One of the "strange things"?

The net literally is bubbling over with comments about the Ronaldinho transfer rumour. And maybe the signing of the Brazillian superstar is one of the "strange things" that Comolli refered to speaking to The Telegraph the other day.

One who has spoken about the Ronaldinho gossip is Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva, backing the possible move.

- I am not aware of anything in terms of Ronaldinho signing, but I would be very happy if this was to happen, Lucas told Globoesporte, The Daily Mail reports.


- We started a friendship when we played in the Olympics and for Brazil. It would be nice to play with him at Liverpool. Everyone knows Ronaldinho and they know what he can do, Lucas said.

Another strange thing that might happen is that Glen Johnson could end up elsewhere than on Merseyside.

Sky Sports understands Johnson was unhappy with Hodgson's public criticism and is considering a move away from Anfield when the transfer window reopens next month.

Juventus have been strongly linked with a move for Johnson with the Bianconeri keen to bolster their defence in January.

Former Reds boss Rafa Benitez is also thought to be keen on bringing Johnson to Inter Milan having signed the defender during his time at the helm at Anfield.

Johnson is understood to be interested in a move abroad if the club decide to listen to offers for his services in the New Year.

Another transfer rumours that is really buzzing today is that Ajax striker and captain Luis Suarez looks set to leave the club in January.

The Uruguayan international is said to be disappointed at manager Martin Jol's departure from the club on Monday following a poor run of form.

And Suarez, 23, has now instructed his agent to instigate talks with Ajax bosses over engineering a move away - possibly as soon as the January transfer window - according to reports in the Netherlands, Metro reports.

Spurs and Arsenal are also said to be interested, but it appears Suarez favours a move to Anfield.

Given his desire to leave, Hodgson is hopeful of securing the South American's signature for a bargain price of £9million - especially as the post-World Cup hype surrounding him now appears to have died down.

Another name reappearing on the Liverpool transfer rumour mill is Real Madrid's Lassana Diarra.

Spanish daily newspaper AS is reporting that Liverpool and Tottenham are the frontrunners as Real Madrid look to offload Lassana Diarra in the January transfer window.

The 25 year old has only started three games this season, and according to AS, the French international is all set for a move back to England where he has already played for Chelsea, Arsenal and Portsmouth.

It is believed that the Reds and Spurs would be keen to take the holding midfielder on loan in January in view to a permanent move at the end of the season.

AS also states that Manchester United and Aston Villa are said to be monitoring the situation.

A completely new name on the radar is the Lazio defender Stephan Lichtsteiner.

The 26 year-old Switzerland international is comfortable at centre-half and right-back and is interesting Liverpool ahead of the January market, TribalFootball reports.

Reds boss Roy Hodgson is aware of Lichtsteiner through his time with the Swiss national team and knows he has also been a long-term target for Real Madrid.

The defender is inside the final two years of his Lazio contract and the next two transfer windows represent the best time for the Rome club to sell.

Liverpool in negotiations with Honda?

We are rapidly approaching half way this season, and with a miserable start rumors about who possibly will replace Roy Hodgson will not go away.

The name that keeps coming back is Frank Rijkaard who is, according to FootyLatest almost certain to be the next Liverpool manager

Money has flooded in to some bookies in recent days and now William Hill go massive odds on that Rijkaard will be named as the next manager at Anfield.

Elsewhere there is a player that seems almost certain to be headed for Anfield in January...

Liverpool's interest in Japanese star Keisuke Honda is apparently leading to action, as the team is reportedly commencing negotiations with the CSKA attacker.

Honda, who is valued at £12m, can play in any attacking role -- midfield, on the wing, or as a second striker -- and is one of the world's best set-piece takers.

His performances in the World Cup were so impressive that Arsene Wenger called him a "genius" and "the best player in the competition." Still, it is Liverpool - not Arsenal - that appear to be favorites to land him, while AC Milan is in the mix as well, according to GiveMeFootball.

Sankei Sports has reported that CSKA management is willing to part with Honda for the right price.

- We will not lock our players in. If the bid is fair, we respect the players' will, they have said.

Honda has long been assumed to be on the move to a bigger club.

Another familiar face is appearing on the radar; Liverpool are now being linked with a shock January move for former striker Djibril Cisse.

The French international forward is reportedly on the verge of a Panthanaikos exit, and Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is one of a number of Premier League managers thought to be considering a move for the player, Metro reports.

Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier is also thought to be interested in the player, and could use his French connections in a bid to bring the player to Villa Park.

Fulham manager Mark Hughes is the other interested party, with the Cottagers viewing the player as a second option should they fail to land Roque Santa Cruz from Manchester City.

However, reports from France and the continent claim that Liverpool could make a substantial offer for the 29-year-old striker in the opening month of 2011.

A move would see Cisse return to Anfield, where he signed in 2004 and won a Champions League medal the following season. His two-season stint on Merseyside was interrupted by a leg break though, and the mercurial striker could have unfinished business with Liverpool.

An earlier reported Liverpool transfer target is out of favour Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra.

The Real Madrid midfielder is heavily linked with a Santago Bernabeu exit in the opening month of 2011, and Spurs are thought to have joined Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson in the race to sign the player, GiveMeFootball writes.

Diarra has Premier League experience through his time at Chelsea, Arsenal and Portsmouth. Sold to Madrid for a fee in the region of £20 million, Diarra appears out-of-the frame under Jose Mourinho.

Resigned to a substitutes role with Los Blancos, Liverpool have highlighted the player as someone who could strengthen the Reds' squad at Anfield following a difficult start to the season.

Also Sportsvibe now reports that Redknapp has highlighted the player to his board at Tottenham Hotspur, with the club keen to strengthen as they challenge on several fronts this season.

Liverpool are after Hamburg winger Jonathan Pitroipa, according to The People.

The Burkina Faso international is allegedly being closely monitored by the Merseysiders and Reds scouts have been watching the 24-year-old with a view to launching a January bid.

Roy Hodgson was alerted to the talents of the Pitroipa when he impressed against his Fulham side in last season's Europa League, and the Liverpool boss has since thought to have kept a keen eye on his progress.

The former SC Freiburg attacker could be available to Liverpool for around £5 million and would fit with Hodgson's pledge to add more potency to his Anfield frontline.

Yet another new name: Birmingham defender Scott Dann is a possible transfer target for both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur according to reports from Sky Sports.

The 23-year-old has been earning rave reviews since moving from Coventry to Birmingham City and has been tipped for an England call-up in recent weeks after a number of eye-catching performances at the heart of the Blues defence.

A number of clubs are believed to be tracking the former England Under-21 international who has formed an impressive partnership with tough tackling defender Roger Johnson.

Liverpool are reportedly ready to make a move for Dann in January after finding out that Jamie Carragher has been ruled out of action for three months with a dislocated shoulder.

The Reds defence has struggled to keep clean sheets this season with Daniel Agger currently ruled out for the foreseeable future and Glen Johnson also having missed a number of games through injury.

- Obviously the speculation linking me with some top clubs in the Premier League is flattering, Dann told skysports.com.

- Ultimately it is my ambition to play at the highest level with a major club like it is for any player, but for the time being I am happy playing at Birmingham and I am focused on doing my best for the club, he says.

The French and Spanish connections

The day after owner John W. Henry says he wants more squad depth, and the day before Liverpool is facing this Premier League seasons biggest test so far, Damien Comolli is hoping to make an early impact.

The Daily Mail today reports that Liverpool wants to sign midfield prospect Dimitri Payet from under the noses of three other bidders.

Anfield's newly-appointed director of football strategy believes his St Etienne connections could give him a decisive edge over Napoli, Inter Milan and Aston Villa in the £7million battle to sign 23-year old Payet who was watched by Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson in September.

Payet is an attacking midfielder or winger and on the verge of breaking into the senior France side after catching Laurent Blanc's eye with seven goals in as many games this season. 

It has also put him in the frame for a January move to England or Italy, with Comolli, the former director of football at Tottenham and credited with unearthing some top youngsters, poised to win the race.

Partizan Belgrade star Cleo reportedly is linked with a move to Liverpool.

But according to Sky Sports the player admits he is in the dark about reports linking him with a move to Liverpool.

Reports have suggested the Reds are considering a move for the Brazilian striker as they bolster their attacking options in the January transfer window.

However, Cleo, who has scored against Arsenal in this season's Champions League, is not reading too much into the speculation.

- Liverpool? I heard something about this story... Well, I actually read about it on the internet. But nobody has talked with me about this. But of course in football you never know what tomorrow will bring to you, Cleo says Sky Sports reports.

