7 January 2007
RAFA HELL BENT ON DARREN
Reds to battle it out with Blues
Exclusive by Simon Mullock
LIVERPOOL have joined the race to sign Charlton's Darren Bent - and boss Rafa Benitez could raise the funds for a bid by selling Craig Bellamy to Aston Villa for £9million.
Benitez is a long-term admirer of the England star and is ready to fight Chelsea for his services in the knowledge he can give the kind of guarantees about regular first-team football that Jose Mourinho cannot.
Addicks boss Alan Pardew has stated he wants big-money for Bent, who is currently sidelined for five weeks with a knee injury, and Benitez will have to sell if he wants to make a serious move.
Newcastle are still in the hunt for Peter Crouch and are ready to pay £12m, although the striker insists he wants to stay at Anfield.
Now Villa are also ready to offer the Merseysiders a cash boost, by making a move to take Welsh striker Bellamy to the Midlands.
Villa boss Martin O'Neill is in the money after being given a substantial transfer budget by new owner Randy Lerner and a top striker is his No.1 priority.
O'Neill knows Bellamy well, having rescued him from Newcastle with a loan deal that saw the striker resurrect his career with a successful spell at Celtic.
The Irishman knows Bellamy has not reached the standards expected of him since moving to Anfield last summer when a £6m bid triggered a get-out clause in his contract at Blackburn.
O'Neill is also aware that the Anfield club will be looking for a substantial profit on their initial outlay, but will not be put off by their demands.
Benitez feels that a lack of firepower has cost his team this season as they have failed to keep up in the title race.
While Bent has hit double figures in a team entrenched near the bottom of the table, Bellamy has struck six times in a team battling for honours.
http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/sport/...name_page.html
I thought bellamy cant move to another club in january because of the FIFA rule thats stopping mashcareno joining us
RAFA HELL BENT ON DARREN
Reds to battle it out with Blues
Exclusive by Simon Mullock
LIVERPOOL have joined the race to sign Charlton's Darren Bent - and boss Rafa Benitez could raise the funds for a bid by selling Craig Bellamy to Aston Villa for £9million.
Benitez is a long-term admirer of the England star and is ready to fight Chelsea for his services in the knowledge he can give the kind of guarantees about regular first-team football that Jose Mourinho cannot.
Addicks boss Alan Pardew has stated he wants big-money for Bent, who is currently sidelined for five weeks with a knee injury, and Benitez will have to sell if he wants to make a serious move.
Newcastle are still in the hunt for Peter Crouch and are ready to pay £12m, although the striker insists he wants to stay at Anfield.
Now Villa are also ready to offer the Merseysiders a cash boost, by making a move to take Welsh striker Bellamy to the Midlands.
Villa boss Martin O'Neill is in the money after being given a substantial transfer budget by new owner Randy Lerner and a top striker is his No.1 priority.
O'Neill knows Bellamy well, having rescued him from Newcastle with a loan deal that saw the striker resurrect his career with a successful spell at Celtic.
The Irishman knows Bellamy has not reached the standards expected of him since moving to Anfield last summer when a £6m bid triggered a get-out clause in his contract at Blackburn.
O'Neill is also aware that the Anfield club will be looking for a substantial profit on their initial outlay, but will not be put off by their demands.
Benitez feels that a lack of firepower has cost his team this season as they have failed to keep up in the title race.
While Bent has hit double figures in a team entrenched near the bottom of the table, Bellamy has struck six times in a team battling for honours.
http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/sport/...name_page.html
I thought bellamy cant move to another club in january because of the FIFA rule thats stopping mashcareno joining us
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