John W. Henry Has 'No Intention' Of Selling Top Stars

• sg_forum

  26 Oct 10, 19:23

  Originally posted by Zweiz:

  A lot of people think it's a great idea to buy England's best attacking right back and throw him in midfield?

  What's next? Soto forward coz he's tall and big and can head the ball? Oh nvm we're already doing that.

  
  Yes, he is good in attack but shit in defence to be honest therefore he might as well be in the middle? Let someone who has a better defending to take the RB slot instead.

• eddiestolemyoriginalname

  26 Oct 10, 20:39

  not their fault they duwan to play with rubbish team

   

  torres to barca/man utd

  reina to arsenal

  johnson to pay liverpool back 18million and retire

• zocoss

  28 Oct 10, 09:14

   

  Exclusive: Torres and Reina ready to use secret escape clauses to quit Liverpool in January

  

  
  
  Fernando-Torres-and-Pepe-Reina-are-set-use-secret-escape-clauses-to-quit-club-in-January-with-Manchester-United-Manchester-City-and-Arsenal-ready-to-pounce.

   

  Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina are ready to quit Liverpool in January thanks to secret escape clauses in their contracts.

  The Spain internationals made the get-out agreements with their Anfield bosses in the summer when they were persuaded to stay despite the departure of Spanish boss Rafa Benitez.

  Now Torres and Reina, key to Roy Hodgson’s attempts to steer the club away from the relegation zone, want out after promises of major team investment went unfulfilled.

  Mirror Sport understands the pair will tell the club in December they wish to leave, with Manchester City keen on £50 million Torres and Manchester United and Arsenal pursuing £20m Reina.

  The double whammy will devastate Liverpool fans who hoped John W Henry’s purchase of the club would bring the glory days back to Anfield.

  Instead, the American has made it clear there will be no major spending in January, and with many players unhappy with the direction the club is taking under Hodgson, Torres and Reina are ready to make a move.

  Torres was talked into staying in the summer when a three man delegation flew to Madrid for secret talks with with the striker’s representatives on July 14 - three days after the World Cup Final.

  It is understood Torres lawyer Margarita Pilar Garay-Bret and Jose Antonio Martin were present at the meeting.

  One member of the delegation remained in Madrid to speak directly with Torres before returning to Liverpool confident the Spaniard would stay.

  Torres and Spanish teammate Reina - a powerful voice in the dressing room - were both poised to quit Liverpool at the time with Chelsea having tabled a £50 million bid for Torres while Arsenal had offered £20 million for Reina.

  Both were upset at the lack of investment, the club’s failure to secure Champions League status and the grim reality of their Premiership title hopes.

  Torres was eventually persuaded to remain at Liverpool after three days of talks - during which the delegation described in detail plans laid out specifically by Christian Purslow, the club’s chief executive who quit last week following the sale of the club.

  Torres was told the new owners - that were not identified to him - were in place and ‘days’ away from completing the Liverpool takeover.

  It is claimed he was told Roy Hodgson’s appointment was a temporary measure and a big name manager was already lined up - armed with a £100 million transfer kitty offered as a ‘quick fix’ to drag the club back on terms with Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City.

  It is understood Liverpool planned to spend £50 million in the summer with a further £50 million available in January for targets no longer chasing Champions League ambitions.

  Torres and Reina reluctantly agreed to stay at Anfield - but only on condition they each had an escape clause written into their contracts.

  Mirror Sport can reveal the pair are now furious at the subsequent takeover - not directly with new American owner John W Henry or New England Sports Venture - but with the management team they feel misled them over the club’s future.

  Hodgson has been told there will be no marquee signings in the January transfer window leaving Torres and Reina feeling they have wasted a season.

  Insiders at Anfield fear that without Champions League qualification the club will struggle to make a profit - but crucially then have nothing to offer potential big name signings.

  Mirror Sport revealed on Tuesday that Reina has been targeted by Sir Alex Ferguson for a sensational switch to Manchester United - and that now could happen in January.

  Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will resume his quest to sign the keeper and the immediate lure of Champions League football will prove a massive draw for the World Cup winner.

  Torres will have his pick of clubs - even though the ‘big’ clubs very rarely make marquee signings in January because most major players are cup tied - thanks to Liverpool’s failure to qualify for this season’s Champions League.

  Representatives of Torres and Reina did not respond to attempts to contact them yesterday.

  
  
• dragg

  28 Oct 10, 10:38

  liverpooll should ask themselves if roy would be staying.  if not its better to let him go now and not after he started bringing in players he fancies.

   

• mrwonderful

  28 Oct 10, 17:56

  it is virtually impossible torres would stay on past Jan.

  the only way that could happen is if they signed alot of star players in that period, but now with the new management and new policy, that is out of question.

  unless NESV bends over to their demands they are on their way out.