Another exciting rumour that turns up is that Valencias Juan Mata is on top of Roy Hodgsons shopping list for January.

The Liverpool boss has already stated his intentions to sign 5 or 6 players and has the backing of the club’s new owners as he seeks to reverse the poor start to the season.

Mata left Real Madrid to join Valencia in March 2007 and initially found it hard to secure a regular first team spot but in the absence of the club’s two big name Spanish internationals he has hit a run of good form this season which has led many clubs to consider a move for the pint sized attacker.

Hodgson hopes to persuade Mata to join his national team colleagues Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina at Anfield and knows that he will have to dig deep to secure the £17m rated international, Caughtoffside writes.

The Liverpool manager is looking to add more creativity to his attacking third after finding goals hard to come by this season.

Juan Mata can play in a number of positions from an out and out striker to his more preferred position out wide on the left wing where he could help provide ammunition for the Merseyside club.

Another old rumour that resurface is about Lassana Diarra.

He is reportedly closer to a Real Madrid exit after appearing to be frozen out at the Bernabeu.

The French international's last action for Los Blancos came as a substitute against AC Milan a fortnight ago, and Diarra was left out of the squad completely for the return fixture in the Champions League on Wednesday, GiveMeFootball reports.

His brief cameo appearance suggests the player has fallen further down the pecking order under Jose Mourinho, and Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is reportedly preparing to swoop for the player.

A player with Premier League experience after time with Chelsea, Arsenal and Portsmouth, Real Madrid signed the player in 2009 for a fee in the region of £20m.

After just over a year, the asking price is now thought to be half with the La Liga side looking to sell after more 'mega-deals' this summer.

Liverpool want Real Madrid outcast?

In january the hunt for a new striker will probably be the most important for Roy Hodgson. But today Liverpool is also being linked a couple of midfielders.

Most important is the rumour of Liverpool being associated with a move for Real Madrid outcast Lassana Diarra. He is being tracked by four Premier League clubs after falling out of favour at Real Madrid this season, Talksport reports.

Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira have been manager Jose Mourinho's first-choice midfield partnership since the summer and Diarra has started only three of Madrid's 12 games so far under the Portuguese.

Now Aston Villa, Everton, Tottenham and Liverpool are all interested in bringing the France international back to England, according to reports in Spain.

However, it is thought Madrid president Florentino Perez wants to recoup at least half of the £20m fee he shelled out for the tenacious midfielder less than two years ago.

The other significant rumour of the day is that of earlier linked Standard Liege captain Steven Defour.

Todays report brought by Sport.co.uk says that seven clubs are interested in the player with Manchester United still firmly in the hunt for the 22-year-old.

Manchester United were confirmed as one of the seven clubs monitoring the player while Everton and Liverpool are also rumoured to have registered their interest in the player.

- Yes, it is true he is being watched. He is being monitored by seven clubs at the moment from England, France, Spain and Italy, his agent told the site.

Being asked if a January move was a bit too soon to think about leaving Standard Liege. He replied:

- We don’t know. It depends on the club and whether or not there is a big move in the January window that could see other people move. I have received positive phone calls from clubs in the UK, who have said they can do things, so we will wait and see, the agent says. 

Finaly a new name appears. 

Liverpool is today being linked with a Russian striker. Apparently Roy Hodgson has set his sights on Stuttgart targetman Russian Pavel Pogrebnyak.

Despite Stuttart's poor start to the season Pogrebnyak has managed to net five goals in seven games. The rangy 6ft 3in striker could work well as a foil for Fernando Torres and help Liverpool become more of an attacking threat.

A move for the former Zenit St Petersburg man would set Liverpool back around £12m, Caughtoffside reports.

Spennede sommer

Det går mot en svært spennende sommer for Liverpool FC. Det nærmer seg eierskifte og usikkerheten rundt managerens framtid er stor - likevel kobles en rekke spillere med overganger til Merseyside.

Med kun én kamp igjen å spille av sesongen bobler det virkelig på ryktebørsen.

Til tross for usikkerhet rundt Benitez' framtid og nye eiere på vei inn i klubben blir flere kvalitetsspillere satt i sammenheng med overganger til Liverpool og Merseyside.

Det er stor usikkerhet omkring Rafa Benitez er manager når neste sesong sparkes igang, og hvem blir nye eiere?

