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Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi sees no
reason why Javier Pastore would want to leave during the January transfer
window.
The Argentinian playmaker has attracted interest throughout
Europe, with speculation linking him with a move to Premier League side
Liverpool.
Attacking midfielder Pastore has made 12 appearances for the
Ligue 1 leaders this term after a successful 2012/13 season, which saw him
score four goals and provide eight assists.
However, despite the rumours, Al-Khelaifi believes Pastore
is settled at the Parc des Princes and insists the 24-year-old has played an
important role in the club's recent history.
"I am not sure Pastore wants to leave," he told
L'Equipe.
"When a player is unhappy it is difficult to keep him.
But it is not the case with Pastore.
"We will never forget he was one of the very first key
players to join our project."
Al-Khelaifi insists PSG will always remain loyal to their
players and claims Pastore, who is yet to live up to the standards he displayed
last term, is one of the leading players in the world.
"We are loyal to our players as we ask them to be loyal
to the club," he added.
"Pastore is both a man and player of quality. Maybe he
is in a difficult period, but he remains one of the biggest talents in the
football world.
"He knows he has to do much more. I still have big
faith in him."
Dinamo Moscow sporting director Guram Adzojev has revealed
that the club are yet to receive any bids for Balazs Dzsudzsak, despite a host
of clubs interested in the winger.
Liverpool and Fulham are keen to bring Dzsudzsak to the
Premier League, while Italian giants Inter Milan have also been strongly linked
with the Hungarian in recent weeks.
But chief Adzojev has admitted that no offers have been made
for the 26-year-old as the January transfer window approaches.
Commenting on the link with the England's top flight pair,
Adzojev said: "This is the first time I hear the name of these teams in
connected with Balazs.
"There are interested teams, but at such a big club as
Dinamo it's not a surprise. It's very busy during the winter and the summer
transfer window but I can say we haven't received any detailed offers for the
winger."
Adzojev went on to say that any decision to sell Dzsudzsak
would be made by manager and Chelsea legend Dan Petrescu.
"It's the coach - this time it's Dan Petrescu - who
decides about the movements in the squad," he added.
"If a player is approached by a club who makes an offer
then the coach can decide to let him go or not.
"If he needs the player, then he stays, if not then the
paperwork can begin."
Questioned if Dzsudzsak was good enough to play for a team
like Liverpool, he told Nemzeti Sport: "Difficult question. I think he
would be good.
"In our squad we have only players who are above the
average and Balazs Dzsudzsak is one of them. His left foot and his long runs
are very valuable and it's nice to see his crosses.
Liverpool transfer speculation today sees West Ham United
midfielder Mohamed Diame has emerged as a surprise January target.
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is keen to bring the 26-year-old
to Anfield as he looks to add more steel to his midfield, and sees Diame as
capable of filling that void.
Another transfer rumour sees Brendan Rodgers exploring the
prospect of landing Swedish star Ola Toivonen on loan until the end of the
season.
The versatile 27-year-old, who has been linked with
Newcastle, can play in midfield or along the front line, and would provide the
cover boss Brendan Rodgers needs in his injury-hit squad.
Toivonen, who has been on the Anfield giants' radar since
Kenny Dalglish tried to sign him in 2010, and will be a free agent in the
summer when his contract with PSV Eindhoven is up.
Liverpool are keen on proposing a small fee to take the
player on loan for the remainder of the campaign - giving him the chance to
earn a long-term future at Anfield.
Liverpool's previously ailing hopes of landing Paris
Saint-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore on loan have received a boost as he now
looks certain to make a temporary switch in January.
The Argentinian was one of the club's first big-money
signings after they were taken over by the Qatar Investment Authority in 2011
and he has previously stated that he was opposed to any move away from Paris.
However, sources in Italy claim the 24-year-old is
reconsidering his options as he wants regular first-team football ahead of the
World Cup in Brazil in the summer.
Liverpool are believed to be weighing up a January move for
in-and-out Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson during the January
transfer window.
