Benitez returns to Liverpool with £33m offer
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Rafa Benitez returns to Liverpool with £33m offer for Dirk Kuyt and Javier Mascherano
Inter Milan hope a bid of £33million will be enough to prise Javier Mascherano and Dirk Kuyt from Liverpool.
Off to Italy? Javier Mascherano could be leaving Liverpool for Inter
The Italians have finalised an agreement for Rafa Benitez to be their next manager and will present him at the San Siro as soon as the Spaniard cuts short his holiday.
And the 50-year-old, who knows all about the financial constraints at Anfield, is ready to raid his former club for trusted allies.
While there is an interest in Fernando Torres, Inter acknowlege that competing with Chelsea would make it difficult to sign the Spain striker.
Mascherano and Kuyt, however, are more achievable signings and are thought to be open to teaming up with their former boss.
Kuyt was quick to praise the man who took him from Feyenoord to Anfield earlier this week, saying: 'I don’t know for sure who is going to be in charge at Inter, but Benitez is a fantastic coach and would be a great choice for them.
'Working with him is perfect and I am grateful for all he did for me. I was delighted when he asked me to join him at Liverpool, and while we were together, he gave me a lot of good suggestions about how I could improve my game.
'He was good for my career. I have read a lot about what might happen now, if he goes to Inter, but I am just concentrating on the World Cup.
'That is important, because I want to have a good tournament. I have a contract with Liverpool, and I have to respect that, because they are a big club and have been good to me.'
Yes, I'm leaving Liverpool: Dirk Kuyt is wanted by old boss Rafa Benitez
Mascherano pondered a move to Barcelona last summer but has since insisted he is happy at Liverpool.
However, the commitment has not been reciprocated by an acceptable new contract offer and talks with the Reds have been shelved until after the World Cup.
Barcelona are also interested in the Argentina captain but are also looking at cheaper alternatives for the holding role vacancy about to be created by Yaya Toure leaving for either Arsenal or Manchester City.
Tottenham's Wilson Palacios is among those who Barca are considering as an alternative to targeting Mascherano.
Meanwhile, Inter have put aside £25m to move for Valencia and Spain midfielder David Silva, who is also a target for Manchester City and Real Madrid, but is said to be keen to join up again with the manager who brought him through at the Mestalla.
Meanwhile, Benitez's three-year contract at the San Siro is reported to be worth £65,000 a week - less than half of what Inter paid Jose Mourinho.
The European champions were turned down by England boss Fabio Capello, Barcelona's Pep Guardiola and Turkey's former Chelsea chief Guus Hiddink before turning to the man who led Liverpool to seventh in the Barclays Premier League last season.
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take Kuyt can
but Mas cannot lar -
lucas, kuyt, david ngog, Kyrgiakos, reira all for 20m.
how about that?
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Originally posted by Poignant:
lucas, kuyt, david ngog, Kyrgiakos, reira all for 20m.
how about that?
20m for these average players? give free some clubs also dun want lar 
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can swop for inter milan players as well. wesley sneider for mascharano and etoo for kyut, a good deal I would say
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Then Liverpool will become an empty shell. Going to next Newcastle United, Boro, Leeds?
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nv buy lucas??
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Originally posted by Y_Shun:
nv buy lucas??
yeayea! that's what i thought as well
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What about his pet, Lucas ?
That is some one that is worth 10 million in Ah Ben's eye.
Please drag this guy out of Liverpool.
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so Rafa went to Inter to save Liverpool by helping with their debt problems via buying lousy players !
we wrongly blamed Rafa liao !
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his old habits nv change
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Will Javier Mascherano and Dirk Kuyt want to work under Benitez again? He not as good as a manager as he sound to be.
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noooo. mascherano cannot go. he is one of the world's best ball winner omg.
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i hope he take dirt kuyt and lucas
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I guess Dirk Kuyt is Rafa's favourite pet afterall... lol.
But come to think of it and to be fair, Dirk Kuyt isn't that bad a player lah... Like I have always said, he is one of the most hard working players not just at Pool but in the Premier league as well along with Rooney, Tevez, Bellamy...
His is like Alan Smith for United, work rate I give him A+ but on skill and talent... C-
But I guess Rafa will prove others wrong that Lucas is also one of his pet... lol.