The next Liverpool FC manager?

Yesterday the somewhat turbulent history of Liverpool FC took yet another dramatic turn.

Kenny Dalglish was given the boot after just 16 months at the helm. After not winning the FA Cup final and ending the Premier League season on a low, with 8. position, winning the Carling Cup wasn’t enough to save him the job. 

Now the race is on to find his successor, and a number of names have been mentioned.

According to Sky Sports Ian Ayre says no one has been contacted about the vacant management job. But who know what’s going on behind the scenes? 

The Independent claims Liverpool’s American owners the past two weeks have made contact with Andre Villas-Boas in an attempt to establish his interest in taking over at Anfield.

- Villas-Boas follows football, but there have not been any official offers for him yet, his agent, Carlos Goncalves told the website Calciomercatoweb.

- If an interesting project comes about then we will certainly take it into consideration, he continued, and wouldn’t Liverpool be just that?

Former Liverpool FC legend John Barnes thinks Villas-Boas would do a good job if appointed.

- His footballing philosophy and his style of play fit. He proved he could win things at Porto. He was at the right club at the wrong time with Chelsea. There were a lot of problems for him there because of the older players. He is a proven manager and he would be coming into a humbler squad than the one at Chelsea if he came to Liverpool, Barnes told The Daily Post.

Elsewhere Dave Whelan has confirmed to The Times that LFC have asked for permission to speak to Roberto Martinez, the Wigan manager.

According to Goal.com Martinez is scheduled to fly to Boston next week to begin negotiations with Fenway Sports Group. They claim Martinez could be confirmed as the new Liverpool manager by next week should talks progress smoothly.

In addition their claim is that Andre Villas-Boas is considered the back-up for Liverpool if an agreement cannot be reached with Martinez.

Other names being mentioned today are Brendan Rodgers, Frank Rijkard and former manager Rafa Benitez.

Liverpool lead chase for midfielder

With Kenny Dalglish’s managerial position still in the balance the Silly Season rumor mill keeps on grinding.

We always want the business to be done as early as possible in the transfer window, but history tells us it can happen any time up until deadline day.

Liverpool keeps on being linked with Rasmus Elm, but the transfer might not go through.

Lately however, the option of signing Wigan midfielder Mohamed Diame on a free transfer also has become a real alternative. According to Sky Sports, the 24-year-old has attracted interest from a host of sides both in this country and abroad, but wants to stay in the UK.

Diame's agent, Willie McKay, explained that the Senegal international enjoys playing in England, and is hoping to stay.

- Momo is one of the best Bosmans around this summer and there are a lot of clubs at home and abroad keen on him, but Momo would like to stay in the Premier League and play for an ambitious club, he told Sky Sports.

- I have met with several Premier League clubs and we are considering all offers, but we have yet to make a decision on where Momo will be going, he continued.

Kenny Dalglish has been strongly linked with a move for the African ace, as he looks to further bolster his midfield options at Anfield during the close season.

According to the Daily Mail Liverpool and Tottenham lead the chase for Diame and a report in the Daily Star reports The Reds are set to hold contract talks with the 24-year-old in the next week

Elsewhere Liverpool is linked with a transfer for Roma striker Bojan Krkic.

TalkSport reports interest for the 21-year-old arrived in Italy from Barcelona last summer.

After scoring just seven goals in 33 league appearances he has struggled to find his feet, but insists he is happy at Roma despite a miserable debut season.

The player - who has been widely regarded as one of the brightest young talents in all of Europe – could come to Anfield this summer, though Bojan insists he remains happy at Roma.

Manager Luis Enrique paid £10m to bring him to Stadio Olimpico, however, after the Spaniard confirmed he is set to leave Roma after only one season, speculation has risen to suggest his compatriot could follow him out the exit door.

Striker deal done? Midfielder deal in the making?

Apparently Liverpool has struck a deal with AZ Alkmaar for midfielder Rasmus Elm. 

A paper, which I will not mention by name, today claims Liverpool have agreed an £8million deal to bring the Sweden international to Anfield this summer.

