keen on the Scottish international.

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Liverpool Plot Bids for £43m English Trio: Dalglish Makes Summer Transfer Plans

Anfield boss hopes to land talented trio.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy says he would be powerless to turn down a substantial offer for winger Matt Jarvis.
Liverpool and Everton are among a clutch of clubs monitoring the England international who signed a new five-year contract in the summer.

Breakthrough: Jarvis takes on Ghana’s Morgan Ayew-Dede on his England debut
McCarthy does not want lose the 24-year-old, but knows it will be an almost impossible task to keep him should Wolves be relegated.
McCarthy said: ‘If a top-four club offers unbelievable amounts of money for him – he wants to be a regular in the England team, and he can do whatever he wants with his salary and his career – then it becomes very difficult.
‘There are certain scenarios you just cannot stop.’

SOURCE: Daily Mail

Tottenham and Liverpool are reportedly leading the race for the £15 million-rated striker, who turned 18 on Thursday.

Jewell said: ‘I am hopeful he will stay but, let’s be honest, we are all at the mercy of the big clubs.
‘If Liverpool or Tottenham come in with money that is going to help us plough back into the team – silly money if you like – we have to listen to it.’

SOURCE: The Metro

As well as these two top talents Kenny Dalglish is also said to be one of many clubs looking to sign Bolton centre back Gary Cahill this summer, a player who apparently seems destined to leave the Reebok Stadium with Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and Man United all also keen on the consistent centre back.

The Anfield club’s owners are ready to hand the Liverpool boss a significant transfer fund injection and those funds will be fuelled in part by the sales of some squad players who are not part of the club’s long term plans with the likes of Alberto Aquilani, Milan Jovanovic, Christian Poulsen, Emiliano Insua, Philipp Degen, Paul Konchesky and Joe Cole all reportedly set to leave the Merseyside club.

With veterans Jamie Carragher and Sotiris Kyrgiakos getting on a bit Dalglish is looking to boost his defence and is a big admirer of Bolton defender Gary Cahill who is now a regular part of the England set-up. He is also looking to boost his wide options and may feel that a move for Matt Jarvis a more realistic one that Ashley Young who is apparently hoping to seal a move to Man United.

Connor Wickham is very much one for the future and the Ipswich Town man seems very likely to leave Portman Road although the £15m valuation may scare off many potential suitors.

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Roy admits Dalglish troubles

Roy Hodgson admits the presence of Kenny Dalglish made his job at Liverpool difficult as he prepares his West Brom side to face his former employers.

Hodgson was replaced by Dalglish in January after overseeing the worst start to a Premier League season in Liverpool's history

Dalglish claimed earlier this week that Hodgson had nothing to prove after his disappointing spell at the helm at Anfield.

However, Hodgson believes his position was not helped by the fact that Reds legend Dalglish openly admitted he wanted the manager's job prior to his appointment.

Hodgson believes Dalglish's shadow hung over him at Anfield leading to calls from fans for his head following bad results.

"It's difficult to compete with icons," admitted Hodgson.

"I came to the right club, perhaps I didn't come at the right time because Kenny did make it clear at that time that he wanted the job.

"But the people who were making the decisions at that time decided to go for me, and of course as a result that left Kenny in a difficult position because he is one who wanted the job.

"So when things didn't go well, having him in the background wasn't easy and wouldn't have been easy for any coach.

"But that's such an obvious statement and that happens at virtually every football club, to be quite honest.

"There's always someone in the wings who's a little bit of an icon and who's ready to take over if the results don't go that way."

"Again I can only repeat I have nothing negative to say about the club or my time at the club other than it would have been nice to have won a few more games.

"My time at Liverpool is over, I'm very happy in my job here.

"I am disappointed of course I didn't get the full three years which i was hoping for at Liverpool but I have been in football long enough to know that is what sometimes happens especially when there is a change of ownership during your time at the club.

"I was realistic, I knew the risk when I went into the job, I still think it was the right think to do to accept the offer.

"I am still disappointed of course it did not work out in a better way, but I have no regrets or bad feelings about Liverpool as a city, certainly I don't have any bad feelings about the football club and I have only good feelings about the people I worked with there."

Hodgson admits he is unsure of the reception he will get from the travelling Liverpool supporters at the Hawthorns.

"The reaction to my appointment from a large body of the fans was not positive so I don't know if that would have changed now I'm no longer there.

"Whatever the reaction is, we as managers have to accept that and get on with it.

"It would be nice if their response was not a negative one, but if it is, I'll have to learn to live with it.

"Hopefully the West Brom fans will will try to buoy me up in the other direction."

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Liverpool Target £32m Creative Trio as Kenny Dalglish Looks to Reshape Anfield Attack

Anfield side plan significant summer moves.

