BENITEZ FEARS TORRES EXIT - REPORTS
Rafa Benitez reportedly fears losing both Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres this summer due to the perilous state of Liverpool's finances and, although he will fight to keep the striker, is reputedly 'close to conceding defeat in his attempts to keep Mascherano'.
With Xabi Alonso linked with a move back to his native Spain, Benitez, who has already missed out on Gareth Barry, could lose both of his centre-midfielders over the next few weeks. According to The Sunday Times, Mascherano's departure has become something of an inevitability, with Real Madrid embarking on a bidding war with Barcelona and 'prepared to pay £38m for the joint transfer of Mascherano and right-back Alvaro Arbeloa'.
Yet it is the speculation over Torres' future that is bound to worry Liverpool fans the most, with the newspaper claiming that Benitez 'fears that Torres could be lost to Chelsea in a £60m heist'.
'Chelsea inquired about the 25-year-old earlier this year and Benitez believes the London club are now ready to offer as much as £60m. Fearing that Liverpool's hard-up owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, might struggle to resist, Benitez has made inquiries about Almeira centre-forward Alvaro Negredo as a replacement. Negredo is half-owned by Madrid and available for £15m,' the newspaper reports.
A similar claim is made on the backpage of The News of the World with the tabloid declaring that Chelsea are intent on uniting David Villa with Torres at Stamford Bridge.
'Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez will do all he can to block the move. But he is worried the huge sum offered by Chelsea could tempt American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks,' it claims.
'Liverpool's true financial state will be revealed over the coming weeks and Benitez is beginning to fear the worst.
'At the end of the season Benitez was hopeful of landing 27-year-old Villa. Now he not only has to face up to Chelsea signing Villa but also targeting Torres.'
