No Chilean at L'pool for the time being ....

• Poolman

  20 Aug 05, 01:43

  Rick Parry :"Our chase to sign Chilean winger Mark Gonzalez is over for the time being.
  
  We were extremely surprised when our application for a work permit was turned down.
  
  It's a frustrating state of affairs because Rafael Benitez was really looking forward to working with the player. Gonzalez has been playing his football in Spain with Albacete who were relegated at the end of last season.
  
  Rafa's knowledge of the Spanish scene immediately encouraged him to move for a man who would have been an important addition to our squad.
  
  To secure a work permit you have to demonstrate that the individual will make a significant contribution to the development of the game in this country.
  
  I find it odd to have people saying he is not good enough, but there we are. Gonzalez is injured at the moment and was coming in a slightly unusual deal. That was probably a factor, but we are nevertheless disappointed. You win some and you lose some.
  
  
  
  
• stellazio

  20 Aug 05, 01:44

  Well,den maybe benitez will go for joaquin?a blessing in disguise??
• The man who was death

  20 Aug 05, 01:45

  You can't get Solano, no no!!
• Poolman

  20 Aug 05, 01:53

  Solano 'would love' Liverpool switch
  
  Aston Villa winger Nolberto Solano has revealed he would jump at the chance of a move to Liverpool.
  
  Solano has been linked with the European Cup holders in recent days, potentially as a makeweight in the deal for striker Milan Baros.
  
  Villa are understood to have offered £6million for Baros, plus a further £500,000 in add-ons as manager David O'Leary is desperate to strengthen his strikeforce.
  
  However, O'Leary has apparently been trumped by a bid of £8.5million from Lyon, with money burning a hole in the pockets of president Jean-Michael Aulas after the £24.4million departure of Michael Essien to Chelsea.
  
  Although O'Leary is unaware of any offer from Liverpool for 30-year-old Solano, and Reds manager Rafael Benitez has conceded no bid has been made, the Peruvian has added fuel to the fire surrounding his future.
  
  'It is fantastic when a big club comes in for a player,' said Solano.
  
  'Ask any player in the world if they would love to play for a big club, and everyone would love to.
  
  'I won't say `no, I don't want to go to Liverpool' because they are a big club who want to challenge to win titles, and any player would love to go to Liverpool.
  
  'If you ask any player what they would do if a big club came in for them - Manchester United, Chelsea or Liverpool - everybody would love to go there.'
  
  Although Solano has less than a year remaining on his current contract, there has been no suggestion of Villa opening talks on a new deal, although O'Leary intimated yesterday the club were happy to wait until the turn of the year.
  
  Solano, though, appears to be keeping his options open as he added in the Evening Mail: 'I only have one more year left and as to whether I stay at Villa, nobody has said anything to me yet.
  
  'To be honest, I just want to only play and we will see what happens. I do not have to renew my contract until the end of the season, until June probably.
  
  'The club could go four or five months to decide what they want to do with me, whether to sign a contract or let me go somewhere.
  
  'But for the moment I want to stay [in the Premier League] and to play here because the Premier League is very exciting for me. Everybody loves it right now.
  
  'But it's not in my hands. It is down to the manager and the club. Of course, if I had the chance of another contract at Villa it would interest me.
  
  'I was very pleased with this club when I moved here and you see the response when I still try to do my best for this club.'