Jun 26 2011 by Dave Kidd, The People
Lennon will cost Liverpool at least £20
million
LIVERPOOL want to sign Aaron Lennon from Tottenham – but
the England winger’s ticket to ride will cost at least
£20million.
Once the Stewart Downing switch from Aston Villa is completed,
Anfield transfer fixer Damien Comolli will turn his attention to
Lennon, who plays wide right.
But Comolli knows his old Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will play
hardball over the price.
Liverpool missed out to Manchester United in the race for Ashley
Young and are eager to wrap up a £20m deal for left-winger
Downing.
That would take Kenny Dalglish’s 2011 spending to £98m after
splashing out £35m for Andy Carroll and £23m for Luis Suarez in
January, and a further £20m on Sunderland England Under-21
midfielder Jordan Henderson earlier this month.
Comolli is aware that Lennon, 24, may fancy a move back north –
he started his Premier League career as a 16-year-old at Leeds
United – and that Spurs could be willing to sell.
Boss Dalglish wants to inject more pace into his team and is
also keen on Lennon.
Target
Spurs are insistent that they want to keep hold of all their key
men and are resisting any moves to flog Chelsea target Luka Modric
as well as PFA Player of the Year Gareth Bale.
But with Levy needing to raise cash to fund reinforcements,
Lennon could still be sold at the right price. He was one of
Comolli’s first signings as Tottenham’s director of football in
2005, although the deal with Leeds was teed up by his predecessor
Frank Arnesen.
Comolli remains a staunch admirer of the player, whose
all-round game has improved under Harry Redknapp.
Lennon could be ready for a new challenge – although he still
has three years left on his current contract, meaning he will not
come cheap.
