Mancini bid rejected?

It is being reported in the media that AS Roma have rejected a bid from Liverpool for winger Alessandro Mancini.

Sky Sports reported on Thursday:

Mancini enjoyed a fine season with Roma last term and he has established himself as a key player in the Giallorossi side.

Liverpool have been quiet in the transfer market so far this summer, but they are believed to have offered €19million (£12.7million) for the skilful winger.

Roma have previously rebuffed Liverpool overtures and are thought to be putting together a new deal to keep Mancini in the Italian capital until 2012.

Garcia to make way for Torres?

Reports on Thursday suggest midfielder Luis Garcia could be used as a makeweight in the deal to bring striker Fernando Torres (pictured above) to Anfield. 23 year old Torres is understood to be heading Rafa Benitez’s wish list but Athletico Madrid are refusing to let him go for less than his £24m buy out clause - despite them not being able to offer European football to their captain next season.

Garcia has spent the large part of last out injured but would be fit to return for pre-season training. He signed for £6m from Barcelona in summer 2004.

Guthrie joins Bolton for the season

Promising midfielder Danny Guthrie has joined Sammy Lee’s Bolton on a season long loan. The 20 year old spent the end of last season at Southampton and impressed there. Lee said “Danny is a dynamic midfielder who is very comfortable on the ball. He has a tremendous work-ethic and has got a great engine. He is a very good passer who will suit our type of football.”

Block 1892 Update

The Liverpool Echo writes:

Fans who have asked the club to create a separate section for more “traditional” supporters hope the new area will be called the “1892 Block.”

The historical link is obvious – Liverpool FC was founded in 1892 – but a spokesman for Reclaim The Kop, the body behind the singing section initiative, said: “The area is probably going to be called 1892 Block, not just for the obvious reason but because there will be 1,892 seats.

Read the article and more about the singing section here

Reds ranked third in CL seedings

Liverpool will be ranked as third seeds in next season’s Champions League.

The five time winners and beaten finalists in Athens, are ranked behind AC Milan and Barcelona and will avoid the other seeded teams in the group stage of the competition, should they come through their third round qualifier.

The seedings are based on the club’s performances in Europe over the preceding five years as well as the ranking of their national association, and England are the only country to have all of their teams seeded, now that Chelsea are seeded among the top eight sides for the first time.

Arsenal are actually ranked higher than Man United and Chelsea.