Rafa's monster war chest
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GLEE ... Rafa will get massive war chest
RAFA BENITEZ has been given £30million to spend as a reward for signing his new contract.
The Liverpool boss penned a £20million five-year deal on Wednesday. And he has hit the jackpot again with American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett promising to throw cash at Rafa’s Kop revolution.
As well as pledging £20m of fresh investment, Benitez has been told he can keep ALL the money he raises from sales — starting with the £12m they pocketed from selling Robbie Keane back to Tottenham in January.
That will spark a fresh attempt to land Aston Villa skipper Gareth Barry in the summer. And Spurs winger Aaron Lennon is also high on Benitez’s shopping list.
Hicks last night ruled out selling Liverpool and insists he will stay as long as Benitez does. And the American co-owner even reckons Gillett will abandon any thoughts of selling his stake to oil-rich Sheikhs.
Hicks said: “I plan to be here for the next five years and while I cannot speak for George, I would think he would want to be here too.” Benitez demanded total control over transfer policy and put pen to paper after chief executive Rick Parry announced that he will quit the club at the end of the season.
Hicks added: “I never thought for a minute we would lose Rafa because he has such a passion for Liverpool and the club.” The owner also took a swipe at Parry, saying: “Rick served the club for 12 years and people will know this was his hardest year. He is resigning and we appreciate his help.
“The new chief executive will communicate more effectively with Rafa, the board members and senior members of staff. “I feel very good about the direction the club is headed in now.”
Hicks insisted he did not have to make Benitez wild promises about new transfer funds. He added: “Rafa knows how much we want to win. “Over the last two years we have followed his recommendations and signed Torres, Skrtel, Benayoun, Babel, and Dossena.”
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Lennon and Barry top wish-list as Benitez is told he can spend £30m
Target man: Lennon is top of Liverpool's shopping list
Rafa Benitez will launch a £30million spending spree this summer and commit even more to securing the long-term futures of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.
Liverpool's Spanish manager will waste no time exercising his new power over transfer dealings and is already lining up potential signings after being set a budget that includes money recouped from Robbie Keane's return to Tottenham in January.
Eager to strengthen in midfield and up front, he remains keen on Aston Villa anchorman Gareth Barry and Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon and is also pursuing targets in Spain.
After ending uncertainty over his own position by signing a five-year deal on Wednesday, he will swiftly turn his attention to negotiating new contracts for a lengthy list of players, headed by Gerrard and Torres.
Not giving up: Liverpool will be after Barry for a second summer in a row
With just two years left on his current agreement, top earner Gerrard can expect a modest increase in his £100,000-a-week salary to keep him at Anfield into his thirties, while Torres will land a revised package after alerting Europe's top clubs with a stunning performance against Real Madrid.
The £21m former Atletico Madrid striker, who arrived on a six-year deal worth £70,000 a week in 2007, is on course for a 12-month extension and weekly pay rise to £90,000. Jamie Carragher, Dirk Kuyt, Daniel Agger and Alvaro Arbeloa are also in line for contract renewals.
Then Benitez will address areas that need improving at the end of the season. With his own position resolved, he feels in a stronger position to go for the calibre of player needed to break down packed defences at Anfield.
There were even assurances about the club's ownership, with Tom Hicks insisting he would still be in charge when Benitez's new contract ends.
Hicks and co-owner George Gillett have to refinance more than £300m worth of loans by July, but the Texan was in typically defiant mood as he vowed to meet the deadline and raise the funds needed for a planned new stadium at Stanley Park.
'Rafa is going to be here for the next five years, and I know I am, too,' he said. 'I think George will be here for the next five years, although I cannot speak for him. We want to be here when the new stadium opens, because we want to build that sucker.'
Hicks revealed head-hunting firms were being consulted over a replacement for chief executive Rick Parry.
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30mil war chest nia... then ManC 1 call wat?
Stop buying 2nd string player la... wanna remind 2nd forever?
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oh no..the Barry saga all over again.
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Buy Villa lah...Valencia has been forced to sell liao and seems like Liverpool is his prefer destination in EPL...
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buy noh alam shah can?
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Villa will go to Barcelona... Barry could be free right?
Lennon I don't even know whats the point for... He is always not consistent...
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30m pounds consider alot meh..
united cin cai buy one striker also alr 30m liao loh -
Originally posted by limpper:
30m pounds consider alot meh..
united cin cai buy one striker also alr 30m liao loh
I think 30m new fund ar, plus those 12m he got from selling Keane...but still not enough lah...1 villa may cost 30m+ liao... -
lol 30m pounds warchest... he better not pick up another one of those young lads like antonio nunez, mark gonzalez, paletta etc...
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But better he pick up those than one Robbie Keane mah... One Keane already take 2/3 of his budget liao...
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i hope he buys a good attacking player, hopefully david villa or aguero
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Reminds me of The Joker from the latest Batman.
Rafa: Hehe Hoho Haha -
i seriously think he should get quaresma
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Maybe he might buy that Boro player Downing... I remember he seemed very interested on him... Pool are running out of English players liao...
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maybe tevez?
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I think their defenders calibre does not match the club's name. And their gk reina is also butter fingers.
They should start grooming youngsters to be the next generation defenders, or get people like Vidic.
Also their attacking is lacking with only one Torres. But I think a team's first priority is a strong defence
Pool famous for conceding OG. Esp Carragher. HAHAH. All take turns
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he should have use keane to trade for lennon
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Originally posted by limpper:
he should have use keane to trade for lennon
u think tottenham are dumb asses?
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Originally posted by Jiemin:
30mil war chest nia... then ManC 1 call wat?
Stop buying 2nd string player la... wanna remind 2nd forever?
man city one is call war chest.... benitez 30million nia is call pocket money....Anyway i think they will pursuit downing since boro going to be relegated this season and downing would be cheap. Then with downing and riera on the left, then buy the stupid lennon on the right with kuyt. Then in the middle buy barry with mash/alonso (provided alonso never move clubs). Then he will push gerard up to partner torres in attack. Then liverpool would be quite strong. QUITE only... because their flanks sucks... with lennon and downing? Full backs also cannot make it with arbeloa and dossena, it is quite sucky.
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no brainer lei. of cos must buy a striker lei. if torres injured then pool liao liao la.. who can they call up? the nogg?
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Lolx i thot he say he wan sign Barry -.- Until now like ....
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Rafa can forget abt Lennon as he has just signed a contract extension till 2014.
Unless more than 20mils, Spurs will not be interested.