LIVERPOOL will have to cough up £20million for Carlton Cole
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Roy Hodgson lines up £10m raid to bring Peter Crouch back to Anfield
Kopped it: Crouch could be lining up alongside Gerrard and co next season
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson wants to take Peter Crouch back to Anfield two years after he was shown the door by Rafa Benitez.
Hodgson has made solving Liverpool’s striker shortage his priority and is ready to test Harry Redknapp’s resolve to keep Crouch at Tottenham with a £10million offer.
Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, who played with Crouch at Anfield, have sung his praises to their new manager and Hodgson believes the 6ft 7in England international would be able to either play alongside Fernando Torres or step in whenever the Spaniard is injured or needs a rest.
Despite Liverpool’s financial problems with the club currently up for sale, Hodgson will be given money for a new striker if Javier Mascherano rejoins Benitez, now in charge at Inter Milan, in a £20m deal or signs for Barcelona.
He is keen to continue bolstering the English contingent in his squad, having already signed Joe Cole from Chelsea on a Bosman.
Intriguingly, Crouch may be tempted by the opportunity to complete unfinished business at Anfield despite the lure of Champions League football at Spurs.
He helped Liverpool win the FA Cup and reach the Champions League final in three seasons at the club but was sold by Benitez to Portsmouth in 2008 to make way for Robbie Keane.
However, the success of Hodgson’s mission would still depend on the attitude of Tottenham boss Redknapp. He has managed Crouch at three clubs - Southampton, Portsmouth and Spurs - and would only sell if chairman Daniel Levy backs his plans to bring in other targets Ashley Young of Aston Villa, Sevilla’s Brazil striker Luis Fabiano, AC Milan’s Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Craig Bellamy of Manchester City.
Redknapp has so far been frustrated in the transfer market, with Levy waiting to see if Spurs beat Young Boys of Berne in a two-leg qualifying round later this month to reach the Champions League group stage.
Spurs want to reduce their squad but have not been able to so far shift players like David Bentley, Jermaine Jenas and Roman Pavlyuchenko, who are surplus to requirements.
Tottenham targets: The deal for Crouch would allow Redknapp to pick up Ashley Young, Luis Fabiano. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Craig Bellamy
However, Keane is still likely to go to Aston Villa once their sale of James Milner to Manchester City is completed.
Crouch has been in demand throughout his career and will be keen to have a good season after a disappointing World Cup in which manager Fabio Capello preferred to partner Wayne Rooney with Emile Heskey or Jermain Defoe despite Crouch’s 21 goals for England. Handle
Hodgson also has to deal with the interest of Barcelona, who may turn their attention to midfielder Mascherano after missing out on Cesc Fabregas.
The Spanish champions are being encouraged by Lionel Messi to make a move for his Argentina team-mate who would add steel alongside the dazzling attacking talent at the Nou Camp.
Barca were priced out of the market for Fabregas but Liverpool would be willing to listen to offers of £20-25m as they know Mascherano is keen to leave Merseyside for family reasons.
Inter manager Benitez is also keen on being reunited with Mascherano but has to wait until Mario Balotelli or Maicon are sold before he can launch a bid.
Liverpool hope two European giants competing for Mascherano will lead to a higher sale price. They would also see it as poetic justice if Benitez missed out on Mascherano after his acrimonious relations with the club hierarchy in the final few months of his time at Liverpool.
Mascherano has been a popular figure at Anfield since arriving from West Ham in 2008 but his wife has failed to settle in the north-west and the 26-year-old has wanted to quit for southern Europe for the past 12 months.
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Peter Crouch beds £800 teen hooker
ENGAGED: Peter and Abbey
VICE GIRL: Monica had sex with Crouch in a Madrid hotel roomENGLAND star Peter Crouch cheated on model fiancée Abbey Clancy with a 19-year-old hooker, the News of the World can reveal.
The gangly Spurs striker paid more than £800 for two sordid romps with Monica Mint on a stag weekend in Madrid. She told us: "He seemed nice so I let him take control."
His betrayal came just days after he returned from a romantic trip with stunning Abbey. Crouch handed over cash to petite Monica for a sex act in the back of a taxi and THEN bedded her at a downmarket hotel in the Spanish capital.