The Icelandic international has not managed to show his best
form during his time at White Heart Lane that prompted the club to sign him
permanently after impressing during a loan spell from Swansea City in the
second half of the 2011-12 season, and has since struggled to hold down a
regular spot in the starting XI.
Inter chief Giovanni Luigi insists the club is open to
offers for striker Leandro Damiao, despite admitting that no approaches have
been made for his services.
The Brazil international has been linked with a move to
Premier League sides Tottenham and Liverpool since the summer, and also
rejected the chance to join high-flying Southampton in an £18million deal.
But now the Brazilian season is over and with the January
window fast approaching, English sides are on red alert over the player's
availability.
Liverpool have opened talks with Barcelona full-back Martin
Montoya in the hope of securing a transfer in January.
The Spain U21 international can play at left-back or
right-back and is out of contract at the end of the season.
He could leave the Nou Camp on a free transfer in the
summer, but Liverpool are keen on a new-year deal.
Montoya, 22, is behind Dani Alves in the pecking order at
the Spanish champions and Liverpool are one of several clubs tracking him.
Ian Ayre, the Liverpool managing director, travelled to
Barcelona this week in an effort to secure an earlier move.
Montoya is a product of the Barcelona youth system and has
played for Spain from U17 to U21 level as well as their Olympic team, and has
also been in the senior squad but has yet to win a senior cap.
Liverpool transfer speculation today focuses on manager
Brendan Rodgers reportedly lining up a deal for creative Juventus playmaker
Sebastian Giovinco in the new year.
The Reds boss is hoping to add more creativity to his
midfield and has apparently identified the Italian international as the ideal
man to do so this winter.
The diminutive star has been in and out of the Juve side
since first breaking through, and though he has always been regarded as a
talented player he has not always been given the opportunities to impress that
he would have liked.
Skillful and quick, his profile would seem to fit in with
the ethos that has been set for the side by Rodgers, with Paris Saint Germain's
Javier Pastore and Derby County starlet Will Hughes also being targets (Caught
Offside).
Liverpool are reported to have been one of four clubs that
were trying to sign 20-year-old Nigerian International midfielder Ogenyi Eddy
Onazi from Italian side Lazio this summer.
Despite their believed best efforts, Lazio refused to allow
him to leave, however, Onazi has raised hopes of a move telling the Italian
media: "I would jump at the chance to play in the Premier League.
Liverpool? They are a huge team and are attractive to any footballer. I could
see myself playing for them."
Meanwhile, Liverpool and Manchester United have reportedly
been overtaken in the race to sign Atletico Madrid's burgeoning talent Koke.
Koke has been labelled as the next Xavi, and it has been
mooted he could replace the midfield maestro himself after impressing Barca
scouts with his performances for Atletico Madrid in La Liga this season.
But there appears to be a fresh twist in the transfer saga,
with Serie A giants AC Milan reportedly surging ahead in the race for his
signature.
Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo claims Milan's owner Silvio
Berlusconi has already conducted exploratory talks with Atletico to see whether
or not a move for Koke is feasible.
It is also understood Berlusconi is prepared to offer Koke
£3.6 million a season to lure him from Atletico.
Liverpool have been dealt a blow in the chase to sign
Cruzeiro star Everton Ribeiro as the Brazilian revealed he is keen to secure 'dream'
move to Manchester United.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is also keen to bolster his
forward options and is set to rival United with a bid for the playmaker.
It is understood that Cruzeiro are willing to sell the
Brazilian for €8million (£6.7m) in January.
Liverpool are set to rival Arsenal for the signing of Yohan
Cabaye as Newcastle brace themselves for renewed interest in the French
midfielder in January.
Newcastle remain keen to hold onto Cabaye, but reports
suggest that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has not given up hope of luring the
27-year-old to the Emirates.
And according to the Northern Echo, Liverpool are also
monitoring the situation at St James' Park in the hope that Cabaye might be
persuaded to make the move to Anfield.
