Transfers - Gossip Shop: Liverpool's Booze Cruz

Eurosport - Fri, 05 Dec 15:06:00 2008

It's nearly Christmas, Roque Santa Cruz is being linked with a move from Blackburn, and the headline writes itself.

2008-2009 Blackburn Rovers Roque Santa Cruz - 0

For what says 'Christmas spirit' like, well, several litres of Christmas spirits, a 24-pack of Stella and granny's alarmingly sweet sherry?

Certainly not some red-suited bloke in a Dorset 'theme park' desperately trying to find the sellotape to re-attach the cotton wool to his chin.

Santa Cruz himself is a model professional, of course, which is just one of the reasons why Rafa Benitez wants to bring him to Anfield and send Jermaine Pennant in the opposite direction.

Benitez intends to return to the good old days of squad rotation to reduce the load on Fernando Torres's prima donna-ish hamstrings.

With Robbie Keane presently unable to finish his dinner and Dirk Kuyt thriving on the wing, Benitez wants an extra body up front.

Something in the region of £8m plus Pennant could persuade Paul Ince to do business as Rovers look to whack the loot on a decent defender or two.

It hardly needs saying but Gossip Shop will say it anyway - Liverpool face competition from Manchester City for Santa Cruz's signature.

It is probably fair to assume that Herita Ilunga won't make his loan move to West Ham permanent.

The Toulouse man has employed classic 'no disrespect, but...' tactics to diss the Hammers, saying: "Without being derogatory, West Ham are a second-rate club.

"Let's not kid ourselves - we are not an Arsenal, Manchester United or Chelsea.

"Once I have proved myself in a team such this, I can hope to make the step up to another club."

Without being derogatory, Ilunga is out of his mind if he thinks he can hold a candle to Gael Clichy, Patrice Evra or Cheryl Cole's WAG.

Wigan have slapped a £10m price tag on a 30-year-old striker who scores five goals a season and has six months left on his contract.

The reason? Steve Bruce reckons Emile Heskey could be the only thing standing between the Latics and the costly business that is releagation.

Freddy Adu has said it is "one of my dreams" to play for Tottenham. One of Gossip Shop's dreams is being chased through the streets of Bratislava by masked agents before waking up in a cold but strangely euphoric sweat. If a sweat can be euphoric.

Sulley Muntari strongly recommends that Michael Essien ditches Chelsea for Internazionale just as soon as he comes back from that knee injury.

Essien sleeps 14 hours a day, and they have very good mattresses in Italy.

Centre-back Alex is another man being lured away from Stamford Bridge by a Chelsea old boy.

This time it is Henk Ten Cate, who wants the Brazilian to move to Panathinaikos on loan.

Alex has fallen behind Branislav Ivanovic - who plays every match in an Albert Ferrer-themed wig - in Big Phil's defensive pecking order.

Finally, two stories that have little in common but are dull enough to merit lumping together.

Fulham will bid £6m to sign Kevin Doyle from Reading, while West Ham could flog Valon Behrami to Palermo as their money troubles continue. Have they not heard of Ocean Finance?

KAKA KORNER

Milan playmaker Kaka must have a sore, dimpled backside after the fence-sitting he has been doing lately.

Check this out from Friday morning's press conference: "I am happy at Milan. If one day I have to leave because my objectives are not the same as Milan, then I could go to the Premier League ... [Robinho] said Manchester City have a great project for the future."

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 35 - 54 of 54

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  1. His dream is to play for Tottenham....AAAAAAAAH­ HAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAA COUGH COUGH SPLUTTER...

    From Eliot, on Sun 7 Dec 12:48PM

  2. Michael is the man,,, Rafa need to bring back­ Michael,we need to take that chance, Keane is not­ performing as expected, if he's not good, then he­ can go, but at least we have tried to give him another­ chance.