In an exclusive interview with the News of the World, Monica told us: "Peter had no hesitation in paying to have sex with me. He wasn't nervous.
"I didn't know he was engaged to Abbey until afterwards. I can't believe he paid for sex with someone like me when he has a gorgeous woman like her at home."
Monica told how the popular player, known to millions of football fans as Crouchy:
- DEMANDED the sex act in the taxi despite knowing passing drivers might see them as they travelled through central Madrid.
- GASPED with desire as he admired Monica's naked body, crying out, 'Oh my God... it's beautiful.'
- INSISTED on taking her mobile number in case he fancied a replay.
- BEGGED hotel staff to strike his name from their records in a bid to cover his tracks.
Crouch headed to Madrid on a stag weekend for close friend Ed Aitkin on Friday, July 16, two days after returning from Sardinia with TV beauty and model Abbey, 24.
It was on July 16 a year earlier that they announced their engagement, again after a trip to Sardinia.
Our revelations will horrify Abbey, who co-hosted James Corden's World Cup Live shows.
THE HOOKER: Monica Mint bedded CrouchIt was in the early hours of Saturday July 17 that the 6ft 7ins star met Monica at the trendy Buddha del Mar nightclub, a hangout of sports stars and celebrities. Victoria Beckham threw a 30th birthday party for hubby David there in May 2005 when he was playing for Real Madrid.
Monica has been working as a hooker for a year since moving to Spain from Algeria. The 5ft 3ins brunette told us: "I'd gone to meet another client but a couple of the public relations staff told me it could be good to go after Peter.
"When I was dancing Peter came over to me. Someone said he was drunk, I thought he was just tipsy. He seemed friendly. He was trying to do salsa dancing and it looked hilarious because he's so tall.
"We started dancing together. He was touching my back, bum, hips and boobs. He kept looking at my body and saying, 'Beautiful'.
"He wanted to give me a drink from his table. When I bought myself a Coke he came over and said, 'Why would you do that when I said I would give you a drink?'
"When I realised my other client wasn't coming I joined Peter and his friends in their roped-off VIP section. I still had to work.
"Peter was paying for everything. They were drinking from a two-litre bottle of vodka and I could see an empty bottle of champagne.
"At first I thought he was a basketball player because he's so tall. But people told me he had played football for Liverpool.
"I speak Spanish and only a little English so his friend did some translation. I told him I was an escort. The friend asked how much I charged. Then he said Peter wanted my number.
"I gave it to him. I presumed that meant he would want to see me another time. "I was wearing skinny jeans and a low-cut black body with no underwear on underneath. He put his hands inside my top to feel my boobs a couple of times.
"They aren't real. I've had two boobs jobs and gone up to a 34D. He seemed to really like them. He was wearing jeans and a shirt and those pointy black dress shoes all Englishmen wear. They're horrible!
"His friend asked me, 'You like?' I knew he was asking if I wanted to have sex with him. I said, 'Yes'. Peter said, 'You and me go,' then paid for the drinks for his friends."
Monica was ushered out of the nightspot by club staff at 4.30am. She said: "I was put into a taxi with Peter. I felt quite insecure. It was all very rushed. Peter was getting text messages on his BlackBerry. He was struggling to read them because he was quite drunk.
"He showed me a photo of him with a woman's blonde hair draped over his head. It was funny because he looked like a girl. He was wearing lipstick. He told me the hair belonged to his ex-girlfriend. I think the girl must have been Abbey.
BOOKED: Driver's record of 1,000 Euro fee"In the taxi we discussed again how much it would cost for sex. I usually charge a thousand Euros for a night.
"Because I only speak broken English, the taxi driver acted as a translator. Peter said he didn't want an entire night, just an hour, because he wanted to get back to his friends. But we agreed on 1,000 Euros (£829). The taxi driver acted as the go-between. He counted it out then gave it to me.
"Peter said we couldn't go to his hotel (the Petit Palace Londres) because he was sharing a room. He suggested going to my house but I don't like taking new customers home, so I told the driver to take us to the nearest hotel."
