Liverpool Chase Three Left Backs as Fulham Prepare to Re-Sign Flop For £1.5m

One of the most-hated Anfield signings will return to Craven Cottage this summer.

Fulham are on the verge of re-signing Liverpool flop Paul Konchesky this summer for £1.5million. Manager Mark Hughes will tempt the 29-year-old back to Craven Cottage after a disastrous 12 months on Merseyside.

The England international moved to Liverpool with ex-Cottagers manager Roy Hodgson after helping Fulham to the Europa League final. The deal cost around £4million but Konchesky, currently on-loan at Nottingham Forest, never settled at Anfield.

He was the subject of fans discontentment and then his mother labelled Liverpool fan’s as ‘Scouse Scum’ on Facebook. After Hodgson was sacked, new manager Kenny Dalglish allowed Konchesky to move on-loan.

This leaves Liverpool with only one recognised left-back at the club, the injury-prone Fabio Aurelio but the Reds are constantly linked with a number of defenders. Jose Enrique, Taye Taiwo and Gael Clichy have all been mentioned as the Daglish re-building scheme begins to take shape.

source

Read more...

Liverpool Lead Chelsea In Chase for £7m Rated Premier League Starlet

Anfield the likely destination over Stamford Bridge for Wigan youngster.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish wants to beat Chelsea to the signing of Wigan star James McCarthy – the one who got away from Anfield. Dalglish is determined to land Glasgow-born Ireland starlet McCarthy as part of a major summer overhaul.

And the legendary manager thinks that he can persuade McCarthy to pick Merseyside ahead of London for his next move, which looks increasingly likecoming at the end of the season. Chelsea wanted to land McCarthy in January and are still in the chase for him – although the exit of director of football Frank Arnesen leaves a ­question mark over their desperation for him.

Now Dalglish, poised to get theLiverpool job full-time, has decided to home in on McCarthy who was set to sign for former boss Rafa Benitez as a kid but opted to stay with Hamilton Accies. McCarthy has already been to Liverpool’s HQ and played in a training game – when he was just 16 – and Benitez was keen to take him only for the top prospect to decide that first-team football with Hamilton was better.

Dalglish does not want to miss out on McCarthy again and thinks he would be ideal for a new-look squad that would also include fellow Scot Charlie Adam from Blackpool. McCarthy signed for Wigan and has proved himself to be one of the best young all-round midfielders in the top flight. Chelsea are willing to pay up to £7million for him.

Liverpool will match and ­possibly better that if Dalglish gets the money to invest. And he hopes the quiet lad will prefer to stay in the area rather than be drawn to the capital.

SOURCE: Express

James McCarthy first found himself on the football map when he broke on to the scene at Hamilton aged just 15 and indeed when he made his move to the Premier League in 2009 many had expected the Irish international midfielder to join one of the bigger clubs in the top tier but perhaps wisely the Glasgow born youngster opted for a move to the DW Stadium where he could get a fair bit of first team action but now it appears that a move may be on the cards.

Roberto Martinez faces a fight to keep the 20 year old, a fight that will become even more difficult if the Latics do not beat the drop and this source believes the fairly short move from Wigan to Merseyside may be the most likely one for the talented youngster.

Although McCarthy won’t turn 21 until November he already has over 150 appearances to his name and Kenny Dalglish in very much interested in signing the Wigan man as he looks to bring in top quality youthful options to complement the more experienced side of his squad.

Given the good form shown by the likes of Lucas and Raul Meireles as well as the mercurial skipper Steven Gerrard, it may prove problematic for McCarthy to earn himself a starting spot at Anfield but such is the upward trajectory of his career that he may well now feel he is able to take on all comers.

Chelsea’s interest will also be hard to ignore and Carlo Ancelotti is keen to bring in some younger players with a number of his Stamford Bridge squad getting on a bit. There has been a lot of talk about the potential exit of the likes of Florent Malouda, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and bit part players Paulo Ferreira and Jose Bosingwa and having already spent big on the likes of Fernando Torres and David Luiz there is clearly no qualms about meeting the £7m valuation.

source

Read more...

Liverpool Lead Chase for £18m Rated Top Notch Centre Back

Anfield boss wants Reebok Stadium star.

Liverpool and Arsenal are reportedly leading the chase for Bolton defender Gary Cahill. The 25-year-old’s future has been the subject of intense speculation over recent months and Metro reports that things will come to a head when the transfer window reopens in the summer. According to Metro, ‘serious’ interest from Liverpool will galvanise Arsenal into spending upwards of £18 million in order to land the centre-back, while Bayern Munich are also expected to register an enquiry. Both Liverpool and Arsenal are thought to be in the market for defensive reinforcements, with the latter seemingly more in need of bolstering their ranks at the end of the season. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has also previously been outed as an admirer of the imposing England international and could be prepared to go toe-to-toe with Arsenal in pursuit of Cahill.

SOURCE: Give Me Football – Official PFA Website

Gary Cahill has been in fine form this season and under Owen Coyle’s guidance the Bolton man has cemented his place in the England national team set-up and is now a player strongly linked with moves to ‘bigger’ clubs and one wonders if the Trotters will cash in on the 25 year old this summer? Apparent debt issues may lead the club to sell the former Aston Villa man and indeed the January capture of Danny Wheater leads many to believe that if the right offer was to come in then they would accept it.

Liverpool are apparently leading the chase for the Sheffield born centre back and Kenny Dalglish is reportedly a big fan of the determined defender and given that two of Anfield’s current crop of central defenders are getting on a bit, Jamie Carragher (33), Sotirios Kyrgiakos (31), then perhaps a bid is on the cards.

Dalglish also has Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger to call upon and have youngsters Daniel Ayala and Danny Wilson to boot, however Cahill is arguably as good as those named and has the kind of leadership qualities that could mark him out as the next Jamie Carragher.

Arsenal and Bayern Munich are also said to be keen on Cahill.

source

Read more...

Birmingham City And West Ham United Chase £5m Newcastle Midfielder

St James’ Park talisman could be on his way to St Andrews or Upton Park.

Birmingham City and West Ham United are set to battle for the signature of Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton this summer. The 28-year-old’s contract with the Magpies expires in 2012 and negotiations have broken down regarding an extension. Barton is back playing his best football following a controversial few years both on and off the pitch.

Both the player and his manager Alan Pardew say they want the contract to be signed but talks stalled as Barton is questioning the ambitions of the board. If the stalemate continues, the club will cash in on the England international rather let him leave for free in a year’s time. Hammers manager Avram Grant thinks Barton is the ideal replacement for Scott Parker, who may leave the club at the end of the season.

Similarly Birmingham boss Alex Mcleish wants Barton to come to St Andrews as Sebastian Larsson is out of contract in the summer. Bidding would start at £5million but any deal will hinge on the two clubs avoiding relegation.

source

Read more...