Roma, with Cabaye's former coach at Lille Rudi Garcia at the
helm, are also interested while Paris Saint Germain boss Laurent Blanc is a
known admirer but may have turned his attention to other targets.
It is thought that Newcastle are unwilling to sanction
Cabaye's departure unless their £18m valuation of the player is met.
In addition to Cabaye, Papiss Cisse and Sylvain Marveux have
also been linked with January moves having found themselves overlooked in
favour of Alan Pardew's favoured attacking trio of Loic Remy, Yoan Gouffran and
Hatem Ben Arfa recently.
The Magpies insist that they don't want either player to
leave, with Cisse especially backed to recapture the form he showed in his
first six months at the club, but that attitude may change if substantial bids
are received for the pair in the upcoming transfer window.
Luis Suarez has been shortlisted alongside the likes of
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award.
The Uruguayan, who hit 30 goals in all competitions for
Liverpool last season, is part of the 23-man selection for the world player of
the year award, which was announced on Tuesday morning.
Four current Barclays Premier League players join him on the
shortlist. Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, Chelsea's Eden Hazard,
Manchester City's Yaya Toure and Arsenal's Mesut Ozil all make the cut.
Barcelona star Lionel Messi, who has won the award for the
last four years, is also on the shortlist - as is Real Madrid's Cristiano
Ronaldo, who scooped the prize in 2008.
Here are the shortlists in full…
Gareth Bale, Edinson Cavani, Radamel Falcao, Eden Hazard,
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andres Iniesta, Philipp Lahm, Robert Lewandowski, Lionel
Messi, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Neymar, Mesut Ozil, Andrea Pirlo, Franck
Ribery, Arjen Robben, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Luis Suarez,
Thiago Silva, Yaya Toure, Robin van Persie, Xavi.
FIFA World Coach of the Year 2013…
Carlo Ancelotti (PSG/Real Madrid), Rafael Benítez
(Chelsea/Napoli), Antonio Conte (Juventus), Vicente Del Bosque (Spain), Sir
Alex Ferguson (Manchester United), Jupp Heynckes (Bayern Munich), Jürgen Klopp
(Borussia Dortmund), Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid/Chelsea), Luiz Felipe Scolari
(Brazil), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
The shortlist will be whittled down further in December then
the winner, as always, will be unveiled at FIFA’s fancy gala dinner in Zurich,
Switzerland on January 13th.
The Reds are being linked with a move for AC Milan frontman
Stephan El Shaarawy in the press today.
While the 20-year-old says he is happy at the San Siro, he
is regularly linked with a move away from the club, with Man City and Borussia
Dortmund also thought to be potential suitors.
Hellas Verona star Jorginho looks set for a move away from
Italy soon, with Liverpool and Arsenal reported to be at the head of the queue
for his signature.
The club's manager Andrea Mandorlini is quoted as saying:
"I know, only too well, that it will be hard to keep the likes of
Jorginho."
The 21-year-old midfielder is eligible to play for both the
Italian and Brazilian national teams.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has called upon former
players Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman and Rob Jones to help nurture the club's
new talent.
The trio will help coach and mentor the U21 and U18 squads
at the club's Kirkby Academy.
"It's great to have Robbie, Steve and Rob on
board," Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.
"I wanted to get more former players involved and over
the off-season I spoke to a number of them about a possible role here.
"For me it's so important to have players like that
around. These are players who the young guys look up to.
"The three of them have come in recently and I know
they have thoroughly enjoyed having that involvement of working with the kids.
"We're starting with the older academy players as they
are ones they can really affect at this moment. It's both coaching and
mentoring."
Rodgers has spoken previously about wanting to utilise the
experience of the recently-retired Jamie Carragher, who has opted for a career
in television.
The Northern Irishman has immersed himself in the club's
history since arriving in the summer of 2012 and insists the stars of old have
a key role to play in developing the next generation.
"Sometimes managers feel the need to distance
themselves from players like that but I love what this institution is all about
at Liverpool," he added.
