Latest News Around Anfield

13/08/97 - Barnes joins Newcastle from Liverpool (Reuters)
NEWCASTLE, England, Aug 13 (Reuter) - Former England midfielder John Barnes joined Newcastle United on a free transfer from Liverpool on Wednesday. The club's board announced he had signed a two-year contract.
Barnes, 33, who won the last of his 79 England caps against Colombia last year, chose to team up with his old Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish at Newcastle rather than make the expected trip to London to join West Ham United. Barnes's 10 years with Liverpool included two league championships as well as F.A. Cup and League Cup triumphs.

01/08/97 - ITALIAN DEFENDER LINKED (Team Talk)
It was thought that the signing of Karl-Heinz Riedle would be the last one of the summer but we've a new development to tell you about today.
Italian defender Massimo Paganin is being linked with a move to Anfield and there are several reasons why the Inter Milan star could well make the switch.
Firstly, Phil Babb is still being targeted by Italians Torino and his future at Liverpool is by no means assured. There is also a feeling that the Reds defence could be stronger than it currently is despite the fact that they performed so well last season.
The strongest factor of all though, is Paul Ince. The new-signing tipped off Roy Evans about the availability of the 27 year old central defender.
Once Ince had alerted Evans to the player, a scout was sent to watch him play for Inter against Manchester United.
Club officials the contacted the San Siro based club and could well sign Paganin before the start of the new season.
Basically he's a rock-solid defender with a bit of skill - not your bog standard English centre-half. He helped Inter lift the UEFA Cup in 1994 and as a good friend of Ince's, he would not be averse to playing football over here.
With transfer funds drying up, any deal would almost certainly mean Roy Evans selling one of his current defenders to help recoup some money. As well as Babb, Jason McAteer has been tipped for a move away from the club.

27/07/97 - DOUBLE ICELANDIC INTEREST (Team Talk)
Liverpool have approached Keflavik of Iceland about the possibility of taking two players on trial.
19 year old Haukur Ingi Gudnason and 20 year old Johann Gudmundsson, who has one international cap to his name, could be be on their way to Melwood for a two week trial.

27/07/97 - Italian defender link (Team Talk)
The Reds have reportedly beaten off competition from West Ham to move for the Italian defender Mario De Marchi, who plays for the Italian side Bologna. The 31 year old is available on a free transfer, although he's reportedly on wages of �500,000 a year, which shouldn't be that much of a problem for the Reds.

18/07/97 - Young Swede going to Anfield? (Ola Karlsen - Norwegian Journalist)
Liverpool may have kept an extra eye on 20 year old forward Christian Lundstr�m in yesterdays friendly against IFK Gothenburg. "I have seen him play, and I liked what I saw. Christian is an interesting name", Roy Evans said to the Swedish daily newspaper Aftonbladet today. Lundstr�m has not yet played in the Swedish top division. The 20 year old names Liverpool and Arsenal as his favourite teams. He was born 31st March 1977 in Soderhamn which is where he started kicking a football.

18/07/97 - INCE TO DEBUT AT BRISTOL ? (Team Talk)
England midfielder Paul Ince will have his transfer to Liverpool officially confirmed next Tuesday. The 29-year-old will then make his Reds debut in the pre-season friendly at Bristol City next Wednesday.
This Wednesday Liverpool chief executive Peter Robinson did not travel out on the club's pre-season tour of Scandinavia , but flew to Italy instead to finalise Ince's move.
Both Liverpool and Inter Milan want the Ince deal completed as soon as possible, the fee has been agreed at �4.25m, and personal terms are to be settled very soon. Ince is scheduled to wear number eight next term and is also believed to be Roy Evans' first choice for the captaincy.

18/07/97 - KVARME BLOW (Team Talk)
Liverpool defender Bjorn Tore Kvarme cracked a bone in his shoulder during the game against IFK Gothenburg. The Norwegian defender has returned to Merseyside for treatment, but is considered doubtful for the start of the new Premiership season.

