Gareth Barry to Liverpool

Reports coming in of a deal done for Gareth Barry to move to Liverpool

At long, long, last it appears the Gareth Barry move to Liverpool has happened. Reports are surfacing of Villa recieving 17.5 million plus Steve Finnan for Barry.

Rafael Benitez and all Liverpool fans will be pleased the longest running transfer saga of the summer will now be over. It certainly looks like a combination of Alonso, Pennant, and Voronin have played their last game in the red shirt of Liverpool. Personally I am disappointed in Pennant and that he must go. The guy has simply never fulfilled his promise, though he is still only 24.

Benitez I think is looking at Barry for his versatility and intelligence, plus he is better as a holding midfielder than Alonso, given the absence of Mascherano for a month. Given the price of Barry, Keane and Doessena, Liverpool's indispensables each week are starting to look like: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Doessena, Barry, Mascherano, Gerrard, Keane, and Torres. That leaves the likes of Skrtel, Babel, Benayoun, and Kuyt all fighting over one spot. Liverpool are certainly going to be very strong this year, but maybe just not quite!

Gareth Barry to Liverpool has proved to be the long yawn of the summer, and it's instructive how Liverpool have struggled to raise the fee. A sign of the credit crunch and Liverpool's parlous finances perhaps? Martin O'Neill will be glad Barry has finally moved to Liverpool, and he can get on with Villa's season!

Pennant to Blackburn

Jermaine Pennant is wanted by Blackburn & Paul Ince

Paul Ince is set to target the Anfield winger Jermaine Pennant as a replacement for the about to depart David Bentley, who is on the verge of joining Tottenham.

Blackburn officials have sounded out their Premier League rivals with a view to making a £6million offer for Pennant, although reports are saying Liverpool want a similar fee to the £6.7million they paid Birmingham for Pennant two years ago.

Pennant has struggled for first-team football on Merseyside, so may find the prospect of regular action at Ewood more appealing and his sale would free up more cash for Rafa Benitez to spend on his own targets.

Paul Ince will fancy his chances of getting the best out of Pennant at Blackburn and who can blame him. Pennant is reaching the age where it's make or break, as at 24 he has to start delivering on his potential.

Pennant to Blackburn would be a good move for the player given his lack of action at Anfield, though personally I think he's an excellent player who could thrive given one more chance by Liverpool. Also the present Liverpool system suits him down to the ground, as he's a lot more than just an out and out winger.

Football News: Robbie Keane to Liverpool the Priority

Football News: Benitez now making Robbie Keane to Liverpool his main game

Rafa Benitez is, almost unbelievably, after the yet to be resolved Gareth Barry saga, making Robbie Keane's move to Liverpool his top transfer priority.

Given Liverpool's limited funds, the wealth of midfield options he has, he is now concentrating on bringing Irish striker Keane to Liverpool. All this begs the question on the Barry saga, what was all that about? If Keane has always been the priority, why wait until now to make him as such. Poor old Gareth Barry must be getting a bit worried if he will be playing any football this season, or will he be left to rot in the stands by Aston Villa, with Liverpool unwilling to meet the asking price.

We reckon Robbie Keane to Liverpool is a done deal and we can see why. Keane just behind Torres is a quality partnership, and a great improvement on Crouch, Kuyt and Voronin et al. Liverpool will look a whole lot better if Keane does move from Tottenham. As for the Barry to Liverpool saga - well we reckon Rafa Benitez is playing a game of brinkmanship, and trying to slowly, slowly grind Aston Villa down to a price he can afford to pay. The brinkmanship is if Barry gets nervous, and tells his agent he would go to Highbury as well as Anfield. Villa know the longer it goes on, the lower his value becomes as he has clearly played his last game for the club.

Overall we reckon they are two done deals, eventually! A suitor for Alonso will emerge from Spain, Villa will cave in, and Robbie Keane will be hightailing it north in a move to Liverpool. Boy do these transfers drag on!!