"It's important to retain that connection with the
history of the club.
"I want to protect that great history to ensure these
players get the opportunity to be involved at a club they love."
According to a statement published today by the Independent
Police Complaints Commission, new evidence has emerged to suggest witness
accounts relating to the Hillsborough disaster may have been altered.
On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Hillsborough
Independent Panel report's publication, Deborah Glass, IPCC deputy chair,
released an update on the progress of investigations into the disaster.
The police watchdog believes accounts given by fans who attended
the match on April 15, 1989, may have been changed.
The statement read: "From our work we have recovered
West Midlands policy books that have never been seen by previous inquiries.
"We have identified the statements of 74 more officers
which may have been amended. We have also uncovered material which would
suggest that fans' witness accounts may have been altered.
"We have recovered pocket notebooks from officers who
were on duty on the day of the match. We are in the process of interviewing all
the surviving officers whose accounts were amended.
"We are also about to issue an appeal for witnesses.
This appeal, which will be launched next week, forms a crucial element to our
investigation into how West Midlands Police conducted its enquiries into the
disaster.
"We want to hear people's experiences of that process.
We have already had a number of people contact us with concerns that their
statements were amended and we have no doubt there are others who have not
contacted us: we want to be able to present as full as possible a picture of
witness evidence both for the inquests and the criminal investigations.
"I cannot emphasise enough the significance of all this
work. It builds on the work of the Hillsborough Independent Panel. But their
work was a starting base. I acknowledge and understand the views of those who
want quicker progress, and I cannot ask those who have waited 24 years to be
patient.
"But I would ask them to speak to us to understand the
complexity of the investigation we are conducting and the progress we are
making; see for themselves the dedication and professionalism of our staff; and
to continue to assist us in our work."
Researchers behind last year's momentous Hillsborough
Independent Panel report are up for a national award.
Findings made thanks to the team, led by panel member
Professor Phil Scraton, revealed key new information which highlighted serious
flaws in previous investigations.
Today it was announced the researchers, based at Queen's
University in Belfast, had been nominated for the Times Higher Education
Research Project of the Year award.
Prof Scraton was the primary author of the panel's report,
which detailed 153 key findings over 395 pages.
He said: "It is the families of those who lost their
lives and those have lived with the trauma of survival, who deserve the
greatest credit for their remarkable courage, dignity and resilience in
accessing the truth and challenging the myths of Hillsborough.
"This nomination reflects their persistence over two
decades against considerable opposition.
"It is also recognition of the excellent, painstaking
and challenging research conducted by the Queen's research team and my
colleagues on the panel."
Chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group Margaret
Aspinall said: "We were so pleased and proud to hear that Professor Phil
Scraton has been nominated for the UK's academic research project of the year.
"The work undertaken by Phil over the past 24 years
and, more recently, in managing the panel's research and uncovering the truth
of Hillsborough, has made a huge and positive contribution not only to the
Hillsborough families and survivors, but also to the city of Liverpool, the
people of Merseyside and the UK, and indeed it has had global impact."
It was a hot summer's day in 1975 when I first switched on a
tape recorder to gather the thoughts of someone important.
The affair could not have been more low key. He was a
retired football manager, I a teenager wanting a piece for my school magazine.
But in the following 38 years, after interviewing some of
the most famous people on earth for a living, no one has come close to having
the same effect on me as Bill Shankly did that day.
After an hour in his company I walked away feeling as though
I'd just had an audience with a messiah who was part Martin Luther King, part
Robin Hood.
Shankly was without doubt the most inspirational person I've
ever met. And probably the greatest football man this country has ever seen.
Not because he was a playing legend. He wasn't. Although he
was a decent half-back who was the heartbeat of a successful Preston side and a
strong wartime Scotland team.
Not because he won more than any other manager. He didn't.
His haul of three league titles, two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup puts him behind Sir
Matt Busby, Bob Paisley and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Although he built two magnificent sides from scratch and
only "a travesty of justice" (a referee later exposed as bent)
stopped him from being the first British manager to reach a European Cup Final.
