Papers: Liverpool 'sign Enrique'

Posted Wednesday, April 13, 2011 by UK.eurosport.yahoo.com

Paper Round is usually packed with mere gossip but today we have information about a "done deal" - according to Liverpool legend Phil Thompson, anyway.

The former assistant boss at Anfield - a close friend of Kenny Dalglish - claims that the Reds have already agreed a package with Newcastle left-back Jose Enrique which will see the 25-year-old Spaniard make the same move that Andy Carroll embarked upon in January.

Thompson let the cat out of the bag on Norwegian television station TV2 and the quotes were picked up by the Daily Mail, with that paper also speculating it will cost the Reds £15 million to capture Enrique.

"From what I've heard, yes, the deal has been done and he will come to Liverpool," Thompson said.

"It'll be interesting because he's done very well. He had a difficult first season coming into the Premier League a couple of years ago but he really understands the game now.

"He's one of those full-backs who is good going forward but he's also a good defender and I think that is the main thing."

The Mail also has the rather intriguing story that Manchester City are in discussions with AC Milan to sign veteran Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf when his contract is up at the end of the season.

Seedorf is no spring chicken at 35 but City would like his experience in the Champions League, where he has made 117 appearances, should they themselves make it into Europe's elite competition.

According to the Daily Telegraph, City also met with Udinese's Chilean winger/forward Alexis Sanchez at the weekend, and are prepared to offer £35m for the player in a deal that could rise as high as £44m.

If they complete the deal, the same paper claims it would then allow troubled striker Mario Balotelli to return to Italy, probably to AC Milan.

The papers are also full of talk about what Stan Kroenke's takeover might mean for Arsenal.

The Sun reckons the American will urge Arsene Wenger to spend £40m on new players in a twist on the usual chairman-manager dynamic.

Meanwhile, The Guardian's expert in football finance, Matt Scott, makes the rather startling revelation that there is nothing in the agreement with Kroenke that prevents him from using the club's own cash to pay for the £731m acquisition of the club.

Scott reports: "Kroenke has not used the club's assets as security to raise the money for his purchase, unlike Malcolm Glazer's 2005 buyout of Manchester United.

"But there is nothing in a long list of undertakings to prevent Arsenal's new owner using multi-million-pound annual dividends from the club to service any debts he may have secured against other assets in his investment portfolio."

Meanwhile, the Daily Express claims that Robin van Persie and Abou Diaby had a bust-up during half-time of Arsenal's weekend win over Blackpool.

The paper claims: "Van Persie rounded on Diaby in the dressing room, shouting that (a booking he got for kicking the ball away) was stupid and reminding him of the needless red card he was shown at Newcastle for retaliation, which contributed to the Gunners throwing away a four-goal lead."

Finally, the Daily Mirror claims that Blackburn are willing to cut their losses on striker Nikola Kalinic in the summer, as the Croat has struggled to make the desired impact since his £6m move from Hajduk Split two seasons ago.