Transfer Latest: Pennant & Agger

With Rafa Benitez having last week hinted there will be no new arrivals at Anfield during the transfer window, the only expected activity surrounds out-of-favour Jermaine Pennant, plus any young players loaned out.

Pennant has been linked with a host of clubs; from Real Madrid and AC Milan to Wigan and Stoke, but it now seems Portsmouth lead the race, with a fee being agreed between the two clubs.

The former Arsenal and Birmingham winger hasn’t featured this season after Rafa Benitez was left angry at his refusal to accept a move to Blackburn or Stoke in the summer transfer window, and is out of contact this summer.

Signed for £6.7m in July 2006, Pennant enjoyed an encouraging first season which ended with an impressive display in the Champions League final defeat in Athens, but since then has failed to hold down a first team place and has fallen behind Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun, Ryan Babel and youngster Nabil El Zhar in the pecking order for a spot on the right of the Reds’ midfield. If he joins Portsmouth he will team up with former team-mate Peter Crouch.

Update: Pennant has shown lack of desire to play football, again, by insisting he is happy to stay at Liverpool and “fight for his place”; “My preference is to stay at Liverpool and I am still hoping to do so. I do not want to leave. I am happy to compete for my place here and hope that I am given the chance to do so.”

AggerMeanwhile, reports that Daniel Agger is set to join AC Milan have been rejected by his agent, Per Steffensen. Steffensen was spotted in Milan yesterday leading to reports he was in talks with Milan over the Danish centre back, but he today insisted “Daniel does not want to move actually.”

The 24 year-old missed most of last season through injury and has struggled to cement a spot alongside Jamie Carragher in defence following Martin Skrtel’s emergence and Sami Hyypia’s impressive form. But Benitez, and Liverpool fans, see him as a key player in the future. A Skrtel-Agger partnership does look very promising, most would agree. But with only 18 months remaining on his contract reports have suggested a new deal has seen the player wanting more than what is on offer, which has lead to reports of Milan’s interest.

For all the latest rumours, visit the Rumour Mill.