Liverpool FC Forum

by **NANNY RED** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:09 pm

Cant see Masherano playing second fiddle to Toure , hes staying here ,,

Toure set to sign Barca deal

Agent confirms midfielder will stay at Camp Nou
By Francisco Acedo Last updated: 23rd June 2009

Toure: Set to sign

Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure is poised to sign an extension to his contract with the UEFA Champions League winners.

Toure's agent, Dimitri Seluk, has confirmed that the Ivory Coast international is keen to commit his future to the Camp Nou club.

Seluk admitted that there were difficulties earlier in the negotiations but is confident his client's qualities are now fully appreciated by Pep Guardiola.

Toure, brother of Arsenal centre-back Kolo Toure, had been linked with a possible summer switch to the Gunners, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Seluk told radio station Onda Cero: "We know the proposals of all the parties and the main thing is OK.

Important

"If all goes well, towards the end of the week we will sign the contract.

"The road was not easy during the last few weeks but now Barcelona have realised that Yaya is an important member of their squad and they value his services."

Barca have been strongly linked with a summer swoop for Liverpool's combative midfielder Javier Mascherano.

But Seluk is confident that Toure would be able to keep the Argentina international out of the starting XI should he leave Anfield this summer.

He added: "This is not a problem for Yaya Toure, but for the Argentinian because he could be on the bench for many minutes."

by **Greavesie** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:17 pm

I've just read a little piece on teletext saying hes happy here, Masch that is. Cant find the full thing tho

by **Sabre** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:05 pm

Alonso has given a local interview in which he has repeated that his future is uncertain. The local journo has asked him, Being a Real Sociedad supporter and fancying Barcelona, how do you live with the idea of going to Madrid?

And Alonso has said, "don't go that way" as in "don't ask that". And by the tone, I'd say that he's in the exact position he was last summer. It seems to me that the player would be happy to stay at Liverpool, but it's a decission of Rafa of deciding to let him go. That is, Rafa still has a price for Alonso, and if Real Madrid pays enough, he will go.

According to local journos last year that price wasn't 17M but 23M. And that price has risen to 42M now. It makes sense not being 17M like some english press wrote yesteryear, because let's be hones, I can't see a team like Arsenal ready to pay 14 but not 17.

Rafa has a tricky decission now. Toure signing for Barcelona means that Mascherano won't be probably a primary target. Rafa can buy a player more... and that should be a striker. If it's not a striker, even if Alonso doesn't go, it will be hard to win the league. Because we can't count on Torres every game and every competition, and the second option for striker position is not good enough for Liverpool.

In that scenario, and with an offer of 42M and without the 20% clause to Real Sociedad (it expires on July), I could understand Rafa was tempted.

But I wish we had not to make those gamblings because of money.

by **Number 9** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:14 pm

Maybe Xabi is happy and him and Rafa are laughing up their sleeves at the rumours..?
Paper talk means fuc'k all..internet talk means the same..until I see it coming from the horses mouth......I dont believe it.
I cant believe so many are being dragged into it again this year!
It's pathetic paper talk,you lot are riding the dirty wave!

by **GYBS** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:16 pm

well said my friend well said

by **Sabre** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:16 pm

Barry wrote:Maybe Xabi is happy and him and Rafa are laughing up their sleeves at the rumours..?
Paper talk means fuc'k all..internet talk means the same..until I see it coming from the horses mouth......I dont believe it.
I cant believe so many are being dragged into it again this year!
It's pathetic paper talk,you lot are riding the dirty wave!

I wish you and Bad Bob are right.

But there are two facts, we haven't got a lot of money (even if we recovered part of what we paid for Keane), and there are serious approaches of big clubs. I want to believe you Barry, I'd like to be as confident, but I can't.

by **GYBS** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:18 pm

Sabre wrote:I wish you and Bad Bob are right.

But there are two facts, we haven't got a lot of money (even if we recovered part of what we paid for Keane), and there are serious approaches of big clubs. I want to believe you Barry, I'd like to be as confident, but I can't.

well by all reports we still got another 30 mil to spend and Rafa has already stated TWICE that no players need to be sold and he doesnt want to sell anyone and wants both masher and xabi to stay at the club .