15/07/97 - Murphy signs (Team Talk)
Danny Murphy completed his move to Anfield on Tuesday afternoon.
Murphy's deal is all done and dusted, with Liverpool having re-negotiated certain clauses in the contract to include the knee ligament damage that showed up on last week's scan. The fee is still an initital �1.5m rising to �3m depending on appearances, and he has signed on the dotted line.

11/07/97 - SIGNORI BID REPORTED (Team Talk)
Liverpool have switched their attentions away from Fabrizio Ravanelli and towards Pepe Signori, according to press reports today.
Roy Evans refused to budge above �7m for the Middlesbrough striker, leaving the door open for neighbours Everton who have had a �7.5m bid accepted. Lazio may well accept �7m, the cash that Roy Evans received for Stan Collymore from Aston Villa, for 29 year old Signori, who has scored 105 goals in five seasons with Lazio.
The Rome team are undergoing a major rebuilding programme under their new manager Sven Goran Eriksson, the man who nearly joined Blackburn.
Liverpool face competition from Spain for Signori with both Real Madrid and Real Betis after his signature.
Strangely enough, if Real Madrid are interested, it raises another question over the future in Spain of Davor Suker, a reported Liverpool target.
The Croatian international is said to be unsettled at Real and could yet be involved in the scramble to be Robbie Fowler's strike partner next season.
One link that has appeared in the national press which TEAMtalk would like to dismiss is that of Blackburn striker Chris Sutton, who has hardly become a goal scoring machine since his �5m move to Ewood Park 3 years ago.
Roy Evans has confirmed that his search for a striker has moved on:"We have been in France a couple of times and have been pursuing an English striker as well."
The French trip was, as we've reported, to look at Ibrahima Bakayoko of Montpelier but that move has been abandoned.
The English striker quote is interesting, who is available ?
Chris Sutton, Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Emile Heskey, Dean Surridge, Trevor Sinclair.

07/07/97 - STRIKER SEARCH TWIST (Team Talk)
Unless Middlesbrough relax their �9m price tag on Fabrizio Ravanelli, and chances are that they won't, then Roy Evans will steer clear of the 28 year old striker.
Another name has appeared in the frame as far as a strike partner for Robbie Fowler is concerned, that of the Ivory Coast international Ibrahim Babayoko.
The 20 year old Montpelier striker is valued at �4.5m.
More interestingly though, the name of Davor Suker, once again, has emerged as a possible Reds' target.
Real Madrid, who the Croatian joined only a year ago, have bid �12.5m for Brazilian wonderkid Denilson, leaving the unsettled Suker out in the cold. Suker has been linked with a move to Anfield before and, maybe this time, Roy Evans will get his foot in the door.

06/07/97 - MORE TRANSFER RUMOURS (Team Talk)
Rumours are sweeping Merseyside at the moment that the Reds are interested in signing Everton's Duncan Ferguson. Apparently the Scot wants his earnings to come into line with the of new signing Slaven Bilic, otherwise he could be prepared to quit the Goodison Park outfit. Why the reports suggest Liverpool would be interested in the player escape any logic.
Having said that Liverpool are in the market for a striker and Ferguson is a different type of forward to Robbie Fowler so you never know. Fabrizio Ravanelli continues to be linked with a move to Anfield and officials could pop in for talks with the Boro striker when they visit Paul Ince during the week.

06/07/97 - REDS SPIT ON LAMA DEAL (Team Talk)
Boss Roy Evans has decided not to continue his interest in the French goalkeeper Bernard Lama. The Paris St. Germain shot stopper was apparently offered to the Reds for �2m but Evans has decided to stick with current goalkeeper David James.
Lama has a year left on his present contract but is available on a cut price offer because of his drugs ban.

03/07/97 - WRIGHT'S NEW DEAL (Team Talk)
Mark Wright has signed a new two year deal .
The Red's central defender has been with The Reds for six years now since his �2,250,000 move from derby County and, even though he'll reach the tender age of 34 next month, he is still regarded by Roy Evans as being one of the most important members of the first team squad.
Wright has twelve months of his existing contract left so, effectively, he's been given a 12 month extension.
Wright said :"I am really pleased to have signed, it took me all of two minutes to decide to stay."

