Footy In A Week

As I mentioned, the failure of selling Cisse meant Liverpool will be short on money to sign one of their prime targets, who were thought to be David Villa and Fernando Torres. 

Therefore, Benitez have made the logical approach and went for a cheaper and proven option by tabling an official bid of £6.5m, which is also Bellamy's release clause

Both the player and the club have opened talks,  with reports saying that Bellamy is ready to snub Arsenal and take a wage cut, just to secure a move to his boy-hood club Liverpool.

In response, Blackburn are to offer Craig Bellamy £65,000-a-week in the hope that he will take the cash rather than agree a summer move to Anfield. But Bellamy's insistence of the insertion of a specific clause in his contract suggested he viewed Rovers as a stepping stone to bigger things.

Despite the official bid, Liverpool are still in talks with Feyenoord about Dirk Kuyt. Benitez will only pay up to £10m, but the dutch club are trying to raise that number to £14m. 

Another option for Liverpool is Michael Owen, who is reported to have a £12m clause in his contract, but Benitez is said to be not keen on paying that amount for Owen, but wouldn't mind if the Liverpool board finance it themselves, instead of using up Benitez's transfer budget.

The signing of Craig Bellamy now looks very likely, but it's yet to be seen if Benitez will settle with Bellamy, Fowler and Crouch as his attacking force, not to mention that Sinama Pongolle is still at the club.