• charlize

  28 Oct 10, 18:12

  At this point in time, there is really no use in trying to keep players who want to leave.

   

  Let them leave, and use the money to buy a few good mid tier players who will be willing to put their bodies on the line for the club.

   

  This will at least ensure that the team is stabilised until such time where it can be rebuilt again.

   

  I reckon the best position liverpool can attain this season will be among the top 10.

   

  Forget about any trophies this season or a Top 4 finish.

   

  That's just about the best thing that the current manager can do.

• zocoss

  28 Oct 10, 19:18

  Hands off! Liverpool boss Hodgson warns rivals Manchester United over Reina as fears grow over Anfield exodus
  

   

   

   

  

  Wanted man: Pepe Reina is a target for Premier League rivals Manchester United and Arsenal 

   

   

   

  Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has warned Manchester United that Pepe Reina is not for sale. 

  Fears are mounting over the futures of Reina and fellow Spaniard Fernando Torres. Reina is on United's radar as they line up a long-term successor for Edwin van der Sar, while Arsenal are also monitoring his situation.

  Speculation over the future of Reina - and other star players - has arisen because of the recent instability at Anfield and the poor start made by the club to the Barclays Premier League season.

  Sportsmail understands that a bid of £20million would tempt Liverpool into selling, while £50m would open the door to Torres leaving.

  There are also suggestions that the pair had get-out clauses inserted into their contracts in the summer, although Liverpool are yet to comment on this.

  But the 28-year-old only signed a six-year contract in April and Hodgson has no intention of letting one of his most prized assets leave.

   

   

  

  Pressure: Roy Hodgson

   

   

  Hodgson told the Liverpool Echo: 'It was just one of those stories that seems to occur - it's just disappointing and annoying.

  'Pepe is fantastic here, he is a lifeblood of this team. Everything he does around the club is excellent - he is always lively in the dressing room, he is always first class in training and he always wants to do more to improve.

  'He demands better from those around him, he is always pushing people on. He is a player who we hold in the highest esteem.

  'We have heard nothing from Manchester United and, more to the point, we don't want to hear anything from Manchester United.

  'If (Sir Alex) Ferguson is looking around at the end of the season and he has got lots of money to replace (Edwin) van der Sar, he might very well want Pepe Reina because he is the best around.

  'But we do not want to sell him. I would like to think that we are going to become a successful club once again and Pepe is crucial to that.'

  Hodgson’s last week suggested United would bid Fernando Torres if Wayne Rooney left.

  But he has now moved to ease fears that the striker is on his way out of Anfield.

  He said: 'We want to promise the players we have got here that we are going to be up there fighting once again and we are absolutely not looking to sell any of our better players.

  'But, equally, I would also be disappointed if teams like Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and all the teams with money were not looking at our players.

  'If I was Fernando Torres, I would expect every top club in Europe to be chasing me. That’s good as it means he’s doing his job. But we don’t need the money and we don’t want to sell.'

• zocoss

  30 Oct 10, 00:31

  Liverpool Owner John W. Henry Has 'No Intention' Of Selling Top Stars

  Supremo intends to build on strength of current squad

   

   

  Liverpool owner John W Henry

   

   

   

   

   

  Liverpool owner John W. Henry has "no intention" of sanctioning the sale of star men such as Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina.
  
  Reports emerged this week that the club's key players were disillusioned with life at Anfield and were prepared to head for the exit door in January.
  
  Henry has moved quickly to allay fan's fears and promised to "build on the strength of the current squad, not undermine it" in a statement released to the club's website.
  
  He said: "We have recently read stories about our intentions for the forthcoming January transfer window and have a sense of humour about this type of inevitable speculation.
  
  "As everyone knows we are new to English football, but not to sport, and we are studying all options. Opportunities and value will drive spending in January and in the future.
  
  "Our clear focus from day one of our ownership has been - and will be - to improve the club and focus on what it will take to put Liverpool FC consistently in a position to challenge for trophies. We intend to build this club the right way.
  
  "Stories about our top players leaving are destructive and unwarranted but we realise that this kind of speculation is also common.
  
  "We intend to build on the strength of the current squad, not undermine it. And I can reassure our supporters that we have no intention of allowing the team to be weakened going forward."
  
  

• mrwonderful

  30 Oct 10, 05:01

  funny how a gk is their star man.

  all pool need are 4 decent defenders and more importantly, 2 strong defensive midfielders.

  as long as they keep a decent defensive record that is half the battle won.

• dragg

  30 Oct 10, 13:17

  dont splash on expensive signings.  dont sell the top players.

  give them to look for a new buyer before the transfer window opens?