30/06/97 - COVENTRY EYE BABB ? (Team Talk)
It is reported that West Midlands side Coventry are set to join the clubs interested in Phil Babb.
Coventry are fully aware of the calibre of the defender, who used to be on the staff at Highfield Road. He could be set for a cut price exit from Anfield and Coventry would be more than interested in re-signing the Republic of Ireland defender. The club would face stiff competition from West Ham who need to replace Slaven Bilic.

14/06/97 - Swede Interest ? (Team Talk)
Swedish midfielder Anders Andersson is yet another player who has found himself linked with Merseysiders. Currently on the books of Malmo, he is one of many Scandinavians who has shown a desire to play in the English Premiership. If Liverpool were interested, then they could find competition from the player's former mentor Roy Hodgson, now at Ewood Park. Andersson will shortly be available on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling. Malmo are likely to try and cash in now before he leaves for nothing.

29/05/97 - �500,000 A MATCH !
Reports suggest that Liverpool have been in contact with Crewe Alexandra and have made a �2m for 20 year old midfielder Danny Murphy.
The talented Murphy was the star of the show as Crewe achieved promotion to the First Division by beating Brentford at Wembley.
Last week, Crewe boss Dario Gradi stated that Liverpool would have to pay the market price for Murphy, despite the allegiance between the two sides, that price being, or so we thought �1.5m.
So, playing at Wembley for 90 minutes has boosted Murphy's value by �500,000.

29/05/97 - CLUBS LINE UP FOR BARNES
The latest speculation would seem to suggest that John Barnes may well have played his last game for Liverpool.
Southampton are just one of a number of clubs that look prepared to offer him a job.
Saints are keen to bring in a new manager and it is likely that they would be happy to offer Barnes the job of player manager.
Barnes would have to think long and hard before deciding to join a club that Graeme Souness left, claiming lack of ambition, but it is likely that Barnes would assess the situation for himself before making a decision. Meanwhile, reports also suggest that Watford are more than keen for the England star to join up with his former manager Graham Taylor.
Yet again it would be in a dual role capacity as a player coach but as yet it is unknown what Barnes' thought are in regard to this scenario. Most unlikely of the current specualtion is a link to Swindon where his former teammate Steve McMahon is apparenty ready to break the bank to sign him on a one year deal.
However we believe, if it becomes apparent that the player is on the move, a host of clubs in the Premiership and outside will be interested. Stoke City, without a manager now after Lou Macari's departure, are also hoping to lure Barnes into a player/coach role.

29/05/97 - STRIKER MOVES LATEST
With the departure of Stan Collymore and the possibility of Lee Jones making a move, the Reds forward line is beginning to look a bit thin on the ground. Lee Jones has hinted that he will be off Liverpool's books within 24 hours.
However we believe that the club could still be very interested in two home grown players.
Despite latest denials from Ipswich Chairman David Sheepshanks, we believe that Jamie Scowcroft could be available.
Scowcroft would be a valuable part of the Anfield Armoury and we reckon that Ipswich would have to think long and hard if the Reds offered somewhere in the region of �3m.
Scowcroft has great potential and also the abiltiy to play in the much sought after Teddy Sheringham role.
We also believe that Emile Heskey remains a top target for the club. Martin O'Neill has stalled on signing an improved deal at Leicester and we believe that he will wait until the transfer situation at his club ais sorted out.
O'Neill is very shrewd and would perhaps think twice about signing to stay at a club that sold off its best players.
Until O'Neill signs a new contract with the Foxes, it would appear that the Reds have a good chance of landing the highly rated striker.
One of the clubs strikers could be set to move on and we believe that Lee Jones rated at �100,000 may well be a target for Carlisle.