Not because he arrived at an unambitious Second Division
club and built a modern dynasty that would dominate European football for
almost a decade.
Not because of his extraordinary wit and charisma which
rubbed off on his players, his fans, his adopted city and all who met him.
But because of what was inside him. The love, dedication and
honesty he gave to the game, and its people, all his life, while asking for so
little in return.
The passion and optimism he gave to tens of thousands of
ordinary folk that lit up their ordinary lives. And never left them.
Shankly's politics were of the old school of Christian
socialism, honed in the Ayrshire pit community he grew up in.
It defined how he treated everyone: as his equal and with
respect. How he built his football teams by making the most important people at
every club, the fans, central to his vision.
His belief in collectivism, of everyone working for the
common good, defined him to his core. "If I became a bin-man
tomorrow," he told me in 1975, "I'd be the greatest bin-man who ever
lived. I'd have everyone working with me, succeeding and sharing out the
success.
"I'd make sure they were paid a decent wage with the
best bonuses and that we all worked hard to achieve our goals.
Some might say, 'Ah but they're only bin-men, why do we need
to reward them so well for a job anyone can do?' But I'd ask them why they
believe they are more important than a bin-man.
"I'd ask them how proud they'd feel if their dirty city
became the cleanest in the world? Then ask who made them proud? The
bin-men."
His biggest fear was anyone might think he'd cheated them.
He loathed selling others short.
It's why, when I asked him to name the greatest player he
ever managed, he shunned ball-jugglers like Kevin Keegan, Ian St John, Peter
Thompson and Steve Heighway and picked Gerry Byrne. "He was hard and
skilful every game," Shankly said. "But above all honest. And that is
the greatest quality of all."
It's why every person who ever wrote to him had a personal
reply, hammered out on his old typewriter. Why every kid who knocked on his
door was given what they wanted. A word, a joke, a ticket, a "yes" to
a request to come to a nearby kick-about.
I wrote to him in 1973 to tell him I'd been badgering my MP
Harold Wilson to give him something in the next Honour's List, but met with
little success.
He wrote back: "I am not really disappointed at not
being recognised. The people who dish out honours are not my people. My people
go to Anfield. If I can make you all happy then that is my greatest
ambition."
How many managers, players or administrators would do that
today, devoting so much of their own time to the fans? How many would even
recognise Shankly's principles let alone share them?
He would have been 100 on Monday, and many events are
planned to celebrate his memory, including the setting up of a Shankly
Foundation by his family, to support grass roots football.
At Anfield tomorrow there will be a minute's applause for a
man whose life was consumed by his love for our game and its people.
Maybe everyone involved in modern football should take that
minute to reflect on what exactly Bill Shankly stood for.
Then ask why so many of them go into the sport today, not to
make the people happy, just themselves.
Liverpool have agreed a fee with Sporting Lisbon for
defender Tiago Ilori, according to Sky sources.
The 20-year-old is believed to be on his way to Anfield
along with his father to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical.
Ilori was also a summer target for Monaco and Valencia, but
it now appears that Brendan Rodgers has won the race to land his signature for
a fee reportedly in the region of £8m.
Ilori has represented Portugal at U18, U19 and U20 level,
although he has hinted that he would like to play for England having been born
in London.
Paris St Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has played
down talk of Liverpool-target Mamadou Sakho leaving, claiming he is like their
Steven Gerrard.
Sahko, 23, is unsettled at PSG, where he has been since he
was 12, and is keen to go, prompting interest from Liverpool, AC Milan, Napoli
and Roma.
The French international centre-half has yet to play a
competitive game this season and his current deal expires next summer.
Al-Khelaifi claims he has spoken to Sakho and has told him
he does not want him to go.
"Sakho is a child of the club just like Steven Gerrard
is at Liverpool," Al-Khelaifi told L'Equipe.
"It is hard to imagine him wearing another team's
jersey. I'm a little surprised that he wants to leave.
