Rafa Benitez has pledged
to keep England international Peter Crouch at Liverpool over the
summer.
The Spaniard has reportedly been given a £40million transfer war
chest by the club's new owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, and as
a result a number of comings and goings could be witnessed at
Anfield during pre-season.
Crouch was linked with a January move to Newcastle and the
prospective arrival of Andrei Voronin on a free transfer from Bayer
Leverkusen will also strengthen the competition for attacking
places with The Reds.
However, Crouch underlined his value to the team by scoring a
hat-trick against Arsenal last weekend and then netting against PSV
Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League, and Benitez insists the
gangly striker will remain on Merseyside.
"I am really pleased with Peter Crouch and I am not selling him,"
said Benitez in the Sunday newspaper.
"All players have moments when they suddenly realise what they have
to be doing and how to achieve things in their game and this has
happened with Peter."
The Reds are also looking to secure the long-term future of
midfield maestro Xabi Alonso as the Spanish international has been
linked with a return to his homeland in recent months.
Benitez has instructed Hicks and Gillett that tying Alonso to a new
deal is paramount in his plans, and the player admits he will be
receptive to talks should they begin soon.
"I am focused on some big games and I am in no rush," said Alonso.
"But if they want to talk to me now then I will listen."
