Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is planning to re-ignite his interest in Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze.
Benitez attempted to land the 30-year-old versatile defender against all the football odds in 2007 when he lodged a bid in the region of £6.8million to prise Heinze away from deadly rivals Manchester United.
However United were unwilling to sell to their bitter neighbours and feverishly sought another buyer and Heinze was eventually sold to Real Madrid for a reported fee of £8million in August 2007.
Still Benitez has been monitoring the progress of the former Paris Saint-Germain star and he is keen to strengthen his rearguard in the January transfer window with Daniel Agger possibly on his way to Italian giants AC Milan.
The Rossoneri have been linked with centre-back Agger and although Rafa is keen to keep the Danish defender – if the Reds collect a fee of £8million for Agger he will almost certanly make a cut-price £4million offer for Heinze.
The uncompromising Heinze will offer Benitez some versatility as he is equally at home as a central defender and a full-back. His tough-tackling style made him a firm favourite in his three-year spell at Old Trafford and he even captained the Red Devils at the end of the 2007 season.
With Liverpool looking like genuine title contenders this time around Benitez knows he needs to bolster his squad and La Liga giants Real will allow Heinze to leave the Bernabeu after making just five starts for the capital club this season.
Selling Agger to raise funds for Heinze? What a crock! Agger is a young, up-and-coming player who is improving greatly. He and Skrtel are seen as the future of Liverpool’s defense and he is expect to sign a contract extension before the end of December. Heinze on the other hand is an aging defender who is well past his best days and struggling at Madrid. Liverpool way want better left and right backs, but they will NOT be letting go of one of the most promising centerbacks in order to purchase an overpriced and over the hill defender for it.
Totally agree. Unless Rafa doesn’t like Agger as a person, he would be insane not to give him what he wants in order to renew his contract, since he is one of the most promising CB in Europe.