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Luis Garcia Signs For Atletico Madrid

The end has arrived for Luis Garcia as the Spaniard is set to be unveiled in a lunchtime press conference in Madrid having completed his move to Atletico Madrid. The WikiPedia folks are quite, with Garcia’s entry already updated to reflect a 3-year, 4 million pound deal. The exact transfer fee hasn’t yet been disclosed but it is rumoured to be between 3.5 and 4 million sterling.

Whatever anyone else thinks I’ll miss Garcia at Liverpool. He’s been a great servant to the club since signing back in 2004 and was terrific for Liverpool both in the league and in Europe.

When all the talk came up about Fernando Torres signing for Liverpool, Garcia revealed that he would be keen on rejoining Atletico where he spent the 2002/2003 season and racked up 30 games for himself. The move was put in place to go ahead regardless of the outcome of the Torres dealings but I’m still disappointed to see him leave the club. Injury certainly did him no favour this past season so hopefully once fully back on his feet he can do the deed for Atletico.

I say best of luck to him.

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Heinze Set For Liverpool?

Looks like this week is going to be extremely interesting when it comes to Liverpool transfers. I’ve been away for the last few days (see here for details) but coming back to news that Gabriel Heinze is set to buy out his contract and jump to Liverpool - whats that, nearly 50 years since something like that has happened? A United player jumping across to Liverpool that is.

Reports this morning suggest that it would take STG4.5m to get Heinze out of contract but he would make it all back with a move to Liverpool.

Throw that in on the ever likelihood that Fernando Torres will arrive at Anfield by the weekend and we’ve got two very interesting transfers. My guess is that we’ll be seeing John Arne Riise going forward that bit more this year, coverage for Harry Kewell out on the left if Heinze checks in at left-back. Then there’s Garcia doing a bunk as well to Atletico Madrid. I will say I’m disappointed in that but if he’s got to go, he’s got to go. Was hoping that after missing much of this season that he’d come back in fine form and give Jermaine Pennant a good run for his money.

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Sissoko Signs On For Four More Years

The Liverpool midfield has received a firm bolstering with news that Momo Sissoko has put pen to paper on a new four year contract keeping him at the club until 2011. To be honest, with Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano and Leiva on the way I figured Sissoko might be in the running for a transfer out of Anfield but such is not the case.

Credit to Sissoko, he does have the talent and I’m glad that he’s been given the chance to stick around Anfield and prove himself in the centre of the pitch. There should be some interesting competition so between himself and Mascherano this coming season but if you’re pushing for the league title and competing for four trophies its vital to have strength in depth and some good reserve in the tank come the tail end of the season.

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Fernando Torres eh? We’ll See

So listening to the news last night and again this morning Liverpool seem to be edging ever closer to signing Fernando Torres. I’ve been holding back on blogging about it because its still speculation in my eyes and if you were to right about every player we’ve been linked with for the summer I could put a new book together.

Still though, the increased speculation and talk has got me interested. Of all the Premier League clubs I reckon Fernando Torres would go to Liverpool and I’d be surprised to see him anywhere else. Luis Garcia had been mentioned earlier in the week as a possible make-weight in the transfer process and according to ITV this morning it looks like Garcia is open to the idea and wouldn’t have any problem.

“Liverpool are in my thoughts at the moment, but one day I would like to come back, and not to Barcelona, but to Atletico Madrid, who are always in my thoughts,” Garcia told Spanish television.

Then, read Sky Sports this morning and you’ll see the fuel has well and truly been added to the fire with the news that Atletico Madrid have agreed to sign Diego Forlan and Juan Riquelme.

The transfer process at Liverpool has thus far been pretty slow, not at all the flurry of activity that was expected but its still good to see the management being patient. While other managers would have rushed in and dragged any name going, Benitez has picked his targets and is making damn sure he sticks to them before concentrating on something else.

Who knows, maybe this time next week we’ll see Fernando Torres singing in the rain in Liverpool with the red jersey on him. We’ll see.