It was on the way to the hotel in the taxi that Crouch asked for the sex act. Monica said: "He wasn't nervous at all. Men are usually nervous if it is their first time with a prostitute. He kissed me, but he wasn't a good kisser. I only kiss clients if they are young and cute.
"He pulled my top down so he could see my breasts even though I'd said, 'No, no, it's a taxi'. Then he undid his trousers and indicated what he wanted me to do. I did as he asked for about 15 minutes.
RAF AND TUMBLE: Rafael hotel where Crouch bedded Monica"We stopped at traffic lights while I was doing what he wanted and he didn't seem to mind that people could have seen him.
"Because he is so tall his legs were squashed up and the taxi driver was making jokes because our movements were shaking his seat."
The cabbie told how he recognised Crouch immediately. The driver, who asked not to be named, said: "I'm a big football fan, so I knew it was Peter Crouch as soon as he came into my taxi." He confirmed that Monica performed the sex act on the seat behind him.
"I couldn't believe they were doing it in the taxi," he said. "I acted as a translator for them and at one point Monica asked me to confirm the price with Peter.
"I have a receipt book where Monica wrote 1,000 Euros on the back, so that Peter was clear how much she would cost. Before they went into the hotel, Peter gave me the money to count out in front of them both and hand to her.
"Monica gave me 50 Euros (£41.46) for the trip. Peter wanted me to wait, so I kept my taxi outside the hotel while they were inside."
At 5.30am the pair hired a suite at the 3-star Rafael Hotel in the south of the city for 96 Euros (£79.61).
Monica said: "We walked in holding hands. You'd never have imagined he was a famous man engaged to be married to another celebrity.
RAF AND TUMBLE: Room 105 at the Rafael hotel where Crouch had sex with Monica"He wanted me to pay for the room with my credit card but it is broken so we had to use his card. He handed over his bank card but it didn't work, I think because he was in Spain, then he gave one which was accepted. He insisted the room was in my name. I gave the receptionist my passport and details."
The pair went together in the lift to the first floor and into room 105. The basic accommodation had a king-size bed, TV and minibar containing beer and soft drinks.
FOUL PLAY: Crouch returns to cab just after 7am following hotel sex with vice girl, clutching minibar waterMonica said: "I offered him a beer but he said he would have a Coke. "He seemed a nice person, not arrogant, so I let him take control. When he looked at my body he couldn't help but be impressed. He said, 'Oh my God! It's beautiful'. We then had intercourse."
Monica said her experience with Crouch was better than she has enjoyed with Spanish footballers.
She explained: "Peter was humble and kind. The Spanish players are arrogant divas who treat me like a whore. I don't think Peter is good looking, but he is a nice person.
"He took a bottle of water from the minibar, kissed me on the cheek and left. I didn't get up to say goodbye. I went to sleep."
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Get 'em off
Cheating Peter Crouch tried to get his details wiped from hotel records
THE GIRL: Monica shows off the body that Crouch cravedCHEATING Peter Crouch sneaked out of the hotel where he bedded a 19-year-old hooker - but not before shamelessly trying to cover his tracks.
It was around 7am when he stopped at reception, realising his credit card details were clear evidence of his visit.
The footballer asked staff if his name could be changed so there would be no record he had paid for the room. But his name was not just on the booking. A log kept at the hotel to update staff warned them that the England star was a VIP guest.
GAME OVER: Monica pictured leaving hotelA hotel insider told us: "Peter Crouch paid with a credit card for the room and the prostitute gave her passport details. It is a sex scandal. He's an idiot to ruin his relationship with this low-rent girl."
After having sex with Monica, Crouch returned to the taxi still waiting outside for him and was driven to the Puerta del Sol area of the Spanish capital.
The driver told us: "He kept looking around and asking if anyone had seen him. He was suspicious.
"In the end he said, 'Thank you very much, my friend'. Peter gave me 100 Euro (£82.91) for waiting and driving him back."
Crouch's sordid escapade was fraught with difficulties from the start.
When he agreed the 1,000 Euro fee for Monica's services he didn't have enough cash.
Monica, which is her working girl name, said: "Peter didn't have enough money so we had to stop at a cashpoint.
"It was kind of funny because the first three he tried he couldn't get money out of. We had to drive to a fourth where he was finally able to get my cash."
