Carson wants regular footballThe Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez, will consider substantial offers for Scott Carson this summer despite the England Under-21 international's impressive debut season in the Premiership at Charlton.The on-loan goalkeeper has proven a rare success in an otherwise torturous campaign for relegated Charlton, being named the supporters' Player of the Year and confirming the potential that persuaded Benitez to pay £750,000 for a player with only two league appearances at Leeds United in January 2005.
While the 21-year-old appears an astute investment and Liverpool have only inexperienced back-up for the first choice goalkeeper, Jose Reina, there is also an acceptance that Carson will not dislodge the Spaniard in the foreseeable future, that his stock is now high among rival Premiership suitors and that the player himself will want regular football following this season's experience.
"If I end up at Liverpool and sit on the bench, then I would have taken one step forward and taken one back," Carson said this week. "Next year I want to carry on playing games." To that end Benitez is prepared to sanction the keeper's departure but it will require an offer of around £4m before Carson, who attracted interest from Arsenal earlier this season, is allowed to leave.