Liverpool set Bellamy's asking price at £12m
Striker set to leave Anfield after just one year
Aston Villa and West Ham possible destinations
Liverpool have warned rival clubs hoping to take advantage of Rafael BenÃtez's desire to reshape his squad that Craig Bellamy, one of the players for whom the manager would listen to offers, will only be sold for around £12m.
The Wales international moved to Anfield from Blackburn Rovers last summer for half that amount but, despite Bellamy struggling to adapt to BenÃtez's squad rotation system, Liverpool hope for a significant profit on his sale. Blackburn are keen to re-sign the forward but could now be priced out. West Ham and Aston Villa have expressed interest and could make formal bids.
Bellamy has scored nine goals in 42 appearances this season but was involved in an ugly fracas with his team-mate, John Arne Riise, on a mid-season training camp in Portugal and was an unused substitute at the European Cup final in Athens.
BenÃtez said in the wake of the 2-1 defeat to Milan that he would listen to bids for his players - "The number we bring in depends if we get big offers for the players or not," he said - with the Spaniard intent upon spending substantial sums.
It remains to be seen whether the manager will be given the money he desires, having issued a warning to the club's American owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, that they must act quickly and lavishly in the market if Liverpool are to displace Chelsea and Manchester United at the top of the Premiership.
He would like to sign the likes of Valencia's David Silva and, possibly, Sevilla's Daniel Alves having made improvement of the supply-line to his existing forwards his priority. However, should Bellamy join Robbie Fowler in leaving the club then he would also need to add to his strikers.
BenÃtez's demand for transfer funds prior to the team's departure from Athens was aimed at kick-starting a summer of spending at Anfield, and Hicks and Gillett remain intent upon liaising extensively with their manager in the next few weeks to discuss and secure his targets.
Asked last week whether he would be spending significant sums in the summer, Hicks told the Guardian: "It depends upon the player. What we have said to Rafa is that if there is really somebody he thinks can change the team, then let's go get 'em.
"But let's don't just spend money to say we spent money. We have really got to use his judgments. He will say we have got this talent, we have got these areas covered, we need this to help compete better in the Premiership. We need this young guy to help us continue our progress. It's that kind of conversation we will have."
Gérard Houllier, the former Liverpool manager, has resigned as Lyon's head coach after guiding them to a record sixth, and his second, successive league title.
Jlloyd Samuel will become Sammy Lee's first signing as Bolton manager after agreeing a free transfer from Aston Villa.
£12m? Hmm.... I think it's a little too much for a player who didn't impress at all in his first season at Liverpool.
Cheer.
CK
Bellamy have actually performed quite well in Liverpool considering his past acts.
He have the speed and instinct for goal in which Kuyt is seriously lacking.
I believe that Ah Ben is just using the CL defeat as a reason to offload him.
A good manager should be able to make a average players into a star, which is what Wenger is doing.
For Ah Ben, he still dreaming that a star striker would solve his goal draught.
Under his ultra defensive tactics, the striker would have a hard time getting the supply for goal.
actually i duno wat benitez is thinking..play long ball? but no target man? kuyt as target man..i think he little short..n dun haf the physical power...unlike drogba...n liverpool r not playing football like arsenal n manu...mayb benitez should try out...crouch n bellamy..it might work better....
If they wana play target man they should have got someone in the mould of Van Nistelrooy or Jan Koller...
Hammers join Bellamy queue
West Ham have joined Aston Villa and Blackburn in the race to sign Craig Bellamy, even though Liverpool have slapped a £12million price tag on the unsettled striker.
Blackburn believed they were closing in on their former frontrunner, after Villa appeared to lose interest in the wake of a failed bid during the January transfer window.
But Martin O'Neill is back in the hunt, while Alan Curbishley is also keen on adding Bellamy's pace and finishing to his squad as West Ham look to avoid a repeat of their relegation near-miss
Wow. He's not worth that price tag lah...
he is a poor finisher and whiner.
he is definitely not worth 12 million.
12mil too much lah.......luke moore can be better than him....
i wonder which club would be so dumb as to buy a useless striker for 12million pounds
12 mil????
i would rather get darren bent or alan smith. you can even get owen for much less