The report says Kenny Dalglish went out to Holland for a last look at the player, but that he was pulled out of the match day squad due to his wife going into labour. That did however not stop him from sanctioning a deal to take the player to Anfield on a five-year contract worth £40,000 a week.

The former Kalmar man has had a successful season and has scored on ten occasions from his position in midfield. The Elm transfer will be Liverpool’s first of a summer where a number of personnel changes are reportedly set to take place.

Elsewhere another report says yet another player from the Dutch league might be on his way to Anfield. Kenny Dalglish is reportedly interested in signing Luuk de Jong from FC Twente.

The player, who reportedly has been on the Liverpool radar in the past, according to the Metro could be a good addition alongside top scorer Luis Suarez.

His 23 goals in the league this season have attracted a number of European suitors, including Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish. The 21-year-old, with a £12.5m asking price, will be purchased with part of a £20million transfer kitty that will be granted the Liverpool manager this summer, the report says.

… and finaly – an american actor with some class!

Samuel L. Jackson in a Liverpool FC shirt!

Midfielders in demand

Kenny Dalglish innsists that this summers squad rebuilding is on, and that the club needs to replace Damien Comolli.The speculation to how big his transfer kitty actually is has started, but it should be at least £20m plus whatever comes in from selling players. 

Now Liverpool reportedly are, despite signing Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson last summer, launching a £16.3m bid for the Bologna midfielder Gaston Ramirez.

According to Setanta he’s being targeted by a number of top clubs but it looks as though Liverpool have stolen a march on their rivals by making an offer for the 21-year-old.

-          Bologna have received an offer near to 20million Euros from an important club in the Premier League, his agent said.

He has been compared to a young Kaka and a solid temperament would slot in nicely at Anfield with his countrymen Suarez and Coates.

Watch him here:

A new player this week re-appeared on the radar, as Dalglish flew out to France.

According to Insidefutbol Dalglish was in the crowd as Ligue 1 leaders Montpellier visited Toulouse. He is believed to have been watching Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko, a player Liverpool have a long standing interest in.

Also in attendance was Arsenal scout Gilles Grimandi and Bayern Munich general manager Christian Nerlinger.

After the game he comented: 

- I've had contact with English clubs, notably Liverpool, but I preferred to commit myself to Toulouse, the club where I have been educated, to get more experience.

Let’s see what happens over the summer…

Swedish player tops Kenny’s list?

Swedish midfielder for summer rebuild? Dutch and Colombian strikers on the radar.

I have not blogged for nearly a year, but for the coming transfer window I want to get back to the Silly Season action. Kenny Dalglish and his trusted men has had a bad league season, but might just be rescuing it by adding another cup final victory on the fifth of may.

After the Director of Football, Damien Comolli left the club under some suspicious circumstances a few weeks ago, speculations are growing the summer will be an eventful one.

According to reports Liverpool have targeted Sweden international Rasmus Elm for a the summer rebuilding of the side. The 24-year-old midfielder has scored 12 times this season and was watched by top scout Steve Hitchen, says the Daily Mirror.

Despite the splashing of £35 million on striker Andy Carroll in january last year, Liverpool have struggled in front of goal and Elm could help alleviate the burden on the forwards. He has made 22 appearances for his country and is expected to cost around £7m.

Another story sirculating is that of Dutch striker Luc Castaignos. The Milan player apparently already in January was in a meeting with Liverpool staff, but the Italian club nicked him, Voetbal Internatinal reports.

Now clubs from Germany, Portugal and Spain are interested in the striker, along with Liverpool. The reds will have a big battle on if they pursue the interest in the summer.

Another striker on the radar is Colombian striker Jackson Martinez. Earlier Sky Sports has claimed the 25-year-old has insisted that he could be in line for a move to England. Liverpool are showing a strong interest, whilst Everton, Sunderland and Wigan are also believed to be keen, the report said.

The hitman, who plays for Mexican outfit Jaguares, has declared interest from both Liverpool and F.C. Porto.

-  I am not in any advanced negotiations with Liverpool or Porto but I know they are personally interested, he told Nuevo Estadio, according to Kop-TV.com.

- I have not spoken to anyone and that goes for my club and my agent. In the next few months thinks should be finalized, he added.