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Tall Order For Crouch To Go To Spain?

You’ll have to pardon the pun on the title, feels very tabloid-esque, but wouldn’t you think its a tall order to get Crouch to head off to Spain in part of a deal to take Fernando Torres to Anfield? Sure enough, he’s been linked around the transfer market, including moves to Newcastle earlier in the year but of all the transfer talk and possible transfer situations I reckon its a bad thing to be shipping Crouch off.

There’s talk too of Luis Garcia being used as a make-weight for the transfer but sure enough, isn’t it worth holding onto Crouch? Retain some homegrown talent, a man who was a certain suspect purchase when he first arrived at Anfield!

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Reina Yesterday, Xabi Alonso Signs Today

Whatever about the transfer situation, Rafa Benitez and Rick Parry are locking down contracts goodo this week.

First there was Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard, each penning four year contract extensions; Pepe Reina signed on yesterday until 2012 and Sky Sports News this morning reports that Xabi Alonso has put pen to paper on a five year contract extension, great news for the team I think.

There had been rumour that Xabi was heading away this summer with Barcelona a reported new home but I think the new five year deal should see him at the club for at least the next two seasons anyway.

Others are doubtful but I still strongly feel that Xabi Alonso is an absolute quality midfielder who is core to the future success of the Liverpool midfield line and I’m expecting great things from him this coming season.

Speaking to Sky…

I have been here for three seasons now and have such special feelings for the club and the supporters. I understand what Liverpool FC means to so many people. It is such a special club and I just didn’t want to leave.

“We agreed that the talks would take place after the Champions League final and, to be honest, in the end it was a simple decision for me because I could see right away that the attitude of the club towards me was spot on.

There was word during the week that Momo Sissoko would follow Alonso in contract talks but that remains up in the air. A loan move might not be too bad an option for Sissoko though his sale could still generate much-needed transfer funds (hell, every little helps in getting bigger names this summer) but I can’t imagine Liverpool landing him with a new contract just yet.

So, now with four of the biggest names at the club under new deals can we expect to start seeing some transfer moving and shaking done? Let the gates of Anfield open….

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Bellamy, Sissoko Making Way For Eto’o?

If you read the news this morning it looks like Samuel Eto’o could be heading for Liverpool provided Rafa Benitez raises the massive cash needed to fund the sale - that coming in the likely form of outward transfers of Craig Bellamy, Momo Sissoko and Djibril Cisse, plus a cash injection from the new owners.

Peter Crouch and Dirk Kuyt are fairly assured of their Liverpool places this coming season but Craig Bellamy’s still remains in the dark - why, I don’t know. I say we keep him, go another season and watch him go the distance. His recent promotion to the Welsh captaincy in the place of of Ryan Giggs should be a massive boost to his confidence and character - plus he’s a proven scorer, albeit he didn’t break double figures this season but I reckon the former PFA Young Player Of The Year deserves a chance.

That said, there is the potential to take 7 or 8 million from a transfer deal (with Villa, Spurs and West Ham all interested), similarly with Sissoko whose transfer fee has been rumoured to be anywhere from 7 million to 13 million (which I think is a tad bit too much) pounds. That said, Sissoko has been linked with both Juventus and Barcelona, the Barcelona move possibly easing a few options. Mind you, the only way I reckon Eto’o will leave Barcelona is if Thierry Henry joins from Arsenal with speculation still ongoing that the Frenchman is heading out of the Emirates Stadium this summer.

Sissoko is going to cost somewhere in the region of £30-£35m and Rafa could raise about £14 of that from the sale of Bellamy and Sissoko. Couple the possible permanent transfer of Djibril Cisse for a fee rumoured to be another £7m and you’re looking at £21m with the club having to splash out around another £10m to get Eto’o, which isn’t all that bad.

I don’t know if its worth chasing such a big name. Sure enough, he’s got class, but didn’t Shevchenko have some kind of class before he fell apart at Chelsea? There’s £30m down the drain. Drogba too took a while to prove himself, fair play he had a great season this year but his first wasn’t exactly magnificent by any sense of the word.

