14.05.2003 - Cisse, Duff top Houllier's wanted list
Djibril Cisse and Damien Duff are the two players who are top of Gerard Houllier's summer shopping list, as the Liverpool boss looks to make the changes which will see Liverpool challenging for next season's Premiership.
Houllier has been keeping a close eye on both players for over a year, and he is likely to make attempts to bring both players to Anfield over the summer.
Damien Duff was a target of Houllier last season, with a £12million bid rejected by Blackburn boss Graeme Souness.
But Souness himself has admitted over recent weeks that he would be prepared to sell Duff at the right price and Houllier has again stated his interest in the Irish winger, who may also be a target of Man United.
Meanwhile, Houllier plans to meet with Auxerre bos Guy Roux at the end of the month, when he is likely to make enquiries regarding the possibility of bringing Djibril Cisse to the Premiership.
Cisse was top scorer and Player of the Year in the French league last season, attracting interest from many of Europe's top clubs, and despite missing a number of weeks through injury early in the season, the striker has continued his good goalscoring form this season and also managed to force his way into the French national team.
The combined price of the two players is likely to be close to £25million, much of which will have to be raised through the sale of one or two first team players already at Anfield, with reports listing Vladimir Smicer, Dietmar Hamann and Emile Heskey as the players most likely to be put up for sale by Houllier in order to raise the amount needed.
|