After bedding Monica, Crouch enjoyed two more nights partying the weekend away with his mates.
Their second night was spent drinking and dancing in a VIP section of the popular Pacha nightclub.
OUTSIDE LEFT: Taxi driver who took Crouch and prostitute Monica to hotel waits for footballerBut that was only after Crouch and his pals went back to their hotel to freshen up after initially being barred from entering for being inappropriately dressed.
The stag party were also mucking about in the street, joking with passers-by and laughing at the groom, who they'd dressed in a bright pink spandex bodysuit.
One onlooker said: "It looked like any typical stag do - a group of boozy guys causing a bit of a ruckus. They all looked quite drunk and were stumbling about.
TOGETHER: Crouch and girlfriend Abbey on holiday"It was funny when Peter was turned away from the club. Clearly they didn't care that he was a famous England footballer."
Crouch, who has an impressive strike rate of 21 goals in 40 England appearances, was once asked what he would be if he had not been a footballer and he joked "a virgin".
He started dating stunning Abbey shortly before the 2006 World Cup in Germany and has spoken adoringly about her, referring to her as his "Missus" and revealing how she packs his suitcase when he goes abroad.
The couple announced their engagement in July 16 last year following his romantic proposal in Sardinia.
Abbey wept when he got down on one knee. She said: "I was sobbing. I rang my parents and Peter was like, 'Abbey, you haven't said yes yet!' and I said, 'Yes, yes of course!' "
The couple have repeatedly gushed about their love for each other.
When she starred in TV's Hell's Kitchen, Crouch said: "I think Abbey's brilliant and she's a great cook. Everything she serves up for me is always delicious."
She in turn said: "We're very happy. Everything is amazing with me and Peter."
Crouch bought Abbey's engagement ring - a large teardrop diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds - six months before he proposed.
MADNESS IN MADRID: Map of Crouch's movementsAbbey joked: "I've been teasing him that he must have kept chickening out if he had it that long. But it's perfect."
He has built up a £6million fortune during a football career spanning 12 years and seven clubs.
On top of his £70k a week salary he has a lucrative football boot deal with Puma and has had a cut of £37million in transfer fees. The supposedly clean-cut star is a role model to millions of children.
Visiting inner-city kids with the National Lottery's Good Causes last year, he said: "To come to days like this, and have a kick-around with these youngsters is the least I can do."
Crouch has rarely been in trouble off the field but in November he admitted being concerned how England manager Fabio Capello would react to photos of him at London's Movida nightclub in the early hours and with his head poking through the sunroof of a people carrier afterwards.
His millionaire lifestyle is a world away from the life Monica leads, working as a prostitute to save money to buy land in her native Algeria.
She went to Madrid from the north African country just under a year ago with hopes of becoming an air stewardess. Shortly after she arrived a man offered her money for sex and, short of cash, she accepted.
She quickly moved into prostitution full-time. Her best month was January when she earned 25,000 Euro but most months she makes 10,000 Euro from a total of ten clients.
ON THE FIELD: Crouch playing for EnglandWell-educated, she is close to her middle-class Christian family back in Algeria, who are unaware she is working as a hooker.
Monica told us: "I don't think what happened between myself and Peter really matters, it is not real life.
"I am a professional person, so is he. We all make mistakes.
"In my experience I think it is normal for footballers to sleep with other women, including prostitutes. I don't necessarily think it's because they don't love their partners.
"He seems a nice guy. I hope he realises what he has got and doesn't behave like this again."
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Haha
crouch has a dirty side
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Liverpool back on the trail of £12m West Ham striker Carlton Cole after Tottenham demand too much for Peter Crouch
Cole fire: Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson wants to take the West Ham striker to Anfield in a £12m deal
Liverpool have made another inquiry about West Ham's Carlton Cole after Tottenham quoted them £15million for Peter Crouch.
Liverpool expect to finalise a £5.5m deal for Juventus midfielder Christian Poulsen within the next 24 hours and are mulling over an improved offer for Middlesbrough goalkeeper Brad Jones.
But manager Roy Hodgson has made another striker his next priority. That looks like hinging on cash from the sale of Javier Mascherano though after West Ham also quoted Liverpool £12m on England international Cole.