If Eto’o does arrive and Bellamy and Cisse depart then we’ve got three up front with Rafa having to add a fourth striker. Carlos Tevez perhaps? Already tried and tested in the Premier League. Darren Bent? Worth the chance, keep it local?

Sure is a lot of cash to lay down for a striker….

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Malouda-doo, Malouda-da

Word on the wire this morning has Liverpool lining up a ten million pound bid Lyon’s 26-year-old French midfielder Florent Malouda. With Bolo Zenden on the way out, Malouda provides a terrific option for the left wing, the French Footballer of the Year providing more than ample competition for a spot on the left (while being comfortable across the middle) as Rafa reinvents the Liverpool squad.

I’d welcome the transfer anyway, he’s had a great season as one of the linchpins of the Lyon squad who recently retained their French Ligue 1 title. If anything can come of this summer’s transfer it should be strengthening in the wings. Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has already suggested that Florent Malouda will likely move on by the end of June, all thats needed is someone to come in and pick him up.

He’s also a decent goalscorer, having clocked up 8 goals for Lyon this season as well as having three for the French national team. We had a massive exodus of French players after Gerard Houllier left, something which has left me skeptical of French buys but Malouda is different and could certainly make a difference at Liverpool. If he’s up there on the transfer list and Rafa has the full backing of the new owners then I say bring it.

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Gonzalez, Zenden Will Leave Liverpool

The mighty sword is out in force as Rafa Benitez has confirmed this morning that Bolo Zenden’s contract will not be renewed this summer and that Mark Gonzalez looks set to join Real Betis. Fowler and Dudek are already on the way out the door, Zenden the only one of the four to feature in last night’s game against Milan.

While there’s about to be an exodus of players, it shouldn’t be too long before the influx begins as well, according to Benitez.

We must spend big and spend now. Our fans know what we need to do and so do I. We need to pay the price needed for each position. We must move quickly to sign our number one targets. If we wait we will be chasing the players who are second and third on our list. We need to change the structure of the club on and off the pitch.

Whatever he means about changing the structure of the club off the pitch it is clear that Rafa wants to spend the money. He’s done reasonably well with transfer purchases so far and anyone who hasn’t lived up to his standard he’s shipped out - Mark Gonzalez clearly one of those along with Jan Kromkamp - unlike Gerard Houllier who liked to leave players to rot away in the reserves.

As to who arrives we’ll just have to wait and see. Also interested as to who else goes, something I covered earlier in the week. Rumour has it now that Craig Bellamy could also be on the way out - big mistake to let him slip away if its true. Still, time to start counting the casualties of a trophy-less season.

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Is Tevez Liverpool-bound?

If you take a look at Sky Sports this morning you’ll read that Carlos Tevez could be on his way to Liverpool. His agent dines with Rafa Benitez; his agent is off to the Champions League final to talk business; Sky Bet has him down at 3/1 to join Liverpool ahead of Chelsea (4/1), Barcelona (9/2) and Man United (6/1).

You know what? It wouldn’t be that bad a thing either.

Seven goals in West Ham’s last ten games including the game-winner against Man United at the weekend shows that Tevez has the ability to score and survive in the Premier League. We need a new striker as it is - Fowler is gone at the season’s end and I doubt Djibril Cisse will be back, likewise with Anthony Le Tallec. Plus, if Tevez could do the turnaround that Javier Mascherano has worked since he joined Liverpool in January he could prove a lethal force up front for the club.

After Andreiy Shevchenko’s flop of a first season (a pure waste of 30 million quid) I wouldn’t be surprised to see Chelsea sweep in with an offer once the FA Cup Final has passed. Seen as they’re considering placing goalkeeper Hilario on the bench as a striker it is fairly obvious they need to look at their injury-ridden striking options.

For now though it looks like just Sky stirring the transfer rumour pot.

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