Det kanskje mest overraskende ryktet akkurat nå er at Liverpool skal være interessert i å hente Chelseas Joe Cole, som er Bosman-spiller i sommer. The Daily Mail melder at Liverpool har et ønske om å bygge neste sesongs lag rundt midtbanespilleren som ikke vil skrive ny kontrakt med Londonklubben.

Liverpool har en strategi som sier at klubben skal hente flere britiske spillere og vil i følge avisa hente minst to spillere fra Storbritannia i sommer. Det var en del av denne strategien da man hentet Jonjo Shelvey fra Charlton for litt siden.

Et annet rykte den siste tiden har handlet om at Liverpool kan være aktuell endestasjon om Carlos Téves bestemmer seg for å skifte klubb i sommer. I en artikkel i The Daily Mail uttrykker han misnøye med sin situasjon i Manchester City. Spissen har også tidligere vært koblet med en overgang til Merseyside, og nå kommer det opp nok en gang.

Det er ikke vanskelig å påstå at Liverpool trenger en klassespiss i tillegg til Torres, og Téves kan godt være løsningen.

En annen spiss som også i disse dager blir linket til Liverpool er Real Madrid-spissen Karim Benzema. Spilleren skal interessere våre erkefiender i Manchester United, men i følge Tribalfootball skal også Liverpool være svært interessert.

Den spanske hovedstadsklubben skal visstnok ha storopprydding i stallen sin i sommer og i tillegg til Benzema skal også både Rafael Van der Vaart og Lassana Diarra være på vei bort og aktuelle for Anfield.

I følge Click Liverpool skal klubbene allerede ha vært i samtaler, i hvert fall når det gjelder Van der Vaart. Samtaler som har skjedd uten at Benitez har vært innvolvert - noe som gjør Benitez ytterligere frustrert.

En spiller som kan være på vei ut i sommer er Yossi Benayoun, som i følge en artikkel i The Guardian både kaster tvil over sin egen framtid i Liverpool og framtiden til både Steven Gerrard og Fernando Torres.

- En klubb som Liverpool må gjøre alt de kan for å beholde spillere som Stevie [Gerrard] og Fernando, men mange ting kan endre og om noen få uker vil vi vite mer, sa Benayoun, som også innrømmer at hans egen Liverpool-karriere kan være over.

- Det er vanskelig å snakke om neste sesong, når vi ikke vet hvilke endringer som kommer når det gjelder spillerne og eiere. Det er for tidlig. Personlig vet jeg ikke om jeg vil være her eller om jeg drar. Mange ting kan skje. Om det var opp til meg, ville jeg blitt her og spilt karieren ferdig i Liverpool. Fansen her er de beste i verden, men det avhenger av mange ting. Det vil være mye klarere snart, sier Yossi.

Benayoun blir blant annet koblet med en overgang til Tottenham, der Harry Redknap skal være interessert i en handel.

En ting er helt sikkert: Om Liverpool skal holde på fire spillere etter sommerens Silly Season er det disse: Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun og Pepe Reina.

Hva mener du?

Januarkandidater?

Har Benitez, eller har han ikke, penger til å styrke stallen i januar? Hvem blir solgt og hvem blir hentet?

Med "little silly season" noen få uker unna begynner ryktemengden å ta seg opp. Jeg skal ikke kommentere The Mirrors tullete melding om at Chelsea igjen vil forsøke å hente Steven Gerrard med annet enn: Ha ha ha! £30m? HA HA HA!

Dagens melding til tross, om at Benitez ikke har penger og må satse på unge spillere: The Express melder at Hicks' og Gilletts salg av interesser i andre sportsklubber kan føre til "cash boost" i januar og store spillerkjøp. Et skudd for den framtidige finansielle baugen kan det imidlertid være at en av de interesserte investorene har trukket seg. The People skriver at Prince Faisal bin Fahd har mistet interessen for å kjøpe hele eller deler av klubben.

The Belfast Telegraph har laget en fin oversikt over hvilke spillere Benitez eventuelt kan tenke seg om han får penger til overs i januar. Ryktene om Matthew Upson, Rafael van der Vaart, Patrick Vieira, Lassana Diarra, Ruud van Nistlerooy, Keirrison og Roman Pavlyuchenko er alle tidligere kommentert på denne bloggen.

