Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is in demand from Championship sides Blackpool and Middlesbrough, but Liverpool won’t let him leave until Steven Gerrard has returned to fitness.
Even then, Kenny Dalglish may not allow the 19 year-old to leave, with a busy month ahead for Liverpool. The Reds’ face a key fornight that will shape the rest of the season, starting this weekend against Sunderland in the League, followed by the Merseyside derby, Stoke in the FA Cup quarter final, then QPR away and Wigan at home.
Shelvey had a successful spell at Blackpool earlier this season, scoring six goals in 10 games before returning when Lucas Leiva was ruled out for the season. With Gerrard struggling with a hamstring injury and five goals in 14 days, Shelvey could add to his two starts and four sub appearances for LFC.
Blackpool secretary Matt Williams said:
“We have been told that Liverpool won’t let Jonjo out until Gerrard is completely fit. Jonjo wants to come to Blackpool and we want him here, and we will keep stalking Liverpool until we get him.
“We are in close contact with Liverpool’s director of football Damien Comolli and we hope we will be able to get Jonjo back at some stage.”
Tangerines’ boss Ian Holloway said:
“I know what the lad is capable of and I really like him.
“He made a big impression when he was here and he wouldn’t have gone back had there not been an injury at Liverpool. We’ll keep monitoring it and hope that we might be able to get something done.”
Meanwhile, Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray has also publicly started his interest in Shelvey:
“I think there is a possibility of something happening on that, but I’m very wary of going on record about another club’s footballer because Kenny Dalglish is keeping his squad intact and protecting his football club.
“If that changes then there might be a situation where Shelvey will have choices.
“From what I’m hearing he’s got lots of choices in the Championship so let’s wait and see. We would welcome a boy with his talent.”
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