Rafa Benitez says there will be at least one new striker at Liverpool this summer, but admits no end is in sight over the Gareth Barry saga.The Liverpool boss has admitted his exasperation at the drawn-out campaign to prise Barry from Aston Villa, which shows no sign of ending.
And the Spaniard has also revealed the growing financial problems he is having in the transfer market.
He admits that Tottenham skipper Robbie Keane is a target, but although he is also a big fan of Valencia and Spain striker David Villa, a move seems unlikely.
Benitez unveiled two new full-backs on Thursday, Swiss international Philipp Degen and £6million Italian defender Andrea Dossena, and expects to formally announce a £3million deal for Brazilian goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri in the near future.
But it has become increasingly obvious that Benitez is working with a much smaller budget than was expected at the end of last season when figures of £25-30million were being suggested as a potential kitty.
He admitted: "We know the situation regarding what we can spend, and we are trying to find solutions if we do not have enough money.
"And we will still try to sign players that will make us better. But if you do not have too much money, and that is clear, we will have to have a little bit of imagination to progress in the market.
"Everyone knows what our ideas are and what players we want. We are working hard with different names now, and at the moment that is not (David) Villa.
"We will have another main striker before the season starts, maybe two."
He added: "We had our ideas at the end of the season. We have tried to use players to raise money for business in the past, sometimes selling players who have not settled down.
"This summer it is very much the same idea. We know we will have to sell some players if we want some cash. So we have to do that.
"The fans must trust us, we are working hard during the summer with a lot of people in different countries working for us.
"We have a new keeper. And we are looking for a lot of players for the right price.
"Now if we want to spend we can do it. But we have to be careful what we do spend."
There have been rumours for weeks that Benitez is working with very little money, although sources insist that he can complete the deal for Barry without selling Xabi Alonso.
That deal - with Juventus - has also gone cold and Benitez revealed: "The situation with Alonso has not changed.
"Juventus made an offer that was not good enough and now we are just waiting. I do not know, really, whether that will go through.
"Xabi wants to stay because he is happy here but he also knows that Juventus is a top side. I have talked to him, he knows my ideas and he knows why. So we will try to find a solution for him, for us, and the best for the club."
Liverpool have been linked continually with Irish striker Keane.
Benitez said: "David Villa is one of the players on our list, but at this moment I do not see it being an option for us.
"Keane is also one of the names we are interested in, and we are still working on other possible situations.
"There has been some contact (over Keane) but we will have to see how things progress."
On Villa, he added: "We know he is a very good player, we know the price, and we know the players we have. At this moment he is not our target.
"We are still waiting on Gareth Barry. I prefer now not to say anything and to wait."
Sources at the club claim the price for the Villa midfielder could have risen above the £18million the midlanders' manager Martin O'Neill was believed to want.
There is a growing frustration at Anfield with
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Comment 1 - 12 of 12
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Liverpool supporters don't be to amazed by Rafa's comments.
When Liverpool / Rafa says a big name striker is coming, he means strikers like; Robbie Fowler, Peter Crouch, Milan Baros, Luis Garcia, Veroin, Kuyt and the guy who had a fight with Risse before the game vs Barcelona in 2007. All of which he has signed in the past who most of them have turned into NOBODIES.
I mean he wants to sign Robbie Keane who nobody can say is rubbish because he is a fine striker who can bag you around 15-20 plus goals per season in the EPL. But to me it doesn't seem like liverpool are interested in winning the EPL and more like trying to win the Carling Cup. They sign good players but only players that can help them achieve 3rd place at the most. They are not signing the big names they should.
They splashed the cash on Torres and that was the best buy liverpool have done for years and years. And if they really want to do well, they must sign one very good defender and also buy a winger. As I'm not a liverpool fc fan the best player they can get in that possision would be either Jesus Navas or Quaresma.
Good luck Liverpool hopefully if your lucky you can keep 3rd or 4 place and EPL and not loosing champions league football to the Uefa Cup. I think Totenham will be sneeking around trying to @#$% the final champions league spot from liverpool this year!
David Villa my arse! do you remember when liverpool were a big club, poor (yes poor) scousers.
18M is too much...keep alonso
alonso best passer in the prem dont need barry save the money and buy villa
knean class but am a big fan of crouch why sell him also was sad a riser going he was class and steve g should play in the middle best in the world
Why is u speakin like dat?
Shcweinstiger, barry and keane.. Dat is wot u need Rafa.. Ps. Me not a lfc supporter
no..18m for gareth barry is a spot on..lfc just dont want to spend that money..poor lfc
barberjibm,(£) not($) that would under value him lol!!
i would rather have keane at anfield,he has a proven goal scoring record in the prem'& he is also used to the pace & ferocity of the EPL.
he would also probably be a cheaper option for us as i don't see a number of clubs in europe queueing up for him unlike villa!!
$18M for Gareth Barry is CRAZY. I'm still trying to figure out how he is an improvement over Xabi Alonso. But then, I'm a Yank. What do I know about football!
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