[lfc-news] Hamann set to stay at Anfield after rethink - Echo

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Liverpool Daily Post, 31 May 2005
Hamann set to stay at Anfield after rethink
By Ian Doyle, Daily Post Staff

DIETMAR HAMANN will stay at Liverpool for another season as Rafael
Benitez moved a step closer to securing his latest summer signing.

Hamann, who is out of contract this summer, was on the brink of joining
Premiership rivals Bolton Wanderers after deciding his future lay away
from Anfield.

But after playing a prominent role in Liverpool's unforgettable European
Cup final triumph over AC Milan last Wednesday, the German international
has had a rethink and decided to remain at Anfield.

It is a massive fillip for Benitez, who wants the 32-year-old as part of
his new-look squad for next season as he aims for an improvement in
Liverpool's inconsistent Premiership form.

Hamann has agreed a contract in principle, and will sign a one-year deal
next month with the option of another 12 months.

Benitez, meanwhile, is closing in on a move for Argentine centre-back
target Gabriel Milito. The 24-year-old was part of the Real Zaragoza
side which rounded off their Spanish La Liga campaign with a 3-1 defeat
at home to Real Madrid to end any hopes of European qualification for
next season.

Zaragoza are £30m in debt, and with the club struggling to meet interest
payments they have on option but to sell players this summer.

Milito has a buy-out clause of £20m in his contract, but such is
Zaragoza's immediate plight that Liverpool are confident that an offer
of £6-7m will be enough to persuade them to part with the player.

With the Spanish season now over, Benitez - who is currently back in his
homeland - wants to move quickly for a player previously courted by
Barcelona and Manchester United.

Another Argentine Zaragoza player, Luciano Galletti, is on Benitez's
wishlist, and with £30m to spend the Liverpool manager has also targeted
Shaun Wright-Phillips and Feyenoord striker Dirk Kuyt.

Meanwhile, Harry Kewell has vowed to draw a line under his injury
torment after revealing he had mixed emotions following Liverpool's
Champions League triumph over AC Milan last Wednesday.

The Australian was a surprise starter but was forced off during the
first half with a groin injury that required surgery on Friday.

And Kewell said: "Hopefully with the operation completed I can put all
this injury business behind me.

"Wednesday night in Turkey was the highlight of my career and also the
worst nightmare of my career, its all mixed in two inside my head.

"Rafael Benitez showed a lot faith in me by picking me from the start
because he had other options. It was great for me until the injury.

"I stretched for a ball and my groin snapped, I couldn't do anything
about it.

"Now it's not going to be a great summer with all the rehabilitation but
it's been like that for the last six months.

"But if you'd said to me six months ago that I was going to pull my
groin in the European Cup final and I would end up with a winner's medal
I'd have taken that.

"Maybe it's one of the worst things to have happened to me but it's
still been the perfect end to the season."

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