I tillegg nevner avisa tre andre spillere:

Carlton Cole: Spissen som har gjort det bra etter at han gikk fra Chelsea til West Ham, men som kan komme til å bli solgt på grunn av klubbens pengeproblemer. Han har scoret seks mål så langt, men er nå skadet.

Bruno Ecuele Manga spiller i dag i fransk andredivisjon i klubben Angers SCO og i følge imscouting.com skal også Arsenal være interessert i den 20 år gamle midtstopperen, som beskrives som skal være et av de største talentene i frankrikes nest øverste divisjon.

I tillegg skriver avisa om 16-åringen Kristján Gauti Emilsson, som Liverpool.no allerede har meldt at vil komme i januar.

Avisa hevder også at Ryan Babel, Andrea Dossena, Andrei Voronin og Philipp Degen er de fire spillerne det er mest sannsynlig at forsvinner i januar.

Et annet interessant rykte denne søndagen serveres av The Daily Star som melder at Liverpool skal være interessert i å hente Evertons tidligere Man Utd-stjerne Louis Saha.

Saha har i dag en såkalt "pay as you play"-kontrakt på andre siden av Stanley Park, og kan snakke med andre klubber i januar, siden denne kontrakten går ut til sommeren. Men det ville antagelig blitt noe av en skandale om han tok turen til erkerival Liverpool...

Ellers forteller Sky Sports at Monacos 2o år gamle talent Cedric Mongongu skal være et transfermål for en rekke klubber, deriblant Liverpool.

Silly Season #29

Riise følges av tidligere lagkamerat til Roma? Spanjol ikke transfermål. Barry blir for dyr? Alternativ fra Portsmouth?

Så ser det altså mer eller mindre klart ut at John Arne Riise havner i Italienske Roma. I følge Goal.com skal til og med Bjørn Helge Riise ha bekreftet dette overfor Corriere dello Sport.

- Jeg har akkurat snakket med min bror og han sier han vil spille for Roma neste sesong. Og han er kjempefornøyd, sier Bjørn Helge til avisa.

Men det behøver ikke bli den eneste spilleren som flytter fra Merseyside til den italienske hovedstaden og Stadio Olimpico denne sommeren. For Roma, som kom på andreplass i Serie A denne sesongen, vil forsterke ytterligere. De vil trolig miste Alessandro Mancini dette overgangsvinduet og trenger nytt blod på vingen.

Og nå heter det også at Harry Kewell, som er uten kontrakt, skal være interessant for klubben i Den Evige Stad. Kewell skal nå vurdere dette dersom han ikke får til noen overgang til en annen engelsk klubb.

I en deprimerende artikkel i den gjerne velinformerte lokalavisa Liverpool Echo står det i dag skrevet at David Villa ikke er et transfermål for Benitez denne sommeren.

Mannen som er toppscorer i EM så langt har tidligere blitt tolket i den retning at han ville foretrekke en overgang til England og Liverpool. Men nå har han gått ut og bragt klarhet i hva han har sagt.

- Jeg har ikke sagt noe slikt. Min klubb insisterer på at jeg ikke er til salgts og nå fokuserer jeg på EM. Og så langt jeg vet har ingen fra Liverpool vært i kontakt. Uansett er ikke min fremtid som fotballspiller noe jeg tanker på akkurat nå, sier Villa.

Det betyr at Rafa Benitez ser andre steder etter forsterkning på spissplass, siden Peter Crouch ganske sikkert forsvinner.

Og når det gjelder sommerens andre langtekkelige transfersaga, knyttet til Aston Villas Gareth Barry, heter det i følge The Mirror at Liverpool nekter å betale de £20m som Birminghamklubben nå skal forlange for midtbanespilleren.

Avisa mener Liverpool er rede til å se etter alternativer andre steder dersom prisen blåses opp til uante proposjoner.

Da skal heller Lassana Diarra være et alternativ - fra klubben som ønsker seg Peter Crouch - Harry Redknapps Portsmouth.

Tidligere har The Observer skrevet at en rekke klubber er interessert i å hente Diarra fra Fratton Park - og at Liverpool skal være favoritter til få signaturen til den tidligere Arsenal- og Chelsea-spilleren.

Nå mener imidlertid Liverpool Echo at Aston Villa er nære et kjøp av Chelseas Steve Sidewell. Noe som kan gjøre det enklere for Martin O'Neill å gi slipp på sin midtbanejuvel.