Transfer Gossip

Rafa Benitez is a goner.

Or at least that's what the Sunday tabs are saying in a variety of different ways.

According to the Sunday Mirror, Liverpool have already begun to 'prepare for life without Benitez' with support for the beleagured Spanaird 'collapsing' in the boardroom.

'The Spaniard is just 12 months into a five-year contract and Liverpool would prefer a mutually agreed end to his six-year reign,' the newspaper adds. 'Real Madrid and Juventus both have Benitez on their wish-list of potential new coaches, while Inter Milan face the prospect of losing Jose Mourinho this summer.'

Meanwhile, The News of the World says that Benitez 'is considering his Anfield future as Liverpool chiefs line up a new £100million investment in the club. The Kop boss has reached breaking point and accepts it is now virtually impossible to take the team forward.'

Whilst Liverpool fans might take heart from the NotW's report that a 'New York-based private equity firm have begun due diligence with a view to buying around a 40 per cent stake in the club,' there may be some alarm at the People's claim that Real Madrid 'have made Steven Gerrard their No.1 transfer target - and believe they can land the Kop superstar for £30million.'

That claim follows hot on the heels of Fernando Torres admitting he will think about his future at Liverpool if the club do not buy the players needed to turn them into Premier League contenders.
When asked by Spanish newspaper AS if he planned to leave the Reds if they failed to qualify for the Champions League, Torres said: "It's too soon to talk, I honestly think that we're going to be fourth, but for me Champions League qualification isn't so important.

"The really important thing is that the club makes a big effort and brings in important players, who will improve the quality of the squad.

"We need four or five top-class players to compete, better than we have here, who will make us grit our teeth and do everything we can to try and keep our places.

"Without reinforcements next year we will once again be fighting to be fourth.
"I want to fight next year to win the Premier League, to win the Champions League or the Europa League, but for this there have to be signings."

Referred back to the initial question about his future, Torres added: "There are so many circumstances and so many things that you have to take into account that it is too soon to talk about that. But I have this and three more years of my contract.

"I've left my home and it's clear that I owe Liverpool many things, and I'm very happy here.

"The fans have treated my like one of their own, but I'm going to think about my future and hopefully it will be here. I think these fans deserve to win.

"Beyond thinking about me, I think the club deserve to get back to winning (trophies), but they know themselves that right now that it's far off.

"The fans are worried about players going, it's a problem when you start to fear that your players are going because you know it's because the club is not moving forward, but I don't think that is going to be the situation here.

"Since the arrival of (managing director) Christian Purslow Liverpool have had an important boost, we signed with a big-money sponsor to match Real Madrid, then things are going to go forward."