All these serious approaches are paper talk and i reckon Rafa may say NO them unless they are stupid bids - 40 mil plus

by **Sabre** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:24 pm

Yeh, they won't go on the cheap.

But even if you receive that silly money, it looks a dangerous gamble to me, because yesteryear we saw a good example of how to use almost 20M and throw them to the thrash bin (even if we recovered a good part of it).

My worry GYBS is that for me it is fundamental to keep the spine untouched. I wouldn't gamble now we're so close of winning it, even having a lot of money.

by **GYBS** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:26 pm

Rafa knows that mate hence why he wont touch the spine and leave it well alone and just add to the quality in the squad .

by **mjlfc09** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:32 pm

Tony Evans a life long red and editor of the Daily Mail said on talksport that hes convinced that Xabi's off if we get a good price for him.

That doesn't mean it'll definitely happen, but I don't think Tony Evans is making things up like any of the other journalists who work for the mail.

I wish it was the 2nd of September right now so we wouldn't have to put up with this.

by **matrix** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:33 am

Mascherano proud to be linked with big clubs but happy at Liverpool
24.06.09 | Andrew Slevison
Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano admits he is flattered that he is being linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs but is content at Anfield.

The Argentine midfielder’s name has been bandied around the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona but he has confirmed that he will remain a Reds player.

"I am very proud and thankful for the interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid,” told Don Balon.

“I feel happy at Liverpool, but it’s good for me to have these two teams interested in me.

"Both teams are very important but at this moment I think that Barcelona is a little bit better and that's why they've won all that they have."

mmm sounds like he might be staying after all...

by **Ciggy** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:41 am

BTW Tony Evans doesnt come out with bullsh!t if he thinks Xabi is off then he probably is.

Royal Family of TLW

"Here's a story courtesy of the Spanish journalist Miguel Angel Vara, which was related to me earlier - in case people start demanding sources.

Madrid sent some representatives to negotiate over Alonso and Arbeloa at the end of last week. They offered a straight deal including some of the Dutch contingent (Van der Vaart and Sneijder), then they offered Gago, and then they offered Negredo. Each time, Rafa asked what values Madrid were placing on these players and finally burst into incredulous laughter. "Remind me - who beat whom by five goals to nil in the Champions League? he tells the now flustered Madrid negotiators. "Only it must be us who lost, because my players, whom you are wanting to take away, are worth nothing, whereas yours, whom you are trying to discard, each seem to have higher values". And the negotiations ended there and then!

Priceless. That's the kind of story that makes me realise just how lucky we are with the manager we have. I do feel that familiarity has bred contempt over the last few years for many of the regulars on here, but I hope at least some of them can still appreciate tales like this!

By the way, Vara thinks that the Alonso deal may not happen - firstly because Rafa wants 40million euros, and not a penny less, but also because of his poor relations with Valdano who seems to be in charge of Madrid's transfers - these go back to when they were both on the Madrid coaching staff in the 90s, although of course not helped by Valdano describing Liverpool's style of play as "sh!t on a stick" - Rafa has not forgotten, and certainly not forgiven, that..."

Well in Rafa lar remember that sh!t on stick comment

by **Sabre** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:00 am

That Evans guy story seems true.

"Remind me - who beat whom by five goals to nil in the Champions League? he tells the now flustered Madrid negotiators. "Only it must be us who lost, because my players, whom you are wanting to take away, are worth nothing, whereas yours, whom you are trying to discard, each seem to have higher values". And the negotiations ended there and then!

Love it!! we can't help Real Madrid approaching, but fortunately enough we have a manager that won't be flexible to those cúnts. Nice one Rafa :buttrock

by **lakes10** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:19 am

BBC run a report at 4am saying that Alonso was in talk to leave the club and was going to have a medical, they are not running the report anymore, nothing on SSN news about it.

It might have been a bad info or they are now sitting on the info.

all getting a bit silly now, if he is going to go then go and let up look for another player.
just hope we get to use the 30mil for players and not just 15mil.

by **Ciggy** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:24 am

The dutch contingent that have been told to look for pastures new at Madrid are all excellent players Van Nistlehorse, Snijder, Van Der Vaart, Drethe, Robben, they shouldnt be sniffed it.

But not at the expense of Alonso maybe one of these players instead of cash for Arbeloa?

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