Reports from the Middle East indicate that Dubai International Capital (DIC) are ready to re-launch their Liverpool takeover bid, as tensions mount between manager Rafael Benitez and the club's current owners...

In an attempt to placate manager Rafael Benitez, Liverpool's owners have reportedly authorised an £18million move for Valencia star David Silva...

Benitez is livid with Tom Hicks and George Gillett after the Reds co-owners vetoed an £18million deal for Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry.

The Americans' decision has strained their relationship with the Spanish tactician to breaking point, as it has recently been revealed that their reason for blocking the buy is not a financial one.

For it is believed Hicks and Gillett have sided with the Kopites' view - which was voiced strongly during the club's recent friendly against Lazio - that there is no need for Barry when Xabi Alonso is already at Anfield.

Such a line suggests that the owners have doubts over Benitez's judgement - an insinuation that has understandably ignited the manager's wrath.

But according to News of the World, a compromise has been put forth in the form of Silva, who was near the very top of Rafa's wish-list earlier in the summer.

One of the reasons Benitez has been hell-bent on signing Barry is the England international's left-sidedness and versatility, something the Merseyside giants have lacked in midfield over the last few years.

Indeed, the former Valencia boss highlighted his concerns regarding the left flank after the win against Lazio, as Ryan Babel is currently at the Olympics and Sebastian Leto has been loaned to Olympiacos after being denied a work permit.

Therefore, Benitez will likely have little issue raiding his old club for the left-footed Silva, who can play all across the attacking third.

Liverpool will not waltz in unopposed, however, as North West rivals Manchester United have supoosedly joined Barcelona in the tango for the 22-year-old.

Liverpool are reportedly set to sign striker Robbie Keane, although Tottenham will demand around £20million for the Republic of Ireland international.

According to the Liverpool Echo the deal could be completed in the next 48 hours after Spurs boss Juande Ramos admitted he may need to balance the books.

The former Leeds and Coventry forward is believed to be desperate for a dream move to Anfield and Ramos' comments at a pre-season training camp in Spain appeared to suggest Keane and Dimitar Berbatov could be on their way.

He said: "We will see what happens there, but we are talking about two very important players.

"For the moment they are with us, but whatever happens the idea is to have a great squad, with the potential to allow us to aim to improve on what we managed last season.

"We have to be realistic and see what we are starting with and who we are competing against.

"There are some big clubs who have spent a lot of money over many years and have a certain advantage. In fact they claim they want to sign some of our players.

"At Tottenham, we have had a clear philosophy regarding buying and selling for years. The idea is signing young players, promising and talented ones, and if important offers for older players are made, studying it to see what is the best for the club."

Keane is valued in the region of £20m having only cost Spurs £7m in 2002 but Liverpool will try to get that figure down.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/18072008/4/reds-set-sign-keane-report.html

Liverpool will sell midfielder Andrei Voronin for around £3m to a club in the Bundesliga to help finance Gareth Barry's move from Aston Villa.

Barry and his agent held talks with Villa manager Martin O'Neill for the first time this summer yesterday.

                  

For sale: Liverpool want to ship midfielder Andrei Voronin to the Bundesliga.

 The England midfielder is understood to have told O'Neill his wish to leave Villa Park to join Anfield, reports The Daily Mirror.

O'Neill is now reluctantly ready to allow his skipper to leave as he does not want the Barry saga to affect his side's preparations to the new season.

Liverpool are also thought to considering offering Villa £16m for Barry plus Irish full-back Steve Finnan, 32, as part of the deal.

Lucas Leiva and Andriy Voronin helped Liverpool claim a 2-1 win over Swiss Super League outfit FC Lucerne in their second pre-season friendly.

                                

Reds boss Rafael Benitez handed new goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri the gloves for his debut, while fellow newcomer Philipp Degen was also in a first XI which included Spaniard Danny Pacheco but not Steven Gerrard, who was left on the bench.

Pacheco was the architect of the 10th-minute opener, combining well with Brazil midfielder Lucas before the latter slotted home coolly to round off the move.

Benitez's men were pegged back soon after when Degen failed to win a far-post header, allowing the ball to break to Gavranovic who converted an uncontested header.

Pacheco and Yossi Benayoun both shone in the first half and the visitors soon moved back into the lead through the equally impressive Voronin.

The Ukraine forward took control of the ball 16 yards from goal before producing a sweetly-hit lob to make it 2-1.

Voronin, a constant thorn for the Lucerne defence in the second half, went close to grabbing a second but there were no further goals.

There was, though, one further plus for Benitez who gave Dutch winger Ryan Babel his first 45 minutes since sustaining an ankle injury in his country's Euro 2008 preparations.

Newcastle United are thought to be keen on a loan move for Liverpool's promising full-back, Emiliano Insua...

                                                  

 

The Argentine was kept at Anfield for this coming season supposedly under express orders from manager Rafael Benitez, but the Toon are still hopeful of securing his services, if only for a year on loan.

With new signing Andrea Dossena and Fabio Aurelio more established internationals in Insua's position, the move may remain an outside possibility, particularly as John-Arne Riise has left for Roma.

The 19-year-old would most likely head straight into the Magpies' starting line-up ahead of Jose Enrique, who has failed to live up to his £6.3 million billing from Villarreal.

