Source: Daily_Mail
Roy Hodgson ready to stage £10m raid to bring Peter Crouch back at Anfield
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson wants to take Peter Crouch back to Anfield two years after he was shown the door by Rafa Benitez.[LNB]Hodgson has made solving Liverpool's striker shortage his priority and is ready to test Harry Redknapp's resolve to keep Crouch at Tottenham with a £10million offer.[LNB]Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, who played with Crouch at Anfield, have sung his praises to their new manager and Hodgson believes the 6ft 7in England international would be able to either play alongside Fernando Torres or step in whenever the Spaniard is injured or needs a rest.[LNB] Kopped it: Crouch could be lining up alongside Gerrard and co next season[LNB]Despite Liverpool's financial problems with the club currently up for sale, Hodgson will be given money for a new striker if Javier Mascherano rejoins Benitez, now in charge at Inter Milan, in a £20m deal or signs for Barcelona. [LNB]He is keen to continue bolstering the English contingent in his squad, having already signed Joe Cole from Chelsea on a Bosman. [LNB]Intriguingly, Crouch may be tempted by the opportunity to complete unfinished business at Anfield despite the lure of Champions League football at Spurs. [LNB]He helped Liverpool win the FA Cup and reach the Champions League final in three seasons at the club but was sold by Benitez to Portsmouth in 2008 to make way for Robbie Keane.[LNB]However, the success of Hodgson's mission would still depend on the attitude of Tottenham boss Redknapp. He has managed Crouch at three clubs - Southampton, Portsmouth and Spurs - and would only sell if chairman Daniel Levy backs his plans to bring in other targets Ashley Young of Aston Villa, Sevilla's Brazil striker Luis Fabiano, AC Milan's Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Craig Bellamy of Manchester City.[LNB]Redknapp has so far been frustrated in the transfer market, withLevy waiting to see if Spurs beat Young Boys of Berne in a two-legqualifying round later this month to reach the Champions League groupstage.[LNB]Spurs want to reduce their squad but have not been able toso far shift players like David Bentley, Jermaine Jenas and RomanPavlyuchenko, who are surplus to requirements. [LNB] Enlarge Enlarge Enlarge Enlarge Tottenham targets: The deal for Crouch would allow Redknapp to pick up Ashley Young, Luis Fabiano. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Craig Bellamy[LNB]However, Keane is still likely to go to Aston Villa once their sale of James Milner to Manchester City is completed.[LNB]Crouch has been in demand throughout his career and will be keen to have a good season after a disappointing World Cup in which manager Fabio Capello preferred to partner Wayne Rooney with Emile Heskey or Jermain Defoe despite Crouch's 21 goals for England. Handle[LNB]Hodgson also has to deal with the interest of Barcelona, who may turn their attention to midfielder Mascherano after missing out on Cesc Fabregas. [LNB] The Spanish champions are being encouraged by Lionel Messi to make a move for his Argentina team-mate who would add steel alongside the dazzling attacking talent at the Nou Camp.[LNB]Barca were priced out of the market for Fabregas but Liverpool would be willing to listen to offers of £20-25m as they know Mascherano is keen to leave Merseyside for family reasons.[LNB]Inter manager Benitez is also keen on being reunited with Mascherano but has to wait until Mario Balotelli or Maicon are sold before he can launch a bid.[LNB]Liverpool hope two European giants competing for Mascherano will lead to a higher sale price. They would also see it as poetic justice if Benitez missed out on Mascherano after his acrimonious relations with the club hierarchy in the final few months of his time at Liverpool.[LNB]Mascherano has been a popular figure at Anfield since arriving from West Ham in 2008 but his wife has failed to settle in the north-west and the 26-year-old has wanted to quit for southern Europe for the past 12 months.[LNB] Liverpool remain confident of buyout before transfer window closesLiverpool hopeful Huang vows not to 'enrich' owners Gillett and HicksLiverpool defender Glen Johnson begs England fans to forgive World Cup flops LIVERPOOL FC
