By tomorrow evening, Liverpool could be celebrating a second Champions League triumph in three seasons, but whatever his players achieve against AC Milan in the Olympic Stadium, Rafael Benítez has promised that a hectic summer of transfer activity lies ahead. A wind of change is blowing through Anfield as the new regime takes shape.
George Gillett Jr and Tom Hicks, the Liverpool co-chair-men, have promised BenÍtez significant funds to buy the players he needs for his team to reproduce their European form on the domestic front. Hicks talked yesterday of “changes” ahead, with the inference that these will encompass all areas of the club, with fresh ideas sought in the boardroom, the dressing-room and the youth academy.
Three signings are already in place – Andriy Voronin, the Bayer Leverkusen forward, plus Lucas Leiva and Sebastián Leto, two highly rated youngsters from South America – and more will follow, with Samuel Eto’o, the Barcelona forward, the mouth-watering name at the top of BenÍtez’s shopping list.
Luring Eto’o to England may yet prove beyond Liverpool and Manchester United, but it is an illustration of the calibre of player that BenÍtez has in mind, with Carlos Tévez, the West Ham United forward, Daniel Alves, the Seville wing back, and Morten Gamst Peder-sen, the Blackburn Rovers winger, also in his thoughts.
“I know we can improve and we will do that by bringing in new players with character, quality and experience,” Ben-Ítez said. “I think we are going in the right direction, but this final is just a stopping point on the way. The aim is not just to win this trophy. It is to get stronger and challenge in the Premier League next season.
“It is important not to think that, by getting to the final, we have done everything. We have the potential to be one of the biggest clubs in Europe in every way. The owners have now been at the club for a few months and can see what’s possible here. Every time I have spoken to them it has been positive and we will be talking again after the final.”
With high-class reinforcements sought in just about every position, only about a dozen of the squad that flew to Athens yesterday morning can be certain of being in BenÍtez’s plans for next season. Jerzy Dudek and Robbie Fowler, who are out of contract, are the only confirmed departures so far – along with Florent Sinama Pongolle, who will join Recreativo Huelva on a permanent basis after a successful loan – but Peter Crouch, Craig Bellamy, Sami Hyypia, Harry Kewell and Mark González have reason to fear for their Anfield futures. Djibril Cissé and Anthony Le Tallec, having spent this season on loan, are clearly surplus to requirements.
“I know we will make changes,” Hicks said. “I think Rafa will be a very busy man after Wednesday. We’ve already started that process and next year we want to contend for the Premiership as well as the Champions League. Rafa has told me the types of improvement he feels we need to compete week in and week out. That’s the challenge.”
Liverpool’s potential will be strengthened when Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard sign improved four-year contracts after the final, with new deals also in the pipeline for José Manuel Reina, Steve Finnan, Daniel Agger and Xabi Alonso. There will also be changes in the running of the youth academy after the retirement of Steve Heighway, the academy director, and the scouting department.
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