Stoke had an offer rebuffed for Cole at the weekend but he does not want to go there even if a fee is agreed and is keen for Liverpool to maintain interest.
However, cash-strapped Liverpool need money from the proposed sale of Mascherano to Inter Milan for a deal to happen. That though has been held up as Inter await the sale of Mario Balotelli to Manchester City first.
Mascherano's proposed replacement, Poulsen has withdrawn from the Denmark squad to face Germany on Wednesday.
Closing in: Christian Poulsen has withdrawn from the Denmark squad to finalise his switch to Merseyside
Coach Morten Olsen said: 'I was happy to release Christian because this is a very important move for him and for us.
'We can benefit as a national team because he will be playing at a high level and he'll be happy playing for a manager who rates him highly. That should help bring the best out of him.'
Liverpool have also been linked with unsettled Fulham midfielder Zoltan Gera.
Zolt bolt: Hodgson wants to revive ties with Fulham's Zoltan Gera
Meanwhile, the Yahya Kirdi consortium interested in buying Liverpool reportedly expects to sign an initial agreement with the club before the weekend.
That will not, however, complete a takeover and Chinese tycoon Kenny Huang remains in the frame also.
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no charlton cole please. please dont. we've got ryan and dirt kuyt who can play in front with fernando. get another winger?
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C Cole where got winger? he is a striker mah...
I think Pool need one or two more English or home grown players... Otherwise why go fo them...
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Originally posted by zocoss:
C Cole where got winger? he is a striker mah...
I think Pool need one or two more English or home grown players... Otherwise why go fo them...
who talking about cole as a winger? im saying dirt kuyt and ryan babel can play upfront alongside fenando so we dont need another striker. get another winger maybe?
im thinking of getting young with mascherano's money, $5 for poulsen then remaining go all in for ashley young. job made easier with martin gone!
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How much can Pool get for Mascherano?
In fairness, he should be valued like Fabregas $40m but it looks like Rafa's Inter only willing to pay $25m...
And Villa being Villa, (Remember Barry and now Milner)... I think there might not be any extra from Mascherano's sale... Maybe even got to top up another $5m money meant for the Poulsen purchase..
Villa is enjoying the fruits of O'Neill's English purchases...
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LIVERPOOL will have to cough up £20million for Carlton Cole.
West Ham are willing to sell but they want a top price as they would have little time before the new season kicks off to sign a replacement striker.
Kop boss Roy Hodgson was instructed earlier this week to pay £15m up front with a further £5m fixed to appearances.
A Hammers insider said: "It has to be a big price for Carlton. With just days to go before the season starts, the club don't want to be left in the lurch.
"If things happened earlier, maybe the price could have been lower."
Hammers have already turned down a Stoke bid of £9m plus £3m on appearances for Cole, 26.
The frontman has been in fine pre-season form, scoring four goals in six games as he bids to add to his seven England caps.
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aint worth it
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I think Pool got not enough English or home grown players... The magic number is 8, and they only got... Carragher, Glen Johnson, Joe Cole and Steven Gerrard.
The rest like Jay Spearing, Stephen Darby, Martin Kelly all don't actually count as they are under 21...
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Originally posted by zocoss:
I think Pool got not enough English or home grown players... The magic number is 8, and they only got... Carragher, Glen Johnson, Joe Cole and Steven Gerrard.
The rest like Jay Spearing, Stephen Darby, Martin Kelly all don't actually count as they are under 21...
Under 21 dont have to be registered to play, but can register if needed to fill up the 8 home grown quota
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C.Cole
20M
i rather they buy D.Bent -
Originally posted by Poignant:
Under 21 dont have to be registered to play, but can register if needed to fill up the 8 home grown quota
I know, but it defeats the purpose you see... As you already said, the under 21s don't need to be registered... It's like if a club cannot meet the 8, then they will still be allow to start the season but with lesser players... Like if a club only got 4 home grown, then they will only be allow to name 21 senior players with 17 foreign and 4 home... And the rest under 21s doesn't matter how many in the side...Not sure if Pool got any players from Wales or not... They are also consider home grown...
