Injury to Morientes means Cisse stays
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Injury to Morientes means Cisse stays
The prospect of striker Djibril Cisse leaving Liverpool in the transfer window has receded considerably with injury to Fernando Morientes and boss Rafael Benitez's insistence that he does not want the flamboyant Frenchman to leave Anfield.
Marseille have repeatedly expressed their interest in Cisse, but that has been dismissed by Benitez as he prepares to send out his Liverpool side in search of their 10th successive league win against West Brom.
Benitez has lost Morientes with a knee ligament injury for the rest of the holiday programme, and maybe longer.
'We have less choice up front now because Fernando Morientes has injured his knee and will miss the next two games at least. But we still have Cisse, (Peter) Crouch, (Harry) Kewell and (Florent) Sinama-Pongolle. There are still a lot of options,' the Reds boss said.
'We do not have a number one pairing, we decide on which couple depending on injuries and who we are playing.
'I do not see it any more important now to strengthen our strikers department in the transfer window, we have plenty of choice.
'It will be Cisse and Crouch now and hopefully Morientes will be back soon.'
He added: 'As for Cisse's future, we are always hearing Marseille talking and talking but they do not talk to us.
'We do not want to see Cisse go because he is an important player for us.
'He has a good attitude, when you are with a big club like Liverpool you know you will have good team-mates and sometimes you can play and sometimes you cannot.
'You just must be ready when the manager tells you to go out and play. Cisse is a good finisher, we saw at Everton, and he gives us good options with his pace and for that game he was certainly ready when we wanted him.'
Benitez is clearly in no mood to weaken his squad further - winger Bolo Zenden is also out long term with a knee problem - as Liverpool make consistent progress in the Barclays Premiership and with the Champions League last 16 coming up in February.
But Benitez does look like he has clinched a swap deal which will involve Villarreal's Dutch full-back Jan Kromkamp moving to Anfield with Josemi returning to Spain.
Benitez added: 'We have an agreement with Villarreal, and if we can get an agreement with both the players then we will swap them.
'Josemi is a right-back with some problems here with English, and Kromkamp has problems with Spanish at his new club.
'Maybe this swap will be good for both of them. Josemi is happy here, he's a good professional but he sometimes prefers to talk in Spanish and to do that when he is with the Spanish players here.
'Kromkamp has the same problem at Villarreal with the Spanish language. We still need to talk to both players, but in a few days maybe he will be here training with us.
'He is a strong full-back, aggressive and offensive, he can play as a full-back or a wing-back, but I would rather now wait to make sure the deal can be completed.'
Benitez said: 'Josemi had interest from Sevilla, but Villarreal have now talked to us and we have a deal with them but still need to talk to Kromkamp.
'It is very difficult to play in another country and he has had trouble learning Spanish.
'He is maybe too offensive for a defender there because they need to strengthen at the back.
'Josemi has improved his English, but for him and his family it has been difficult. Kromkamp has the same problems because I think 100% of the team at Villarreal only talk Spanish, no English, and that has been really difficult for him.'
The Spanish boss concedes he is still searching for a centre-back to strengthen his squad, but said: 'It is always difficult in the transfer window, but in January more so. Teams are settled and playing and if you want someone who is doing well for his team it is very difficult to buy them.
'Good players are at big clubs and that is hard. You can only look for players at smaller clubs.'
Now Benitez wants to see his side build on their two previous holiday victories against West Brom and then Bolton on Monday.
He says: 'The Everton result was really good for us, three good points against our rivals and that has pleased us and our fans.
'We have started the holiday programme well but we have two more still to play, as I say, one game at a time or in this case, two games at a time!
'After these next two games we will see whether our situation is very good or not. But it will be hard because every game in the Premiership is very, very difficult and that certainly applies to West Brom and Bolton.'
Benitez's insistence that he does not want to sell Cisse was supported by the player himself in response to reported claims from his brother and former agent, Hamed, suggesting a deal with Marseille had almost been finalised.
Cisse said in a Sky Sports interview: 'I'm really disappointed with my brother. I just want to make myself clear. I am in Liverpool and I'm going to stay in Liverpool.
'I don't want to leave after two seasons. I don't know why I'm going to leave. The Liverpool fans are amazing, the club is amazing. We have a good team, a good manager and everything is okay.
'I'm fed up with this speculation. It's always Marseille, and it starts to be boring. Like I said, I'm really disappointed with my brother.[b] -
i think it better to sell cisse away at high price as possible. anyway liverpool think got other striker option.
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Arghh!!!!
Pls!!!!!!!!!!!
Sell Cisse!!!! -
never sell during the jan transfer window doesnt mean not going to sell him during next yr june
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Cisse has clarified last night , and so does Benitez , Cisse is no going anywhere .
Benitez had said Cisse is an important figure in his set-up . He add the pace option for Liverpool , like Crouch , like an extra dimension for our height option .
With or without the injury substain by Morientes , Cisse is staying .
You all know something ...... he has a Manor or Mansion at Liverpool . Think if he go back to France , he might need to sell this Manor @ a lost .
I've seen some pictures of his mansion , if i'm Cisse , die die i stay at Liverpool . -
sell to roman abramovic for lots of $$$$$$$$$$Originally posted by Poolman:Cisse has clarified last night , and so does Benitez , Cisse is no going anywhere .
Benitez had said Cisse is an important figure in his set-up . He add the pace option for Liverpool , like Crouch , like an extra dimension for our height option .
With or without the injury substain by Morientes , Cisse is staying .
You all know something ...... he has a Manor or Mansion at Liverpool . Think if he go back to France , he might need to sell this Manor @ a lost .
I've seen some pictures of his mansion , if i'm Cisse , die die i stay at Liverpool .