IT never rains…
With Javier Mascherano still sulking until he gets his move to Barcelona, it now looks like Liverpool have a fight on their hands to keep hold of forward Dirk Kuyt, with the Dutch international reportedly pleading with the club to let him join his former coach Rafa Benitez at Inter Milan in a deal said to be worth upwards of £13 million.
Kuyt’s agent Rob Jansen is quoted in today’s press as saying;
“The clubs continue to talk, but Dirk has told Liverpool he no longer wants to be involved as this is something that regards his career and life.
It doesn’t mean he wants to leave at all costs but when a club like Inter comes along it’s normal to look into it further.”
However, Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is remaining defiant over the Dutchman’s prospective move to the Italian champions, ‘rapping’ Benitez for reneging on a deal he signed to prevent him raiding his former club for players;
“When Benitez left the club he signed an agreement that he would not poach players from Liverpool and I think that still applies. As far as I’m concerned, the agreement with Inter president Massimo Moratti still stands.
We have not received an offer from any club for Dirk Kuyt, this is obviously something going on behind the scenes with the agent talking to possibly the manager of Inter.
Two things. One, we don’t welcome an offer and two, we haven’t received an offer. At this late stage in the transfer window it would be remarkably unusual for us to accept an offer for a player we don’t want to leave for money we don’t need.
I need the player, not the money. We have not received an offer and Dirk hasn’t told me he’d want to leave if one came in.”
Could this be Ryan Babel‘s time to shine? No, probably not.