Nicky Shorey of relegated Reading and Wayne Bridge, Ashley Cole's deputy at Chelsea, are other targets being eyed up by the Toon.

"I've got to sign another left-back, as I've only got one at the club," said coach Kevin Keegan.

"That's not to say I don't fancy Jose [Enrique], I do, but I need another left-back."

The agent of Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero has suggested that either Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester United have made a bid for his client

The 20-year-old Argentina international striker, who joined Atletico from Independiente in 2006, has proved to be a huge hit in the Spanish Primera Liga.

After forming a lethal strike partnership with Diego Forlan at the Vicente Calderon, Aguero finished the 2007/8 campaign as the third top scorer in Spain with 19 goals and also walked away with the Antonio Puerta award for Best La Liga Player.

Aguero is valued at around the £35million mark by Atletico but despite the hefty price-tag, almost all of Europe's major clubs are interested in his services.

Now his agent Jose Segui is quoted as saying: "I've had interest from a leading English team and they've asked me to approach Atletico with a bid.

"I can't say more until I've spoken to the club about the offer.

"All I can tell you is that it's one of the best teams in Europe and it's not Chelsea."

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez looks focuses on the good things he witnessed during their opening pre-season friendly against neighbours Tranmere Rovers.

Liverpool put in a solid display in their one-nil victory over Tranmere with Rafa Benitez looking at the first-half display of 17-year old Daniel Pacheco, the debuts of new signings Phillip Degen, and Diego Cavalieri, and Daniel Agger's return from injury.

Speaking of the Danish centre back, Reds boss Benitez told the clubs offical website: "The main thing for us was to see if he could come through a match - he had no problems so he will be a good plus for the team. This is the type of game you want so you can see if the players are match-fit."

The eye-catching display of youngster Pacheco also impressed Benitez: "He had two or three chances and was a threat in attack. We saw how good he was for the reserves last season and today everyone could see he has the talent and the quality."

The head coach also offered words of encouragement for new boys Degen and Cavalieri: "Cavalieri did not have too much to do but we know he will be a keeper who will fight for his place along with Pepe [Reina]. We also saw what Degen can offer on the right hand side. It is a game that we can take positives from and a lot of the lads tried to impress. Degen had four or five good openings in attack, put some crosses and I think we saw the potential that he has."

Benitez also mentioned that he expects to bolster his squad further before the window closes: "We are working hard trying to bring in good players and I think we can progress over the next week."

Rafa will now take his squad for a training camp in Switzerland.
 

Tranmere Rovers 0-1 Liverpool

Liverpool have opened their pre-season account with a win over Tranmere, dominating proceedings but winning by just a single goal...

                                                

The Reds fielded a mostly makeshift eleven as they made the trip to Tranmere, who themselves finished top of League One and will be hoping to make a fist of their upcoming Championship campaign.

Despite being in front of a home crowd hopeful of witnessing a win over their more illustrious Merseysiders, Tranmere supporters had little to shout about all game as Liverpool, who started with teenage debutant Daniel Pacheco up front, who joined from Malaga.

Daniel Agger also started, a relief for many Reds fans, with the stopper having spent the majority of last season out with injuries. New recruits Philippe Degen and Diego Cavalieri were on the substitutes' bench, as was skipper Steven Gerrard, with another new signing in Andrea Dossena left out of the squad.

Liverpool had the better of the early stages in terms of possession, with the Prenton Park crowd content with their team's best efforts to get behind the ball and keep out Rafael Benitez's side.

Pacheco was the livewire early on, first curling a shot just past the post and then, latching onto a long ball from Daniel Agger, testing Tranmere goalkeeper Danny Coyne.

Jermaine Pennant soon rifled a shot just inches over the bar as Liverpool continued to have all the play, and the Reds got their goal just before the break, with Yossi Benayoun cutting in from the left hand side onto his favoured right foot, striking a sweet shot past Coyne to give Liverpool the only goal of the game.

At half time, Benitez gave debuts to Cavalieri and Degen, while also making five other substitutions.

Plessis, impressive in midfield, tested Coyne and Agger unleashed a trademark piledriver that went just over the bar as the Reds failed to add a second goal despite having the majority of possession and chances.

Captain Steven Gerrard was introduced 20 minutes from time to a standing ovation but had little impact on the game. In truth, it was at this point that the Rovers sensed they could yet snatch a result, with Chris Curran coming close with a header that went just wide of goal.

However, it was not to be their day as Liverpool got off to a fairly promising start to their pre-season.

The Reds head to Switzerland to continie their pre-season programme next week.

LINE-UPS

Liverpool: Martin, Carragher (captain), Hobbs, Agger, Darby, Insua, Plessis, Leiva, Pennant, Benayoun, Pacheco.

Subs - Hyypia, Gerrard, Spearing, Aurelio, Cavalieri, Degen, Kelly, Voronin, Skrtel, Flynn.

Tranmere Rovers: Coyne, Taylor, Kay (captain), Chorley, Curtis, Jennings, Edds, O'Callaghan, Shuker, Moore, Greenacre.

Subs - Achterberg, Goodison, Curran, Holmes, Savage, Waterfall, Creswell, Sonko, Gornell, Henry, Ahmed.