[lfc-news] Benitez eyes up swoop for duo - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 22 Aug 2005
Benitez eyes up swoop for duo
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL are planning a swoop on the Bundesliga in their bid for
central defensive cover.

Rafa Benitez is eyeing Portuguese international Fernando Meira from
Stuttgart and highly rated German teenager Lukas Sinkiewicz, from Cologne.

Both may be available for bargain prices in the region of £2m.

Meira is the more established of the pair. The 27-year-old has 19 caps
for Portugal and moved to Germany after a spell at Benfica.

Sinkiewicz is an up-andcoming German defender who has featured for their
Under-21 side. Only 19, he's tipped to become a star of the future, but
has only two years left on his current deal.

The duo are understood to be top of Benitez's wanted list as he seeks
more recruits ahead of the transfer deadline.

Meanwhile, Michael Owen's chances of returning to Liverpool have hit a
stumbling block over wages.

Owen will have to take a significant pay cut to return to Anfield.

The 25-year-old would have been Liverpool's top earner had he agreed a
new contract last summer, but after his year in Spain the Reds won't be
offering the same lucrative terms.

Benitez isn't prepared to offer Owen parity with skipper Steven Gerrard,
who recently penned a major deal, and if Owen wants to return, it's
clear he's going to have to make some sacrifices.

Although speculation surrounding an imminent Owen comeback has
intensified, it will take some tough negotiating between Liverpool, Real
Madrid and Owen's agents at SFX to over-come the obstacles blocking a move.

While the Owen situation remains static, Milan Baros is edging closer to
a transfer to Aston Villa. The Midlands club are under-stood to have
improved their offer over the weekend.

* Xabi Alonso believes Liverpool still need fresh blood if they're to
make a realistic challenge to the top three this season.

"You can improve the squad, no matter how well you're doing," said
Alonso who scored the winner against Sunderland on Saturday.

"I think we have good players here but a side will always look for new
players to add other qualities to the team. That's Rafa's job and we
know that's what he is thinking about.

"We need to get better in certain areas. People will say we only scored
one goal and that's where we must improve, but that shouldn't be a
problem because I still think we have the players here to ensure we'll
score lots of goals this season.

"I'm happy with my goal and we're happy with the points, but we're not
happy with our performance. There were a lot of things wrong and it
turned into a tough game.

"It was difficult for us, but now we must look forward and think of
performing better against CSKA.

"We can take positives because we won and had a clean sheet."

After an injury-hit campaign last year, Alonso is hoping he can enjoy a
more consistent Premiership campaign in the months ahead.

He said: "I will try to have a big impact in my second season in
England. I want to improve my level and help the team make at least the
top three in the league."

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is definitely out of tomorrow's visit
of CSKA Sofia with a calf injury, and is rated '50-50' for the trip to
Monaco trip on Friday.

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