Liverpool appear to be facing a fierce battle with Spanish
giants Barcelona and Real Madrid to sign Brazilian full-back Daniel
Alves.
Reds boss Rafael Benitez - who is currently on a short holiday -
had put the Sevilla star at the top of his shopping list and it is
believed a £7million bid has been lodged.
The 22-year-old Alves, who can also play in midfield, has yet to
play for his country but impressed in Sevilla's successful UEFA Cup
campaign and had a fine game in the final against
Middlesbrough.
The player's agent, Jose Rodriguez Baster, said in Spanish
newspaper Marca: 'To all the teams that have called me, and in
addition to everyone publicly, I have said that the first thing
they must do is speak with Sevilla, to reach an agreement with the
club.
'Barcelona were put in contact with us to know Daniel's situation
and we directly transferred them to Sevilla. Since then, we have
not spoken with them.
'Nothing can be discarded and, in addition, there are great clubs
also involved who have not yet been publicised.
'I cannot say it, with respect to the clubs, but I can say that
there are three important clubs, at European level, that have shown
their interest in Alves.'
There are problems also for another of Liverpool's summer targets,
Chile winger Mark Gonzalez.
Liverpool will submit another work-permit application for the young
winger later this week, aware that the player was sent home from
the Chile squad after an alleged breach of discipline while on his
country's European tour following last week's match in Dublin
against the Republic of Ireland.
Gonzalez has now threatened never to play for his country again,
after an incident involving team-mate Reinaldo Navia in the team
hotel.
Chile coach Nelson Acosta axed the pair after they were allegedly
caught in a hotel room with three girls.
Gonzalez, who spent a spell on loan at Real Sociedad last term
because he was not allowed to play in the UK, has denied the
allegations and admitted he was hurt by the decision to send him
home.
He said: 'After what has happened, a lot of damage has been made to
me. I am in a great moment of my career and this gives me a lot of
problems.
'Now I am going to think very careful if I will wear again the
national shirt because I told Acosta that there was a
misunderstanding with what happened in Dublin but even with my
explanations he decided to sent me back to Chile.
'It has been something really stupid but it has put me into
problems. The press all over the world has been talking about me
and I don't like that at all. I am really ashamed about all
this.
'Neither Navia or me were drunk and I have already explained that
we were with three girls only giving them our autographs. The press
should say things how they were and not make us be the bad ones of
the matter.'