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 1 - 14 of 54

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  1. To J.C's comments... i don't care about Man­ City and their grand project for the future but Kaka­ was a great player but latley he has fallen short of­ his high standards, But may be is priorites lies­ somewhere else. As he said he belongs to Jesus and he­ is proud to declare his faith and i hope he is an­ example for others. good on you son!

    From paulra, on Fri 5 Dec 1:23PM

  2. SANTA CRUZ TO LIVERPOOL .. IT IS A VERY GOOD MOVE

    From azhanm, on Fri 5 Dec 1:22PM

  3. Sell Kuyt???
    WTF

    From William, on Fri 5 Dec 1:12PM

  4. i'd say play ivanovic and alex together in place of­ terry. not that i care, but he is losing his touch and­ making far too many mistakes for a captain.

    From aleksicn93, on Fri 5 Dec 1:06PM

  5. sell kuyt? u must be joking. he run round the pitch and­ if i must say, hes 1 of the best player in liverpool at­ the moment. i agree with jayrangdale

    From victor, on Fri 5 Dec 1:03PM

  6. i agree with 6. kuyt works harder than anyone on the­ pitch, to sell him would be a stupid idea!

    From lewis.ferguson, on Fri 5 Dec 1:01PM

  7. We should definitely sell kuyt, he is just a slower­ less technically gifted version of sissoko... As for­ Santa Cruz I would be all in favour of getting him if I­ thought for one second he wouldn't just be used as­ a companion for Ryan Babel on the bench. Summarised:­ Lose Keane/Kuyt, Bring in Santa Cruz and play him­ alongside Babel.

    From Slack, on Fri 5 Dec 12:49PM

  8. liverpool should buy santa cruz and get crouch back in­ the team he will show torres how to play football

    From Aaron, on Fri 5 Dec 12:42PM

  9. Sell Kuyt??? Are you cer-azy???? He does the work of­ ten men!

    From JayR, on Fri 5 Dec 12:35PM

  10. Liverpool need THREE strikers and Pennant! Sell Kuyt­ he misses way too many chances to be serious. Sell­ Keane he has forgotten where the goal is standing,­ Torres is crocked for 4 months before he can deliver­ again and by then it will be too late. If Gerrard gets­ crocked we are flucked. Still believe getting Danny or­ Wagner love or Arshavin on loan from Russian clubs is­ the answer

    From not printable, on Fri 5 Dec 12:33PM

  11. The theme park in question might benefit from Roy Keane­ and his special festive beard as replacement for the­ recently-duffed-up Santa, now he's out of work.

    From JayR, on Fri 5 Dec 12:32PM

  12. I dont see why we have to buy santa cruz when he wont­ even play ryan babbel

    From chriswae45, on Fri 5 Dec 12:22PM

  13. yes liverpool must have cruz he can be a key for­ liverpool goals problem

    From oujj c, on Fri 5 Dec 12:09PM

  14. "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."

    Really?

    Jesus doesn't have a­ football club?

    I thought Kaka "belonged to­ Jesus"?

    So shouldn't City be speaking to­ Jesus if they want Kaka?

    And not AC Milan?

    From J.C, on Fri 5 Dec 12:09PM
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