    From bacwin013, on Sat 6 Dec 1:04PM

  3. "rafa!!! bring back michael owen...
    we miss­ michael.."

    replacing a crock with another one.­ that move has benitez written all over it. if you got a­ decent manager then you would win some silverware

    From risker, on Sat 6 Dec 12:08PM

  4. ALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
    PREMIER LEAGUE – FA CUP – CARLING­ CUP
    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – UEFA CUP
    ALL MATCHES ON WEB: ­ PREMIER LEAGUE, LIGA, SERIE A, BUNDESLIGA AND CHAMPIONS­ LEAGUE - UEFA CUP
    ALL THE HIGH-LIGHTS OF PREMIER­ LEAGUE MATCHES

    From , on Sat 6 Dec 11:22AM

  5. wtf,y doesnt rafa play ryan babel upfront,real madrid r­ alredi afta him..he is a beauty

    From nileshnarandas, on Sat 6 Dec 11:04AM

  6. beware rafa is goin shoppin HA HA HA just like when­ your nan goes shoppin ya know for a nice jumper for you­ yes you like it at 1st an then you end up hating it­ same things appenin no with robbie keane he is­ shabite...an thats what will appen with the rest of the­ @#$% rafa buys.. kopites ARE GOBSHITES. YOU WILL WALK­ ALONE..

    From Jasoptimum851, on Sat 6 Dec 10:26AM

  7. Sold Robbie Keane as soon as possible..His style of­ football not make any impact for Liverpool.So better­ sold Keane in january..Buy any player that can score­ many goal for Liverpool

    From naz_ftfc, on Sat 6 Dec 9:28AM

  8. rafa!!! bring back michael owen...
    we miss michael..

    From harun h, on Sat 6 Dec 7:50AM

  9. RAFA BUY FRANKY (munich) TO PARTNER WITH MACHA, ALANSO.­ G TO SUPPORT KEANE.TORRESS. KEANE SHOULD LET HIM PLAY­ HIS "ORIGINAL STYLE" BACK!!!!......RAFA PLS­ THINK!!!!

    From ac q, on Sat 6 Dec 4:33AM

  10. If it is alright to call MU fans MUNICHS, is it then ok­ to call Liverpool fans HILLSBOROUGHS? NO IT IS NOT and­ people refering to either should be banned from all­ football grounds for life.

    From Anthony L, on Fri 5 Dec 11:41PM

  11. santa cruz could be the right one for liverpool come on­ u reds u see all the top 4 team fans rant on how­ liverpool are rubbish i say lets beat them teams then­ who says whoz rubbish

    From brad_nicholls, on Fri 5 Dec 4:54PM

  12. kuyt's goals this season have all come at the very­ end of games after he's been shifted inside off the­ wing following second half subs - meaning liverpool­ often end games with a better-balanced team on the­ pitch than the one they started with!

    From purple_hatstand, on Fri 5 Dec 4:21PM

  13. i AM DELIGHTED WE ARE TOP O' THE LEAGUE! it feels­ lucky somehow and unconvincing though. We look better­ away and against better teams (ie: when we have less of­ the ball) than we do when we're supposed to be­ dominating teams at Anfield. I hope we stay lucky all­ season and win the league - but i think it'll be in­ spite of the players and tactics not because of them.

    From purple_hatstand, on Fri 5 Dec 4:06PM

  14. Allen H mate i think you got it mixed up, rafa'a­ offering £8m plus pennant for santa cruz not ince­ paying £8m for pennant. i mean coming from a liverpool­ fan i'd feel ripped of giving a twix and a hot­ chocolate for pennant!

    From tunny87, on Fri 5 Dec 4:04PM

  15. I AM DELIGHTED WE ARE TOP O' THE LEAGUE!

    From purple_hatstand, on Fri 5 Dec 4:01PM

  16. Lyndon, speak english man!! bless

    From hano68, on Fri 5 Dec 3:58PM

  17. Why is it ok for City and other fans to call United­ fans Munichs? Small time gimps.

    From emmalouise.doyle, on Fri 5 Dec 3:50PM

  18. If Ince pays 8 million for Pennant he needs his brain­ testing. Pennant is worth 3 maybe 4 milion and even­ then is a gamble. But then Ince was never that bright­ was he!

    From Allen H, on Fri 5 Dec 3:42PM

  19. Munichs to win nish now that ol' Ladyboy isn't­ carrying them this season.

    From Kim S, on Fri 5 Dec 3:32PM

  20. I don't think Santa Cruz will come to Liverpool

    From dorin.balica, on Fri 5 Dec 3:30PM
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