RAFAEL BENITEZ will have to rely on loan deals to revitalise Liverpool’s squad during this transfer window even if the club succeed in raising more than €17.8 million through player sales.
The Liverpool manager had been expected to operate this month under the same financial constraints that existed throughout 2009 at Anfield: namely, spending no more than he can bring in from sales. Even that model now seems optimistic, however, with Benitez likely to be restricted to the loan capture of Atletico Madrid’s Maxi Rodriguez plus one other temporary signing as he attempts to fulfil his guarantee of qualifying for the Champions League for a sixth successive season.
Liverpool are making good progress in their efforts to offload much of the dead wood in Benitez’s squad by the end of January, and all for permanent transfer fees. Andriy Voronin and Andrea Dossena are close to joining Dynamo Moscow and Napoli respectively, Philipp Degen is the subject of interest from several sides in the Bundesliga, while the Anfield club have also rejected a bid in excess of €8 million from Birmingham City for their unwanted Holland forward, Ryan Babel.
Yet Benitez’s hopes of strengthening his attack with a firm offer for the Aston Villa and former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, for example, are expected to be dashed, as such a deal would be beyond his resources.
Liverpool insiders claim the constraints have not been imposed on Benitez by the club’s owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Executives believe players bought in the January transfer window are habitually overpriced and the club would rather save the income from sales to build a war chest for the summer. But there will be immense disappointment at the latest financial balancing act for a manager who last month confirmed the need to reduce the Americans’ debt on Liverpool had taken precedence over investing in a squad that finished runners-up in the Premier League last season.
Benitez announced at the weekend that Babel would not be leaving Anfield this month. “At this moment we are not trying to sell him,” said the Liverpool manager, following the FA Cup draw at Reading. Liverpool have since received and rejected an offer from Birmingham that would allow them to recoup much of the €12.8 million paid to Ajax for Babel in 2007, although the club’s stance may be influenced by a desire to encourage an auction for the disillusioned 23-year-old.
Liverpool would prefer to sell Babel to a European club than risk him fulfilling his promise at a domestic rival, but Birmingham may withdraw their interest should an auction develop.
Liverpool are favourites to sign the Argentina international Rodriguez on loan from Atletico until the end of this season. Once a deal is done Benitez could be limited to only one other loan deal.
GuardianService