24/05/97 - BENARBIA FOR LIVERPOOL?
Liverpool are rumoured to be lining up a �3 million move for Monaco's midfield ace Ali Benarbia.
The 28 year-old midfielder has had a superb season and was instrumental in his side's run to claim the French League title and reach the semi-final of the UEFA Cup, beating Newcatsle united home and away in the quarter-finals.
The fact Liverpool have apparently turned their attentions to Benarbia serves to fuel speculation that Wimbledon's Oyvind Leonhardsen may now have opted to join Serie A outfit Fiorentina instead of coming to Anfield.

21/05/97 - EVANS TURNS DOWN ANOTHER BID
Southampton manager Graeme Souness has been back in touch with Roy Evans regarding, not Neil Ruddock who is out of The Saints' price range, but Steve Harkness.
Souness tried to prise Harkness away from Liverpool last season but will, obviously, have to come up with a lot more than �1.5m for a player who Liverpool fans regard as one of the very best.
Harkness' career was halted by a broken leg suffered at Coventry during the Easter 1996 programme but he's now back to his best and pushing for a regular place in Liverpool's first team.

20/05/97 - RUSSIAN STRIKER BACK IN FRAME
Roy Evans has, once again, been linked to Russian international striker Igor Kolyvanov. The 29 year old is said to be wanting to move out of Italy following a couple of turbulent seasons, firstly with Foggia who were relegated, then at Bologna.
It is an unwritten rule that Liverpool will not buy anyone over the age of 26 but, with Kolyvanov not expected to demand huge wages or command a mega-fee, his acquisition would enable Roy Evans to shelter his teenage prodigy Michael Owen to some extent.
Strikers continue to be linked to Anfield, but we can rule out any move for Teddy Sheringham or Fabrizzio Ravanelli whilst Marek Citko, the Widzew Lodz striker, has ruled himself out of the running buy snapping a hamstring. Meanwhile, Bolton boss Colin Todd has denied any interest in reserve striker Lee Jones, who now looks set to sign permanently for Tranmere Rovers.

19/05/97 - Ruddock in swap deal?
With Glasgow Rangers short of a centre-half now that Richard Gough has gone to play in America, it comes as no surprise that Neil Ruddock is being linked with a move to the Glasgow giants.
Despite Ruddock having patched up his differences at the club, and some say that he may even be club captain next season, a lucrative move to Ibrox would obviously interest him.
If Roy Evans is to do a deal with his Scottish counterpart, Walter Smith, then he may well want to include Brian Laudrup in the equation. The 28 year old Danish midfielder is known to be looking for a fresh challenge and the Scottish Player of the Year (again) would fit well into a dynamic Liverpool side.

19/05/97 - LEO SET TO SIGN !!!!
Reports from our Norwegian correspondent suggest that Wimbledon ace Oyvind Leonardson is set to sign for the Reds within the next two days. Apparently the two clubs have a agreed a fee of �3.5 million and all that is left, is for the Norwegian to agree personal terms, which should not prove a problem.
If correct, the signing will put an end to months of speculation surrounding 26 year old's future and will come as a boost to those Liverpool fans trying to put last seasons disappointment behind them. If a deal does go ahead, it is expected to be one of many as Roy Evans looks to build a side capable of snatching the Championship next season.

14/05/97 - Chases is on for Lee Jones
Bolton have joined the chase for Liverpool striker Lee Jones, who recently completed a successful loan spell with Tranmere. Belgian club Bruges are also hot on his trail.

13/05/97 - Collymore moves to Villa
Liverpool's Stan Collymore today became A.Villa's manager Brian Little record signing by joining them for a fee of �7,000,000.

09/05/97 - INCE UPDATE
Glasgow Rangers state that they've pulled out of the chase to sign Inter Milan and England midfielder Paul Ince and have resigned themselves to the fact that Ince is going to be a Liverpool player.
Rumours are rife regarding talks between Ince and Liverpool taking place in The South of France, and Ince's son Thomas' registration at a Liverpool school.
The fact of the matter is, Liverpool now seem to be the only club still in the race to sign the 29 year old and, with Oyvind Leonhardsen set to sign, we could be looking at a totally revamped Liverpool midfield next season.