"I had a discussion with him. My position is very clear
and he knows it. We want to keep him and we will do everything to achieve
that."
Liverpool Football Club have today signed full-back Aly
Cissokho on a season-long loan from Valencia, subject to the completion of
paperwork.
The 25-year-old passed a medical at Melwood before putting
pen to paper on a deal that will see him spend the 2013-14 campaign with the
Reds.
He becomes Brendan Rodgers' fifth summer signing, following
in the footsteps of Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto, Simon Mignolet and Kolo Toure.
And after clinching his new deal, Cissokho told
Liverpoolfc.com: "I'm very happy to be here. I think we have a great team
and great fans and together we can achieve big things.
"It's going to be a great experience to be able to rub
shoulders with the club's top-quality players. I have experience in the game,
but coming here there will still be lots of things to learn and discover as I
work with everyone every day.
"I can learn from my new manager, get to know the new
style of play here, familiarise myself with different opposition teams and
learn the language. It's going to be a great experience for me, and of course
playing for the club for the first time is something I'm excited about."
The Frenchman boasts a proven pedigree at the highest level
of European football, having played in the Champions League for Porto, Lyon and
Valencia.
Cissokho, who began his senior career with FC Gueugnon, got
his first experience of playing at Anfield when he represented Lyon in their
2-1 victory over Liverpool in October 2009.
He has one cap for France, Cissokho has been allocated the
No.20 jersey previous owned by Jay Spearing.
Liverpool look set to beat off Tottenham and Manchester
United in the £30million race to sign Willian.
Both Liverpool and Tottenham have entered into talks with
Anzhi Makhachkala for the Brazil international but it appears Willian is
leaning more towards a move to Anfield.
If Liverpool can complete a deal for the 25-year-old,
Willian would become the second most expensive acquisition in the club's
history and he would become the marquee signing that manager Brendan Rodgers
has been desperate to make all summer.
It would also represent something of a coup for Liverpool,
given that Manchester United registered their interest and Tottenham are in a
position to offer him European football.
Willian had told ESPN Brazil, after being informed of
Liverpool's interest earlier this week that he was 'very calm and just waiting
for the best' and also described Liverpool as 'a great club'.
He has had his heart set on a move to England since it
became apparent Anzhi Makhachkala would have to sell, having been beset by
financial problems.
Rodgers has been anxious to give his squad more quality and
depth and the arrival of Willian, who won the UEFA Cup during his time with
Shakhtar Donetsk, would provide that. Liverpool are also on the verge of
wrapping up a season-long loan move for Valencia left-back Aly Cissokho subject
to a medical.
Liverpool have bid €25m (£21.8m) for the Atlético Madrid
striker Diego Costa as the manager, Brendan Rodgers, looks to add quality to
his squad before the transfer deadline.
The Anfield club have moved for the twice-capped Brazil
international despite ongoing uncertainty over Luis Suárez's future and having
been frustrated on several big-money signings this summer. Liverpool's offer is
understood to meet the release clause in Costa's contract and the club are
hopeful the 24-year-old, and Atlético, will agree to a deal swiftly. Arsenal,
the only club to have made an offer for Suárez, have also been linked with the
Brazilian this summer.
Costa is a controversial figure in Spain with a chequered
disciplinary record but enjoyed his most productive campaign at Atlético last
season, scoring 10 goals in 31 league appearances and a total of 20 goals in 44
games. He had been expected to play a bigger role at Vicente Calderón this
season following the departure of Radamel Falcao to Monaco. However, the
arrival of David Villa and Léo Baptistão cast doubt on his claims to a regular
first-team place and the coach, Diego Simeone, has indicated Atlético would
consider allowing Costa to leave too.
Rodgers is determined to improve Liverpool's attack
irrespective of whether Suárez stays or goes, and with the club refusing to
countenance his sale to Arsenal for a sum of £40,000,001. Arsenal have not
returned with a higher offer since their second bid was rejected more than a week
ago and the striker has not sought Premier League intervention over a disputed
clause in his Liverpool contract.
