Liverpool FC Forum

by **Toffeehater** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:10 pm

11/01/2008 17:38
Rafa: I've Spoken To Sissoko About Switching Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has spoken out about recent transfer speculation, not least that surrounding Momo Sissoko...

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez denies that Momo Sissoko's transfer talk has soured relations between player and manager.

Rumour had it that the two were not on speaking terms after a difficult season and talk of a move, but Benitez insists that this is not the case.

"I was talking with Momo about leaving a few times, and with his agent,” he told LiverpoolFC.tv.

“We know we have two or three clubs asking about him and we will try to find the best solution for him and for us.

"It depends on if we find the right club and the right offer. We need to wait.

"In a top side the competition is always really hard. We've brought in Lucas [Leiva] and with [Steven] Gerrard playing in the middle this year, plus [Xabi] Alonso and [Javier] Mascherano, he is under pressure.

"But he wants to play every game. We will try to find a solution for him because he is a nice boy."

Benitez went on to add that Sissoko's probable departure did not mean that a new face was to arrive with the proceeds of any move.

"We are happy with the squad," he insisted.

"We needed another centre-back but in the other positions we have enough players.

"Mascherano? We will continue to keep working and we are confident he will stay with us."

by **Lando_Griffin** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:13 pm

Bad Bob wrote:I don't quite understand the celebrating and 'good riddance' remarks. Sissoko's form has dropped for certain and it's best for him to move on but he did put in many very good shifts for us during his time here (Barca at Anfield last season, for one). And, it's not like he's another Salif Diao, who was on massive wages and who we couldn't unload for years. If this deal does go through I wish him all the best in Turin and thank him for his important contributions over the past few years.

I was thinking along similar lines myself mate.

by **Bad Bob** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:25 pm

s@int wrote:I think we are making a mistake letting him go unless we know for CERTAIN that Masch is staying. He offers something most of our midfield players dont offer in one package. Alonso is tall and can pass, but is not mobile or good at breaking up play. Mascherano, is small , Mobile,can pass and is good at breaking up play. Sissoko if he could just learn how to keep his head when passing (he can pass) would be a great asset. Maybe a less frantic league will suit him better?

A fair point, mate, but it sounds like he wants out. For him to stay, I think Rafa would have to promise him a lot more football than he's currently prepared to give him.

On the bright side, maybe selling him is in fact a sign that the Yanks will be signing Masch permanently? :;):

by **Sabre** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:33 pm

Yes, if we get 10-11M for Momo, paying the required 17 for Mascha is a must. I'm surprised S@int is a bit reluctant to make the deal after all the discussion we had in the Alonso thread. If I recall correctly a recurrent point was that we had many midfielders and if necessary to make a big signing somewhere else, selling a midfielder was a good idea.

Sissoko is the best candidate for this and the offer that Juve aaparently made is very good for us.

Sissoko, according to Rafa not only myself, is not a perfect holding midfielder because "he likes to go up more" as Rafa said yesteryear. Of course that must be read like he hasn't got the positioning nor the distribution for the position. So in that role, he cannot enter a direct competition with the Argie and the Spaniard (which hearing to Pako this days both are very important in this club)

On front of the holding mid role, he simply has too much competition: Gerrard and Leiva. Sissoko's ball wining abilities will be very very useful in the crowded midfields of Italy. But us, who have to face in the bread of butter of the league teams that put the bus on front of the goal, need another kind of midfielder, IMHO. Sissoko is not the man for the typical game we're totally dominating but we don't score.

by **account deleted by request** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:43 pm

I am only reluctant because we don't have the Mascherano deal sewn up yet. Once that deal is completed, I would just wish Sissoko thanks and good luck as I waved him good bye. I feel its dangerous to sell players before you have their replacement. Hence why I don't want Kewell to go in this window either.

by **The Manhattan Project** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 7:34 pm

We should sell Momo for 10M to Juve and use the money to buy Masch permanently.

by **Ciggy** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 7:41 pm

None of this onloan business we are not a charity if they want Sissoko they have to pay up simple as that.

