Liverpool FC Forum

[Redman in wales]

From SSN:


Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has slapped a £15million price tag on England striker Peter Crouch.


And the Anfield chief also revealed that he had held talks with Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill over the potential transfer of midfielder Gareth Barry to Liverpool.

Crouch hinted earlier this week he could be forced to leave Anfield this summer after growing increasingly frustrated with his lack of first-team action.

Benitez accepts that the England international could look to leave in search of regular action but the Spaniard insists he will not be going on the cheap.

Portsmouth have been strongly linked with a move to bring Crouch back to Fratton Park, but Benitez claims he has had no offers for the unsettled forward.

Not unreasonable

"Crouch wants to play every week but knows he must fight it out with Fernando Torres," Benitez said.

"We keep seeing Portsmouth linked with the player but we have had no offer as yet.

"A £15m price tag would not be unreasonable."

Benitez also explained further the pending saga over Barry, and revealed that nothing more will happen until after this weekend's closing round of league matches.

"I have spoken to Martin O'Neill, he knows my ideas," added Benitez.

"But we agreed to wait until the end of the season for any more discussions."

[puroresu]

£15 mil.  We will get £10 mil max.

[SouthCoastShankly]

Not bad business (if it goes through) for a 7m flop as some were touting him when he arrived.

[bunglemark2]

Personally, I think he could still have a part to play in the Rafa-lution....but if he's not happy and wants away, so be it....I wish him well (of course, after we make a tidy profit on him....)

[Dundalk]

Rafa obviously dosent want him anymore.

We need to get at least 10 million.

[Number 9]

Rafa obviously dosent want him anymore.

We need to get at least 10 million.

Raffa said £15million is a fair valuation for Crouchy!

I'd be wanting Abi Clancy as well for that sort of money,covered in baby oil!  

[destro]

15 Million seems about right when we look at what Kuyt cost. Clubs are willing to fork out ridiculous ammounts on up and coming teenagers so why should a proven ( given the games ) goal scorer be allowed to leave on the cheap.

Personally I don't want crouch to leave I still think he could form a formidable partnership with Torres allowing Raffa to save the money he would pay for a new striker and use that to strengthen other areas. Sadly after the CL game against Chelsea I think it is safe to say that Raffa just doesn't share the same views, maybe he doesn't fit in to the style Raffa wants to play, other than that I cant think of any other reason not to play him.

He has sat on the bench and kept relatively quiet and waited for his chances which IMO he has taken when presented with them.

Peter Crouch will score goals and lots of them where ever he ends up if he is given the games to do so, there is no doubting his ability and he can score all kinds of goals from scrappy to spectacular, he gets slated for his heading ability but just because you are tall it does not mean you are automatically brilliant in the air, his foot work and touch and the strength he shows at holding up the most difficult of balls fired into him are up there with some of the best and a lot better than most, these things tend to be over looked because of his heading and his lack of pace but when you play to his strengths he is a great player to have in any team.

I wish him all the best if he does end up leaving and for me he will be remembered for the many important goals he scored in his time at Liverpool

[JC_81]

We won't get anyone to offer 15 million.

We need to make sure we don't price him out of a move, because it seems he's made his mind up to move and losing him for free next summer is a real possibility if we don't offload him this summer.  I can't see him signing a new contract with us.

10 million is a fair price imo

[JohnBull]

If he'd kept his nose out of the bag he'd still be in Raffa's plans. Bleeding girlfriends !

[redhayesy]

if this does happen & crouchy leaves, i would be sad to see him go! i have always said he
was a great signing for the club, & imho has never played a bad game for us. he gives 100%
whenever he is picked,& gave us something different in attack & is a very good tactical
player in certain games as required, however that is probably the reason he may want
to leave, as he knows he will not start every game for us, & has his own ambitions
to forfill ie-play for his country on a regular basis, to do so he needs & must play
first team football on a regular basis,i think his attitude is fantastic,& has always remaind
digified when dropped or used as a sub when being interviewed, he has shown frustration
when not in the team, but for me that is a positive thing because of the way he has
gone about it! you can"t argue with his effort or desire to want to do the best he can
when picked which is a credit to him, some players join our club & find it hard to accept
they will not be selected every week, & make it common knowledge they are not happy
but with crouchy he shows great desire,attitude & remembers this is suad- team effort
& for that i wish him all the very best for the future whatever that may be.

[JC_81]

i have always said he was a great signing for the club, & imho has never played a bad game for us.

Never played a bad game?

Behave mate

[redhayesy]

i have always said he was a great signing for the club, & imho has never played a bad game for us.

Never played a bad game?

Behave mate

like i say mate imho, in that he gives 100% i will never knock him for his effort, or commitment, please give me an example
when you think differently, as i have seen players with more so called "better techinical" skill than crouch not work has hard as him to provide space or opportunities for his team
mates in games when this has been evident, as i say he gives us another option in attack, but also works hard to create chances for himself- ie arsenal away recently!

[greenbyname_redbynature]

crouch a really player and I don't think 15 million is pricing him out of the market.

Villa with John Carew probably won't want him as they have the big man.
But Newcastle who may well be without Viduka (their forward who holds the ball up) for the start of next year may take a gamble on Crouch. Also considering Newcastle like to throw money about. Keegan likes the big man little man front line (Ferdinand and Cole, Ferdinand and Beardsley) and Michael Owen who's close to signing a new contract up at St James' is keen on the big forward as well for knock downs. Newcastle may be the best option for us to  look at.

On the other hand Portsmouth have shown an interest and they'll be looking for a replacement for Kanu (tall forward who holds the ball up and is good with the ball at his feet). Crouch (ex pompey) is a southern lad, Redknapp like Keegan, is keen on the big man up front (Kanoute at West Ham, Crouch at Southampton and Kanu at Pompey). Both Deofe and Baros play better with a tall forward beside them (baros was top scorer in euro 2004 with Jan Koller beside him) and again like Newcastle, Portsmouth have the money to throw about with their multi million chairman.

Man City is undecided because of the uncertainty about Eriksson, so I think their an unrealistic target for us to look to offload Crouch. Sunderland (if they lose Jones) may be looking at Crouch but 15 mill is probably to much for them at this moment. Spurs (if they lose Berbatov) may look at Crouch but Kanoute looks bound for White Harte Lane to link up with Tottenham and Ramos again. Everton I don't think will look at Crouch, not physical enough for them.

So out of the main contenders I'd say Newcastle or Portsmouth are the most likely and both can afford 15 million which is a very fair price for a player like Crouch. If it becomes a tug of war between those two I expect Crouch to pick Pompey. He's from the south, he's played there before and did well and he knows Harry Redknapp from his Southampton days.

Sorry to see him go (if he does) but I can't see a place in our starting eleven for him next year if we stick with the current formation or we go out and buy another top class forward.

[Torres25]

Same as  the Xabi situation 4 me................................if we dont need the money  id keep him i think his hieght is a weapon that none of the other top teams have however if we do need 2 raise cash 2 get the players we need then sell him he wont get any better now & neither will his valuation

[SundanceKid]

Trade him to Villa for Gareth Barry and 5 mil.