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Lucas Leiva In, Robbie Fowler Out

Two announcements today in terms of transfers with Liverpool reporting early this morning that the club are to sign Lucas Leiva at the end of the summer away from Gremio. Leiva would make the second Brazilian arrival at Anfield in as many seasons, hopefully his debut season going a little better than Fabio Aurelio’s has. Captain of the Brazil U20 side, Leiva finished top of the scoring charts last season and although a midfielder by nature Benitez is hoping that he finds his scoring prowess in the league quickly.

So while one player looks sure to arrive this summer, one player is sure to leave - Robbie Fowler. Rafa Benitez announced earlier today that, as expected, Fowler’s contract would not be extended beyond the end of this season. It hasn’t exactly been a well-kept secret that Robbie would leave Anfield at the end of the season but at least this time it isn’t a fly-by-night transfer deal and he’ll actually get to say a proper goodbye, starting up front against Charlton at the weekend in the red kit.

Well, unless he comes off the bench that is. Nice to play out the full 90 minutes though.

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Another Youth Capture For Liverpool

News this morning reports that Liverpool also captured 17-year-old Paraguayan defender Ronald Huth before the transfer window closed, signing the youth from Tacuary FC. Huth has an Italian passport and therefore doesn’t require a work permit to link up with Liverpool.

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New Argentinian Blood At Anfield

While one Argentinian at Anfield has yet to seriously prove himself as a regular contender for a starting position, another has arrived in the form of Emiliano Insua who signed yesterday on an 18-month loan deal from Boca Juniors. The young left-back just turned 18 last weekend and had agreed a deal with Liverpool in late November to move to Anfield during the January transfer window.

While he hadn’t yet made a first-team breakthrough for Boca he has been playing for the Argentinian U20s and made the 20-man squad for the 2007 South American Youth Championships in Paraguay. (via wikipedia)

Interesting to see what involvement - if any this season - Insua will have with the first team.

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Reina Shuns Transfer Talk

Yet again Pepe Reina has to come out and say that he’s not going anywhere. You think that this has been part of the reason to his up-and-down performances from the start of the season? Mind you, the chap is picking up a nice run of clean sheets and starting to look like the form from last year is returning.

The latest one comes through Sky Sports, with Reina yet again linked with a move away to Valencia. But Reina has been made come out again and reveal his comfort at Anfield - more annoying now that the transfer window is just upon us.

I’m really happy here at Liverpool. It’s a big club and I have a good relationship with all the people. I have two-and-a-half years left of my contract, so I’m in no hurry. I don’t know if now is the right time to be talking about a contract because I like to focus just on the games. There will be plenty of time to do this.

Surely there has to be a certain level where the transfer talk begins to have an effect on you and question activities going on around you?

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Diao Moves To Stoke

Salif Diao has completed his loan move to Stoke, effectively bringing an end to his Liverpool career as I can’t see the club keeping him on past Christmas. The loan move itself is for three months (October thru to the January transfer window) at which stage a permanent decision will be made on Diao’s footballing future at Anfield.

Diao, who hasn’t featured much for Liverpool since he’s first season though was active enough in preseason this year and enjoyed loan spells away last year still draws down a £40,000 a week wage, Stoke having agreed to pay a small portion of his wages for the loan deal.

Speaking to the Stoke Sentinel today about his loan, Diao said

My career at Liverpool is over, but not my career in England. I feel I have something to prove, especially in England, because apart from my first year at Liverpool I have been unlucky with injuries. Sometimes you have to go down to be able to jump higher. I’ve already done that before and I am just happy to be here. I am impressed by everything, and everyone was happy for me to be here.

Stoke, who reckon Diao is at 100% fitness is expected to make his debut against Leeds at the weekend. Something we’ll never get though is the money that Houllier spent on Diao at the time. Remeber when Diao was labelled as the new Patrick Viera? He he…. Didn’t that happen as well with Bruno Cheyrou?