Football News: Keane to Liverpool delay

Football News: Robbie Keane's move to Liverpool maybe delayed as Levy postures

Latest football news has it that Robbie Keanes move to Liverpool maybe delayed as an 'outraged' Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, has complained to the FA about Liverpool and Manchester United's conduct in their pursuit of Robbie Keane and Berbatov.

Liverpool suspect Robbie Keanes club are trying to soften up Spurs fans to the impending departure of both players. Also they further suspect Levy is more angry with Sir Alex Ferguson for his public comment that 'its only a matter of time' before Berbatov moves.

As for Liverpool tapping up Keane - well Mr Levy thats part and parcel of football I'm afraid. It's why Owen and McManaman left Liverpool and why Ronaldo is on his way too. Also Mr Levy seems to have forgotten his part in the tapping up of their present coach Ramos, while Martin Jol was still the manager!

Its well known Robbie Keane is a boyhood Liverpool fan - one of the few who can genuinely say it, even as Jamie Carragher famously said 'they all say that don't they'! Football Focus thinks there was zero tapping up required for Robbie Keane to want to move to Liverpool, and they wouldn't have needed to make the interest known via the media. It's not like they couldn't let him know via a discreet third party is it? Football Focus thinks Levy's words over Keanes move to Liverpool is pure posturing.

Robbie Keane to Liverpool should be a great move for all parties. Spurs get a fat amount of cash to balance the books, Liverpool get a great partner for Torres and Keane gets that move to Livepool he never thought was coming!

Ronaldo to Madrid: Looking a shoe-in

The mother of all moves edging closer as Ronaldo admits to wanting move to Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo admitted yesterday (albeit on a Brazilian website), that he would like to move to Real Madrid. There was no word from Sir Alex Ferguson, though Manchester United's Chief Executive David Gill stated that "Our position on Ronaldo remains as set out last week," referring to Ferguson's insistence that the club would rather let the player rot in the reserves than do business with a club who, in their eyes, have brazenly flouted transfer rules and etiquette.

It all seems like its building up to be the mother of all transfer stoushes, probably ending in the mother of all transfers, with a world record fee of 78 million pounds securing Ronaldo's move to Madrid.

Manchester United and it's supporters will be hugely disappointed with Ronaldo, who it appears is determined to engineer the move to Madrid after only two outstanding seasons. However given his recent comments it can come as no surprise.

Overall the Premier League will be very interesting next season, and potentially there will not be a better time for a club to break into the top three or four. Arsenal have lost Flamini and Hleb, Chelsea look likely to lose Drogba and possibly Lampard, while Manchester United certainly look like losing 40 goals a season in Ronaldo.

Second club enters chase for McFadden

McFadden Birmingham deal not done, as second club enters race

James McFadden left St Andrews last night, after being unable to agree terms wih Birmingham City. Reports also surfaced of an unnamed second club entering the chase for the Scottish international. The event will disappoint Alex McLeish who has been a long admirer of McFadden's talents from his days as Scotland boss.

Celitc have previously tried for McFadden on loan, but it is not known as yet whether they are the mystery second club.

Premier League - Latest Transfer Rumours and Speculation

The footy focus team have contacted our contacts, listened to the word on the street and found this malicious gossip masquerading as Premier League transfer rumours and speculation:

Liverpool's American owners maybe about to give us all a major surprise, as the rumours on David Silva moving from Valencia to Liverpool appear to be gathering pace. The usual pattern is emerging of the player saying 'England is a great place' and 'Liverpool is a big club' with increasing 'leaked' reports of the proposed move. If this does come off, it certainly is more likely to be a summer move with quite possibly a different manager, than a January one.

Other transfer speculation sees John Arne Riise on his way to Villa yet again, with Gabriel Heinze finally getting his wish and moving from Real Madrid to Anfield. Seems this speculation is borne from the fact that Heinze has only made six starts at Madrid.

Other reports see Liverpool strengthening their central defence through buying Czech Republic international Tomas Ujfalusi from Fiorentina. Still on Fiorentina, media sources has some interesting speculation that sees them lining up a loan deal for Momo Sissoko, with a view to a 4 million pound deal. I really can't see this one flying, as its' too cheap for him and the Mascherano deal is far from done and dusted.