07/05/97 - LEONHARDSEN INTEREST CONFIRMED
Wimbledon's 26 year old midfielder Oyvind Leonhardsen is set to become Liverpool's next major signing. The Norwegian international is desperate to get to a big club and has been quoted as saying: " I will go to Liverpool if they want me."
Liverpool manager Roy Evans would only say : " Leo will fit in with us," when pressed on the subject of the �4.5m rated Leonhardsen. Wimbledon will make a huge profit following his �660,000 acquisition from Rosenborg in November 1994.
Liverpool's midfield is definitely short of a 'box-to-box' type, and Leonhardsen fits the bill.

29/04/97 - Transfer News (The Kop)
Roy Evans embarked today on a double spying mission, in France tonight and Italy tomorrow. He is interested in Monaco pair Emmanuel Petit and Ali Benarbia, while Poligh striker Marek Citko (playing against Italy) is also in the frame. Watford may put in a bid for John Barnes, axed for the first time in 10 years before last week's Euro-tie against Paris SG.

29/04/97 - Juventus sale? (Team Talk)
Italian giants Juventus could be holding a summer sale as they totally reorganise their playing squad for next season. Liverpool have already expressed an interest in striker Christian Vieri and attacking midfielder Alesandro del Piero.

28/04/97 - Jari Litmanen (The Kop)
Finnish striker Jari Litmanen could emerge as a summer transfer target for Liverpool. Runours are circulating that the 26-year-old is set to end his association with Ajax. Litmanen, the most famous Finnish footballer of all time, won his country's Sportsman of the Year prize in 1995.

26/04/97 - SHAY GIVEN WATCHED
Liverpool are reportedly ready to join the race to sign Blackburn Rovers Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper, Shay Givens, who looks set to leave Ewood Park during the summer.
The 21 year old sees his chances of ousting Tim Flowers as pretty remote, but his quality is widely appreciated and there will be no lack of interested parties if Rovers agree to release him. Givens swept to prominence last season, when he kept 12 clean sheets in 19 matches during a loan spell with Sunderland, which effectively won promotion for them.
Sunderland will obviously be interested again, but have no chance if they are relegated after one season back in the top flight. Neighbours Newcastle also have an obvious need for a quality keeper and Kenny Dalglish will know of Givens from his time as Blackburn manager, but the Reds are also interested, although whether the player would be prepared to swap the role of understudy to one England goalkeeper for a similar situation at Anfield is perhaps debateable.

15/04/97 - Barnes player-manager next season?
Rumours doing the rounds in the corridors at Anfield suggest that Liverpool midfielder John Barnes could well be the next player manager at the club, taking over the management duties from Roy Evans in the summer. Roy Evans will, consequently, move �upstairs� to become General Manager. The resultant switch could well see Liverpool have a more balanced midfield:- Jason McAteer performing the �box-to-box� role; Michael Thomas as the ball winner and Jamie Redknapp the passer.

15/04/97 - Scots ace on trial
Scottish Under-21 international midfielder Ricky Gillies is on trial at Melwood. The St. Mirren star is on a 3 match ban in Scotland so the Reds have taken advantage by having a look at him now. Manchester United and Arsenal have also been expressing an interest in the �500,000 rated attacking midfielder.
Liverpool, though, do not have a good record of signing players who have impressed on trial:- Bjarne Gudjonsson of Akranes and Gareth Whalley from Crewe being two prime examples. Gillies has come into his own this season after scoring just 5 in 28 league appearances last term. His speciality is for the spectacular, one half-volley against Stirling Albion was measured at 53 yards.

