The clock on Jermaine Pennant’s Liverpool career appears
to be winding down after Rafa Benitez admitted the winger may not
be in his long-term plans at Anfield.
Pennant has barely featured in the first team this season,
making just three league appearances and even fewer starts.
Further question marks were raised over his future on Wednesday
when he failed to appear in a second-string Liverpool side at
Tottenham, with suggestions of player indiscipline costing him his
place.
Benitez refutes such claims but he does admit Pennant could
leave in January, and he conceded that the former Birmingham and
Arsenal winger does not feature heavily in his future plans.
“That could be the case," stated Benitez at Friday's press
conference.
"But it’s not a question of his commitment, he’s a nice boy and
trains hard so I can guarantee we don’t have a problem.
“I was surprised to read things about his discipline. He arrived
late one day, this is normal.
“Clearly because he wasn’t in the squad the other day, everybody
is talking.
“He’s working, he’s training every session with the rest of the
team, he is available so I will take him with the team if I think
it is necessary for the game in question.
“That’s it. I don’t know what will happen in January.
“Clearly he will have clubs asking about him, and we will decide
with the player what’s best for his future.”