Porto's Quesresma's agent is alledgedly hawking him around the Premier League with rumours of Chelsea, Aston Villa and Liverpool interested. This has been flying round for ever, and is nothing new.

Elsewhere Djibril Cisse is rumoured to be interesting West Ham, Bolton and Manchester City as his Marseille stay goes from bad to worse under new coach Eric Gerets. He is quoted as saying he needs ten days to think on whether to stay or not. I feel really sorry for Cisse. He seemingly had a great career ahead of him, then a change of manger and two horrendous leg breaks later and he's contemplating a move to Premier League mediocrity in Bolton! Football is indeed a harsh game!

Darren Bent is happy at Tottenham and is no way seeking a move to West Ham in January......allegedly. Unless Ramos has told him to seek a new club he should stay until the end of the season at least. Berbatov may leave and for me he's not as good as he thinks he is. Bent gives Tottenham something different and unless you leave White Hart Lane for one of the Premier League big four its' all downhill careerwise.

Transfer Rumour Round-up

Well its a transfer of sorts - The Independant is reporting Mourhino has asked the FA to 'make a concrete offer'. They also report his agent alleging contact from the FA through middlemen hours after McLaren's sacking. No doubt the whole thing will descend into farce as Brian Barwick bumbles along from one candidate to another until he reaches his 'first' (& last) choice of Sammy Lee!

Michael Owen is yet again being linked with a move away from Newcastle this time to anchester City or Wigan. For me that really would signal the downward trend for a top quality player. Two years ago he was choosing between Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle. Now its Man City and Wigan. I really cant believe he would leave Newcastle for Wigan! Seems the constant injuries mean the amount of managers willing to take a chance on him is rapidly dwindling. If anyone can come back from this and relaunch his career its Michael Owen and I seriously hope he does!

Chelsea are hoping to tie up a deal which would bring Valencia defender, Miguel to Stamford Bridge and Paulo Ferreira leave for the Mestalla according to the Mirror.

The wanderer that calls himself Nicholas Anelka is hoping to jump ship again. This time Manchester City are hoping he wont notice they're not in the Champions League and pack his bags for the short trip.

Elsewhere Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea are keeping tabs on Steven Taylor's impasse in contract talks at Newcastle. The Chronicle is reporting he's been offered a double your money deal that still leaves him as one of the clubs low earners.

Fergie is preparing to spend big with other peoples money again. One or both of Miguel Veloso and Joao Moutino of Sporting Lisbon are in his sights with a reported 30 mill for the both being mooted.

Latest Transfer Rumours

The rumour mill is working overtime as ever. Here are the latest from around the traps:

The Daily Star is reporting Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp has joined the £10m chase for Liverpool striker Peter Crouch.

Meanwhile Julio Baptista, who having underwhelmed at Arsenal, has set his sights a little lower (sorry Tottenham!) and is hoping Real Madrid will let him try out the view from the bench at White Hart Lane. That one by The Sun.

Over at the Holte End Gabriel Agbonlahor has been linked with a move from Villa to Arsenal but says he wants to stay where he his. Does he know something we don't??!! (Various sources)

The old cunning fox Fergie will cast a beady eye over the midfielder Miguel Veloso when Sporting Lisbon arrive in town next week for Champions League with a bid possible. (The Guardian)

The managerial merry-go-round continues apace with the Mail alleging that the Ian Holloway move to Leicester is a done deal and that Plymouth will be plying current Swindon boss Paul Sturrock with all manner of drink, and gods know what else to move down south.

The Mail are also reporting Newcastle are apparently interested in Rangers full-back Alan Hutton after his impressive recent form for Rangers and Scotland.

Another one from the Mirror - apparently Reading boss Steve Coppell is interested in a move for Bolton's right midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos. Beet he wishes his onetime Liverpool move had come off!

According to the Mirror Real Madrid are aiming to land Chelsea striker Didier Drogba next summer for $30m and with the Chavs going for Bolton's Nicolas Anelka as replacement.