08/04/97 - Israeli Trialist
The Reds are still thinking over whether to give a trial to the Israeli international captain Tal Banin. The 26 year old midfielder is rated as one of the best players in his country with a lot of skill and a good goalscoring record from midfield. Banin plays for the club side Hapoel Haifa, and could follow in the Anfield footsteps of former Israeli stars Avi Cohen and Ronny Rosenthal. Meanwhile, the Reds look as though they�ll miss out on two reported targets ; Bolton could be set to break their transfer record to land the Brann Bergen striker Tore Andre Flo, while Newcastle are set to sign the Icelandic striker Bjarni Gudjonsson for a fee of �250,000.

08/04/97 - Razor set for Pompey?
Neil Ruddock has emerged as a potential summer transfer target for Portsmouth. Pompey chairman Terry Venables is apparently keen to land the Reds central defender for around �3 or �4 million, having been Ruddock�s manager in his time at Spurs.
Any move for the defender could depend on whether he wants to leave the Reds, and which division Pompey are playing in next season. Ruddock has failed to hold down a regular first team place at Anfield for some time now, having signed a five year deal worth a reported �3 million only last summer.

07/04/97 - Ronaldo linked?
Liverpool have been linked with a big money summer move for the Brazilian striker Ronaldo. The Barcelona star has refused to discuss reports that his agent has already held preliminary talks with Liverpool.
Barcelona are, obviously, desperate to keep their goalscorer but the 20 year old, who is said to be ready to buy his own personal island off the coast of Brazil, could be ready for a close season move. Italian club Lazio are also in the chase but, with Roy Evans saying that Liverpool have the financial clout to land any player in the world, we could be in for a busy summer.

07/04/97 - Suker for Reds?
Roy Evans is closing in on �10m super striker Davor Suker. But Liverpool could face stiff competition in a bid to land the Croatian international. Suker is currently with Real Madrid but has indicated he may leave Spain in the summer with the Premiership thought to be his desired destination. Newcastle United are also thought to be in the hunt for the 29 year old but Suker is believed to have told friends that Anfield is his preferred destination.

04/04/97 - Danish Change
Jorgen Nielsen is set to command a regular place on the bench for the remainder of the season.
The Danish National is not short of confidence and says that , if he was thrown into the firing line, he'd be up to it.
It's a comfort to the Liverpool faithful that, with no disrespect to Tony Warner, The Red's now have an experienced and capable back-up goalkeeper (remember Bob Boulder, Mike Hooper etc..).
The 25 year old says he's ready to learn over the next few years and will use his time on the bench to get used to the big games and the electric atmosphere that they bring.
Nielsen added that he couldn't say no to Liverpool when he learned of their interest and had no hesitation in completing the �400,000 move from Hvidovre and is now in residence at the same hotel as Bjorn Tore Kvarme.

03/04/97 - Reds Scouting Mission
Both Roy Evans and Doug Livermore were on their travels on Wednesday to look at possible future targets.
They watched two World Cup Qualifiers Poland v Italy and Czech Republic v Yugoslavia.
One player who would have been watched is Poland striker Marek Citko. Citko, who scored for the Pole's against England at Wembley, has issued a come and get me plea to the Reds, and Roy Evans has admitted that he has been been impressed with what he has seen of the striker on video. Meanwhile, the player being eyed at the Czech Republic game could well have been Midfielder Pavel Nedved.
Nedved, of course, played for the Czech's in Euro 96, and is currently playing his football for Lazio in Italy.
The Italian side could well be set for a summer shake up with the Rome based side naming a new manager at the end of the season, and the Reds might swoop for the impressive midfielder.

03/04/97 - Young Striker On the Move
The Reds young Reserve striker Andy Parkinson is joining Tranmere, after a two week trial at Prenton Park.
Parkinson was set to leave Anfield at the end of the season but Rovers boss John Aldridge decided to move in before any other sides showed any interest. Aldridge has said that although he won't be able to play for them this season, he is part of Tranmere's long-term rebuilding plans.

02/04/97 - Citko looking for transfer to Liverpool (the Kop)
Polish star Marek Citko today issued a 'Come and get me' plea to The Reds. Citko, who has already turned down a �4m move to Blackburn, becomes a free agent in May and is one of the players in whom Roy Evans has shown interest.