Thanx Momo you where great here until your eye injury.
And boss against barca :cool:

Good luck for the future.

by **NANNY RED** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 12:30 am

Bad Bob wrote:I don't quite understand the celebrating and 'good riddance' remarks. Sissoko's form has dropped for certain and it's best for him to move on but he did put in many very good shifts for us during his time here (Barca at Anfield last season, for one). And, it's not like he's another Salif Diao, who was on massive wages and who we couldn't unload for years. If this deal does go through I wish him all the best in Turin and thank him for his important contributions over the past few years.

Spot on Bob lad hes still only a baby really and still learning Juve must have seen something there for them to come in for him anyway good luck to the lad

by **roberto green** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:34 am

Leonmc0708 wrote:Please keep ALL rumours in here.

To confirm:

1) A Rumour will remain a rumour until it is confirmed by the offical Liverpool football club site (www.liverpoolfc.tv) at which point it becomes a transfer and will be welcome in the main area of the forum.

2) Sky Sports News, as a source is about as reliable as a chocolate fireguard. Remeber this si the same television station that ran exclusive stories regarding Gerrard signing for Chelsea being confirmed amongst other gems.

Thanks

yeah i'd second that too, sky sports news is a load of sh!t, apparently Harry Redknapp was ment to be up on tyneside for the end of the day 11/1 and they built it up all day only to be left with egg on thier faces yet again.

Its alright for half an hour a day but who really wnats to watch the same story on the hour every hour and they make stuff up just to fill the program.

by **shanks** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 6:29 pm

The Manhattan Project wrote:We should sell Momo for 10M to Juve and use the money to buy Masch permanently.

couldnt agree more :buttrock

by **Paul C** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:35 am

Radio 1 said this morning that the deal has fell through, no specifics?

by **Redman in wales** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:34 am

BBC's rumour mill section:

Juventus's interest in Liverpool's Mohamed Sissoko appears to have cooled after the club revealed they would not sign anyone this month. (The Times)

by **Redman in wales** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:53 am

Juventus cool their interest in Momo Sissoko
Jan 14 2008

Juventus’ interest in Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko appears to have cooled after the club revealed they were unlikely to make any January signings.

Sissoko said on Thursday he was “very close” to joining the Turin giants while Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez admitted the Merseysiders were waiting for the “right club and the right offer” for the 22-year-old.

Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli said: “Juventus will not make any acquisitions in the January transfer market.

“It’s normal to dream of big players but in order for dreams to come true, we need to wait for the right moment to come along.”

Mali international Sissoko has admitted he is unsettled at Anfield after struggling to win a regular place this season. His former club Valencia are also reportedly in the hunt for his signature.

Speaking before yesterday’s 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough, Benitez said: “I was talking with ’Momo’ about leaving a few times, and with his agent.

“We know we have two or three clubs asking about him and we will try to find the

best solution for him and for us.“

link

by **THEBARON** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:47 am

Like several before me I cannot understand the "Good riddance " remarks about Momo.
Sure he has been poor a lot this season , infact :censored:

shocking in several games ... but that doesn't disguise the fact that he has been a strong member of the squad previously. Our best season in the League under Benitez was 05/06 and Momo was part of that team for a large part.
He certainly hasn't been an expensive flop compared to previous purchases - where is Salif Diao now ?
If we do sell him we will make a substantial profit - how many players have we purchased in the last decade and then sold for a major loss ?
The likes of Cheyrou , Diouf and maybe even Heskey deserved a far than friendly farewell but not Momo.
He still has age on his side and the fact that the likes of Juventus and Valencia are interested in him shows that he is still a valued player.
If we are keeping Mascherano then selling Momo at a substantial profit makes sense.
Momo is not the only player who has failed to play to his standards this season - In my opinion Kuyt has been poor for a long time and only the goals of Torres have moved attention away from Kuyt's shocking recent form.

by **NANNY RED** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:20 pm

Valencia waiting on £7m Sissoko
Last updated at 20:31pm on 19th January 2008

Comments

Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko could be on his way back to Valencia for a knockdown £7million.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has been asked by the club's owners to find a buyer for Sissoko to finance the £6m purchase of Slovakia defender Martin Skrtel.

American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett sanctioned the purchase of centre-back Skrtel believing that Sissoko's £10m move to Juventus was imminent. However, that fell through.

Benitez is now under pressure to get the best price while Sissoko is on Africa Cup of Nations duty for Mali.

copied from the mail on news now

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Sissoko joins Juventus in 8.2 million deal - Momo's a Go-go (merged thread)

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