Liverpool are reportedly looking to inject some creativity this summer and will make moves for three attacking targets in the hope that one or more of those approached will move to Anfield. Director of Football Damien Comolli has identified Barcelona attacker Jeffren as a potential target whilst Kenny Dalglish continues to court Blackpool playmaker Charlie Adam and will enter the race to sign Aston Villa contract rebel Ashley Young.

All three targets are within the Merseyside club’s price range and all would help provide ammunition for January arrivals Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. Liverpool’s new owners have no qualms about investing significant funds on players who have good sell on value and are keen to avoid paying for players over 30 years of age.

The purchases of Suarez and Carroll were covered by the sales of Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel and as such Dalglish will be given plenty of money to spend this summer when the Scot is expected to sign a long term deal after a successful period as caretaker boss.

23 year old Barcelona man Jeffren has struggled to make an impact and may jump at the chance of a new challenge and a move for the Venezuela born former Spanish Under 21 international would be similar to the move that Comolli secured for Giovani dos Santos during his stint at Tottenham.

Scottish international Charlie Adam has set his heart on a big move this summer and some sources believe that the former Rangers man is very interested in a move to Liverpool but could be swayed into a move to Old Trafford.

Ashley Young would help add much needed width to Liverpool’s attack, especially as Maxi, Joe Cole and Dirk Kuyt offer a less direct threat from the wings, however the Aston Villa man is also the subject of interest from Man United. The England international seems likely to leave Villa Park having run down his contract and with only a year left on his current deal come the summer, Gerard Houllier will probably elect to sell now rather than keep an unhappy player and lose him for nothing at the end of next term.

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Liverpool Plan Exciting £65m Quartet Summer Spending Spree: Dalglish and Comolli Draw Up Wish-List

Anfield side to make big moves in summer transfer market.

Liverpool made a last-minute effort to sign the Aston Villa forward on the final day of January’s transfer window, but Villa were unwilling to sell. However, Villa’s hopes of tying Young down to a club-record £80,000 weekly contract evaporated when he announced that he will not extend his contract. Villa are hoping to attach a £20m price tag to Young, who has notched up eight goals and eight assists for Villa this season, but their position is weakened by the fact that his contract expires at the end of next season, at which point he could depart for free. Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool’s caretaker manager, who is currrently negotiating an extension to his own contract, believes that Young’s creativity would help bring the best out of new signing Andy Carroll, but he will face tough competition for his signature. Tottenham are looking to bolster their own Premiership credentials and Manchester United are hoping to recruit a creative midfielder this summer. The list of targets Dalglish has drawn up with Damian Comolli, Liverpool’s director of football, also includes Charlie Adam, the playmaker whom Blackpool managed to cling on to despite Liverpool’s advances in January, Wolves winger Matt Jarvis, and Bolton’s centre-back Gary Cahill.

SOURCE: Telegraph

Liverpool may find themselves having to battle numerous Premier League sides to land this quartet but one can see why Damien Comolli and Kenny Dalglish would see each player as way to improve the club’s squad. Whilst clearly the Merseyside outfit spend large sums to land Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez those deals were almost totally financed from the sales of Fernando Torres to Chelsea and Ryan Babel to Hoffenheim.

Aston Villa seem like they may have given up on trying to keep Ashley Young and will now look to get as much as they can for the England international winger, however with just a year left on his contract, his value is severely reduced and hopes of securing £20m are hopeful in the extreme. Manchester United also want the former Watford man so that may help to drive the price up for the Midlands side.

Gary Cahill is similarly being chased by Sir Alex Ferguson as well as Arsene Wenger who needs to beef up his back-line as much as either side. Liverpool have two veterans among their crop of centre backs with Jamie Carragher and Sotirios Kyrgiakos both getting on a bit, however they club does have solid pair Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel, who are both 26 so have a lot left in the tank.

Charlie Adam has been in great form for Blackpool and whilst Raul Meireles and Steven Gerrard both score from the midfield perhaps the Scottish international will offer other options. Tottenham also want the Tangerines star though.

Matt Jarvis’s value will have rocketed since his inclusion in the England set-up and the likelihood of any move will significantly increase if Wolves don’t stay up. The crafty winger would offer some much needed natural width at a reasonable price.

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Reds great Nicol urges Dalglish appointment

Liverpool great Steve Nicol has urged the club's owners to make Kenny Dalglish's return to Anfield a permanent one.

Appearing on ESPNSoccernet Press Pass, Nicol gave unequivocal backing to his former teammate and manager, who has won six of ten league matches since replacing Roy Hodgson.

"It's a results business," said Nicol, who made 468 appearances for the Reds. "If you look at the results from when (Dalglish) has taken over to right now, you can't lay one argument against him getting the job. Ultimately, the players will love it, the fans will love it and I think the club will do the right thing and appoint him."

Although Liverpool's principal owner, John W Henry, has refused to be drawn publicly on the state of negotiations with Dalglish, Nicol admits he would be "shocked if they aren't talking to him right now".