"They have to be of the right quality, that's the
bottom line," said Rodgers of his remaining transfer targets for this
window. "We've got money to spend on getting that quality in, but if it's
not available I won't waste it for the sake of bringing a player in. We're
really working hard to bring in the type of profile that can really help us
push on. We just need to see if that's available and affordable."
Liverpool admitted for the first time they will sell Luis
Suarez, after the player told them he wants to talk to Arsenal.
However, Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers has put a £50million
price on the head of his Uruguay striker.
Arsenal triggered a clause in Suarez’s contract with a
stunning £40,000,0001 bid this week, although Liverpool rejected the offer and
their American owner John W Henry tweeted: ‘I don’t know what they are smoking
at the Emirates.’
But the first signs Arsenal’s strategy is working came when
Suarez was told he can to speak to the Gunners as Liverpool finally admitted
they are prepared to sell him.
Arsenal are ready to raise their bid slightly plus add-ons
and bonuses but they are unlikely to go to £50m.
Suarez played in Liverpool’s pre-season friendly in
Australia yesterday, but showed no emotion as he was congratulated after
setting up Liverpool’s second goal.
The decisive factor will be Suarez’s next move - and he
meets Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers today Down Under.
Liverpool are adamant the £40m clause does not mean they
have to sell but Suarez’s camp see it as a get-out.
Arsenal’s biggest concern is Real Madrid making a late bid,
and they are set to receive a £30million boost to their transfer kitty after
agreeing to sell Gonzalo Higuain to Napoli for £30m.
Arsenal will put a five year, £150,000-a-week contract on
the table to tempt Suarez.
Liverpool and Tottenham are locked in a £20million battle
with at least three other clubs for flying Brazil winger Bernard.
Sportsmail can reveal that a scramble for Bernard's
signature is about to be sparked after it emerged he is ready to quit Atletico Mineiro
after next Wednesday's Copa Libertadores final second leg.
Liverpool and Tottenham have both made enquiries and are now
primed to lock horns with Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk and Borussia Dortmund for a
20-year old who broke into the Brazil senior side last season.
The pacey wide player, who primarily operates on the left,
will not come cheap, after Porto had a £15.5million bid rejected by Mineiro
president Alexandre Kalil, who set the asking price at just over £20million but
is expected to accept around £18million.
Like Tottenham, Liverpool are concerned their absence from
next season's Champions' League may put them at a disadvantage, but that did
not deter manager Brendan Rodgers from urging club bosses to pitch for his
services.
Bernard's four-goal tally in the Copa Libertadores puts him
just two behind the tournament's top scorers and underlines why his combination
of pace and finishing has made him a prime target for some of Europe's top
clubs.
Hinting that he is ready to call time on his Mineiro career
after Wednesday's return meeting with Paraguay's Olimpia, he said:
"Regardless of whether it is my last game, it will be one of the most
important titles of my career. Libertadores is very important for the club and
for the players.
"I will do my best to make the fans happy, because
moments like this may not happen again."
Either way, the five-foot five-and-a-half-inch attacker is
set to bow out afterwards and head for Europe, with Liverpool and Tottenham
hoping he chooses the Barclays Premier League ahead of a Champions' League
campaign with one of their continental rivals.
Christian Eriksen's stock has always been valued by clubs
outside of Holland, but the Liverpool target has now had to politely refuse an
offer to move to Bayer Leverkusen, according to Dutch daily De Telegraaf.
Amid talk over Liverpool's increasing interest, Leverkusen
were thought to be preparing a substantial bid for the Dane, whose contract at
Ajax expires last summer.
However, yesterday's revelation that Eriksen woluld be
prepared to sign an Ajax extension rather than move on a free transfer has
culminated in a rejection of Leverkusen's advances.
While a move to Liverpool is believed to be the player's
preference, with their being plenty of time left in the transfer window,
Leverkusen may feel disappointed they did not fit the midfielder's 'big club'
desire.