Diao becomes a free agent anyway next summer so it would be highly doubtful if any cash would be raised from activity in January.

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Cissé Must Wait Until Christmas

According to the news this morning it looks like Djibril Cissé’s hopes of lining up for Marseille in October have been seriously dashed, Cissé having been told he’ll have to wait anywhere up to eight weeks and that it could be up to a month before he begins light training.

Cissé, on loan at Marseille, is expected (or at least I’m expecting it) to make his transfer back to Ligue 1 permanent in January when the transfer window re-opens. Although the last thing he needs is another injury setback, L’OM are certain that Cissé will start as their number one striker when he returns from injury.

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Destination Recreativo For Pongolle

Florent Sinama-Pongolle won’t be seen around Anfield or the Premier League this season and, possibly next season, having moved to recently promoted La Liga side Recreativo Huelva.

The loan deal is for the season, with an option for a second season, and while there is no official word yet from the club (Liverpool) it won’t be long until it is announced.

Pongolle spent part of last season on loan at Blackburn and is certainly down the pecking order in terms of attacking roles at Liverpool, up front or otherwise. His transfer today marks the second piece of business of the afternoon for Liverpool with Neil Mellor having left for good for pastures new at Preston North End.

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Mellor Signs For Preston North End

Statements on Preston North End’s official club site state that Neil Mellor has signed for the club with Paul Simpson signing Mellor to a 3 year contract, with Mellor to keep his number 33 jersey that he has looked after at Anfield.

All the very best of luck in to Neil Mellor from LiverpoolAccess.com as he starts his new career with PNE.

Certainly won’t be forgetting that glorius goal against Arsenal in the league. Dying seconds of the match in the Carling Cup… fantastic stuff.

Speaking to the clubs website, Simpson said

I am delighted to get him in I think he is tremendous signing for the club, he is a young player, I would say that even though he is in his early 20’s he’s young because he hasn’t played a lot of games and I think there is a lot football in him.

Mellor’s exit comes with the transfer deadline tomorrow and while he is the first of the week to leave the club, he may well not be the last with Harry Kewell, Sinama Pongolle and Salif Diao all rumoured to be winging their ways to pastures new before tomorrow night.

Teamtalk today also reported that Liverpool had a £2m bid for Blackburn’s Lucas Neill rejected this morning. More on this as it transpires.

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Kuyt Completes Liverpool Tranfer

At long, long last, Dirk Kuyt has completed his Liverpool transfer bar dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s.

The player himself will wear number 18 and while it is possible that he could be handed a debut at Sheffield United, I wouldn’t expect to see him until our next league outing given that he can’t play in the Champions League until we secure the group stages.

Speaking about Kuyt today, Rafa Benitez has said

“I am really happy. We were looking at Dirk for a long time and I’m pleased we have signed him because he will be a good player for us.

“He’s a player with good game intelligence. He knows what to do with the ball and without the ball and he’s also a very good worker. His movement is good, his finishing is fantastic and I know he will score a lot of goals for us because we now have more possibilities in the wide areas and also between the lines.

I’m still skeptical about his signature, however pleased Benitez and the staff might be. What’s good for the goose maybe. The transfer itself is around the £9m-£10m mark though financial details of his contract and transfer have yet to be released.

This should be the last new face we see at Anfield, at least until Christmas and even at that it is doubtful (barring major injury) that Benitez will look to bring in more new faces midway through the campaign.

I’m just going to wait until he starts producing the goods and make judgement. Best of luck to him in the move though, delighted for the chap in fairness and hope that this gives us the scoring edge we need.

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D-Day For Dirk Kuyt

Dirk Kuyt’s Liverpool transfer is expected to go through this morning with Rick Parry confirming

We hope the results will prove to be satisfactory. All being well it will go through this morning.

The player passed his medical yesterday and is expected to be unveiled at a press conference later today. Full details as and when they happen.

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