Dalglish's return has been just one storyline in a tumultuous period for the 18-time English champions. A protracted takeover of the club was completed by the Henry-led New England Sports Ventures in October but results on the field failed to improve, setting the scene for Dalglish to return as caretaker manager after Hodgson was given his marching orders early in January.

Languishing four points above the relegation zone when Dalglish was appointed, Liverpool are now fifth and Nicol puts the credit for the return of the feelgood factor to Anfield firmly at the feet of the new man at the helm who, he believes, has restored a pride to the club which has boosted the form of previously underperforming players.

"Everybody wants to play for the jersey, everybody wants to play for the team so it has kind of taken the pressure off individuals who, maybe, had been struggling before that. Now they're beginning to flourish, everybody's playing together, they're actually playing as a unit."

One man who did not buy into the new era under Dalglish was Fernando Torres who, having submitted a transfer request, was sold to Chelsea. However, the Spaniard has made a slow start to life at Stamford Bridge and, while the £50million man continues to search for his first goal in a blue shirt, new Liverpool signing, Luis Suarez, is rapidly attaining hero status among Kopites.

Nicol, who has been in charge since 2002 at MLS club New England Revolution, is among those fans and the Scot believes Suarez and fellow new signing, Andy Carroll, have the capability to be better than one of Anfield's greatest forward lines.

"(John) Toshack and (Kevin) Keegan - what a partnership - but I think that this pairing has more potential than the two of those. I think Suarez is probably a better football player than Keegan and I think that Carroll has more weapons than Toshack. This, potentially, could be dynamite.

"I think it's staring you in the face. Now you've got two guys who you can play any way you want. If you want to bang the ball forward, Carroll's going to terrorise every centre-back in the country. If you want to pass the ball and get it in the box to Suarez's feet, he's going to terrorise every centre-back in the country on the ground. Liverpool, for me, really have got two great weapons which are totally different."

With games still to come against fellow top four aspirants Manchester City and Tottenham, there remains an outside chance that Liverpool could make a late push for a Champions League spot. However, Nicol believes that a season free of European distractions could be in the best interests of the club.

"I don't think they will make it and I think that, ultimately, it will help them because they won't be in the Europa League, they'll have time between Premier League games (and) they're not going to get carried away with the Carling or the FA Cup. Next year is a year where Liverpool are really going to concentrate on that Champions League spot, number one and, hopefully, trying to win the championship."

Despite the presence of director of football Damien Comolli, Nicol expects Dalglish to be the main decision-maker in all transfer dealings and suggests that, to challenge for the title, the club needs to improve the quality of its squad in several areas with wide midfield and central defence in need of particular attention.

"Six months ago I was thinking 'you get rid of Torres, this is just a rocky road'. All of a sudden, a great piece of business, they actually don't end up spending an awful lot of money because the money they get for Torres pays for two fantastic strikers. Now that frees up money to better the team elsewhere, which it desperately, desperately needs."

The years between Dalglish's reigns at Anfield have featured a number of false dawns and, though the early signs have been encouraging, Nicol concedes that much remains to be done before Liverpool return to English football's top table.

However, he is confident the club is moving in the right direction and has the right man in charge. Not even the latest flirtation of a certain Portuguese with the Premier League will sway him from that belief.

"Who do you want - Jose or King Kenny? It's easy!"

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Liverpool owner Henry impressed with Dalglish

Liverpool owner John W Henry has praised Kenny Dalglish's work at Anfield but reiterated that he was not prepared to discuss his long-term future at the club.

Dalglish has seen Liverpool exit the FA Cup and Europa League since taking charge until the end of the season following Roy Hodgson's departure, but their league form has improved and the 2-0 win at Sunderland on Sunday keeps their faint hopes of returning to Europe next season alive.

"He has done very well," Henry said in the Daily Mirror. "It's all very positive. Someone was saying that people weren't happy here, but I think since that person left people are happier."

On Dalglish's future, he added: "What is going on in that regard is private. It is something called the Liverpool way and you do these things behind closed doors. I am not going to talk about these things."

Henry accepted that - with a four-point gap to make up on Tottenham having played an extra game - it will be difficult for Liverpool to qualify for the Europa League but feels they still have a chance.

"We will have to have a lot of days like [the victory at Sunderland] to do that," he said. "Tottenham are in fifth and they look very good so we will have to play extraordinarily well, and we will have to win when they come to Anfield to have a shot at that, but we will do our best."

Dalglish, like Henry, has been reluctant to discuss his future in public and dismissed recent stories in the press about the contract negotiations.

"I have seen I have asked for four years," Dalglish said. "Well, I don't know who I am supposed to have asked. I have seen I was offered two - don't know where that has come from.

"People ask if I have spoken to the owners and of course I have. I speak to them regularly every week. It is their club, and they are fantastic owners, very supportive. There have been no detailed discussions about next season.

"Until there is something to be said, there is nothing. For me that is not a problem. For me, the club is most important, bar one instance when I left the club last time. There is no pressure on anyone."

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