Hyypia: I’m in Rafa’s plans
Recent speculation had linked Sami Hyypia with a move to a quarter of the Premiership’s mid-table clubs, with it being claimed talks with Fulham were held but they couldn’t agree personal terms.
But Hyypia has now indicated he will stay at Anfield this summer, he told a Finnish newspaper that Benitez had assured him he was in his plans prior to the Champions League Final “Rafa said, ‘We are happy with you and you are not for sale.'”
“I will go back to Liverpool in July for pre-season training. Next season will be my ninth in Liverpool and I still have one year left on my current contract.”
Parry: We want Simao
Under pressure chief executive Rick Parry has been quoted in the Portugeese press saying the Reds are still interested in signing winger Simao: “There are players we are interested in and Simao is one. But we have made no contact with Benfica. A swap with Cisse could be a possibility.” Although, apparently…
Cisse’s staying… at Marseille!
Liverpool’s most expensive signing, Djibril Cisse, could remain at Marseille on a permanent deal depsite being booed by the French clubs own supporters earlier in the season. An improvement in form – and goals – means president Pape Diouf is looking to keep Cisse at the club. He said “I think in spite of the problems Djibril has experienced, a lot of people would be happy if he was to remain with us, and I think he would be happy to remain with us.
“The Djibril we saw at the end of the season is exactly the Djibril we went looking for at the start of the season.”
Bellamy can go, and Kewell might join him
Craig Bellamy has allegedly been given a £12m price tag this summer, with West Ham, Aston Villa and Blackburn all said to be keen to sign the Welsh forward. It looks like Villa are at the front of the pack right now, with manager Martin O’Neill looking to sign the player he signed on loan whilst at Celtic.
Reports on Tuesday also suggest Villa are keen to take injury plagued winger Harry Kewell in a double deal. That’s because…
We want Malouda
The biggest transfer news of the day has been that we are in talks to sign French left winger Florent Malouda from Lyon. The 26 year old would cost £8m and it is said Rafa Benitez is hoping to have the deal finalised when he returns from family holiday at the end of the week.
Malouda is believed to have been one of the two players Rafa Benitez spoke of when he said “We can sign two top class targets for €15 – €20m [£10m – £13.5m] right now,” last week after the Athens final.
The other is speculated to be Brazilian winger Alesandro Manchini who is linked in the Liverpool Echo, along with Carlos Tevez.
Malouda was voted Players’ Player of the Year in France this season having scored 10 goals in 27 starts as Lyon won their sixth consecutive title. He has been linked with a move to Arsenal in the past and almost certain to leave Lyon this summer.
