Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool star Fernando Torres is staying at Anfield, says Roy Hodgson
[LNB]Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has claimed striker Fernando Torres wants to stay at the club. [LNB]The Spain World Cup winner has a £60million price tag on his head after he was linked with summer moves to Manchester City and Chelsea. [LNB]But Hodgson, who is expecting the 26-year-old to return to training on Monday, is optimistic Torres is prepared to see out the remaining three years of his contract. [LNB] Staying put: Hodgson believes Torres will stay at Liverpool [LNB]The Liverpool boss said: 'He's told us he's looking forward to getting back to work and playing for us next season. He is on holiday and having a well deserved rest. I don't think he has had a holiday for three or four years, so he is spending time with his family and, as far as I know, keeping a low profile.' [LNB]Torres has held a series of meetings with Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow but is yet to follow captain Steven Gerrard and publicly pledge his future to the club. [LNB]Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti remains interested in Torres and the Barclays Premier League champions are understood to be ready to offer £45m. [LNB]On his way: Javier Mascherano wants to leave Anfield [LNB]However, City's interest appears to have cooled since they targeted Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli. [LNB]The development is a welcome boost for Hodgson, who admitted that Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano has told him he wants to quit Anfield. [LNB]The Liverpool board and manager are waiting to see if former boss Rafael Benitez, now at Inter Milan, will make a £25m offer. If the Mascherano bid fails to materialise, or Liverpool refuse to sell, the player could go on strike before the start of the season to manufacture a move to the San Siro. [LNB]Hodgson said: 'Yes, he wants to leave the club and he has made that perfectly clear and I think he wanted to leave a year ago. But he is contracted to us until we decide to accept an offer. Whether he leaves or not is our decision.[LNB] 'At the moment he is a Liverpool player and the fact a player is unhappy and would prefer to leave does not mean that he will leave.' [LNB]There are also reports in Italy that Benitez could swoop for Holland striker Dirk Kuyt. But Liverpool were making their own moves in the transfer market last night when they bid £2.75m for Aston Villa right back Luke Young. [LNB]The former England defender would welcome a move to Anfield after being kept out of Villa's first team by Carlos Cuellar last season. His arrival would ease Liverpool's full-back crisis, with Philipp Degen joining Emiliano Insua and Fabio Aurelio in leaving Anfield. [LNB] In demand: Liverpool have bid £2.5m for Aston Villa defender Luke Young[LNB]Young played left back for one season at Villa and his versatility will be of huge benefit. Today Hodgson sets out with a makeshift squad for their opening match of the season in Macedonia - a Europa League qualifier against FK Rabotnicki in Skopje tomorrow night. [LNB]With Torres and Gerrard and new signing Joe Cole returning late following World Cup duty, Hodgson is expected to take a squad mainly made up of youngsters. [LNB]The Liverpool boss officially unveiled new signings Cole, Milan Jovanovic and Danny Wilson at Anfield yesterday and he has vowed to bring in further signings before the Premier League kick-off against Arsenal next month. [LNB]New man: Joe Cole exits the Anfield tunnel [LNB]He said: 'Hopefully these three won't be the last of our signings. Our aim is to make this squad competitive. We know we are under pressure to do well and If we can sign several more to make the squad stronger, that will help.' [LNB]Cole has vowed to put his injury nightmare behind him and help lead Liverpool back to the Champions League. The 28-year-old former Chelsea midfielder has not completed a game since February and admitted his injury record may have overshadowed his achievements at Stamford Bridge. [LNB]He said: 'I had five great years at Chelsea and two blighted with injuries and the decision to leave was taken before I'd even thought of what club I'd go to. It was a hard decision but I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to come to somewhere at the start of something and it was easy to come here because it's a massive club.[LNB] 'Last year was tough, more or less the whole season. I was trying to get my match fitness back and prove I should be starting, maybe trying too hard. But I still made an impact and am proud of the part I played. Now this is a fresh start. Roy made it clear he wanted me as a player and what he wanted from me. [LNB]'Look at all the pictures around this place and you want more of that. The whole club is built on success. I can feel the hunger and the desire here. As soon as I walked into this place I loved it and I believe we can do something special here. [LNB]'I left a mark at Chelsea and now I want to leave my mark at a massive club like this as well.' [LNB] Danny Wilson determined to make his mark under Roy Hodgson at LiverpoolSign up to our FREE Fantasy Football game - with £40,000 in prize money up for grabsJoe Cole tells Liverpool fans his best is yet to come as new signing targets Premier League titleLIVERPOOL FC
