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Liverpool target makes decision
Written by JR Walker | 31st August 2006 | 2 Comment(s)
Sevilla defender Daniel Alves will spend at least one more season at his current team. The player announced this on his official website.
Alves had been linked with a move to Liverpool, but the deal that had looked likely since January was never completed.
"After talking to (club president) Jose Maria del Nido, I decided to play at least another season for Sevilla. The club has been notified of all offers, but a transfer never came," said the 23-year-old.
"Next year we'll see again. Sevilla is a great club, has great fans and one must not forget that this strong collective has been the base of our performance in the last year."
Sevilla won the UEFA Cup in May, and recently added the European Super Cup by beating FC Barcelona 3-0 in Monaco.
Rafa Benitez has been keen to strengthen his squad in the right-back area and recently turned his attention to Blackburn's Lucas Neill, although the two clubs appear quite some way apart with regard to the valuation of the player.
All this would appear to signal that Benitez has been unimpressed with Dutchman Jan Kromkamp who has struggled since leaving Eredivisie club AZ Alkmaar only two years ago.
Villarreal had looked a good move for Kromkamp, but his best form eluded him although Benitez still thought highly of the player he had once looked to bring to Valencia.
PSV Eindhoven, who is also in Liverpool's section for the Champions League, is said to be keen to take Kromkamp back to Holland.
The Dutch Champions have had a poor beginning to their campaign losing to Ajax in the Johan Cruijff Shield, and then at FC Twente at the weekend.
Whether anything happens regarding the situation today remains to be seen, but it would seem that the question is whether Benitez would be happy enough with Kromkamp that he could wait a year for Alves, or whether he will effectively admit he made a mistake with Kromkamp and meet Blackburn's valuation of Neill?
Of course, Benitez may decide that although Alves is the better player Neill is more used to the Premiership, but by haggling over a couple of million with Blackburn Benitez could be thinking that he may wish to save his money, at least until January.
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Comments
Comment by david malta on Thursday 31 August 2006 @ 6:10pm
Comment by Joe Sirodcar on Thursday 31 August 2006 @ 6:51pm
The view that, by allowing Kromkamp to leave is admitting he made a mistake must, infact, be seen as shrewd business from Benitez. By swoping a player whose form eluded him and persistently speaking Spanish on the training ground, Josem was a good swop for a Dutch international. Which could also be seen a a stepping stone, shipping Josemi back off to Spain and acquiring a more competant playing in Kromkamp.
neil would be a good buy at 2 million and good cover for finnan. but if sum rises to 4 million or more i hope we wait for january or next summer and sign the brazilian star alves.