We`ve been receiving a lot of emails and comments from Liverpool fans in relation to one Spanish player in particular: David Silva.
The Valencia player has frequently been linked with a move to Liverpool and was at the centre of a flurry of speculation when Valencia went public with the revelation that Benitez had been making enquiries at the end of last season. However, as the Liverpool boss stated in an interview with me at that time -
published here - contact had been made, but in Rafa`s own words: " people have been talking too much ...and Silva is not someone we are looking at now." In other words, Valencia`s decision to go public was an attempt by the Spanish club to spark a bidding war for the player - but Liverpool had established that they were prepared to pay €20million and not a cent more, so very sensibly walked away from Valencia`s attempt to create an auction. Equally, David Silva was happy to leave Valencia at that time, but preferred to stay in Spain and was unsure about moving abroad.
However, the speculation has resurfaced and in the last few days the player has once again been linked with a move to Anfield, and consequently readers have been contacting this site asking questions about press reports of an agreement between Liverpool and Valencia, leaving comments referring to supposed done deals and even citing rumours of a David Silva medical.
We can clear all of the above up by saying that, at this moment in time, neither Liverpool, nor any other English club, have had any recent contact with Valencia over David Silva.
The most recent interest in the player has been from Spain and everyone had been anticipating offers from either Barcelona or Real Madrid - however, nothing has materialized so far this summer.
As far as Liverpool are concerned, I am still being told that there is no chance that they will be making a move for David Silva at this time. Most of the transfer money available has been spent on Glen Johnson (this includes revenue from the sale of Keane, and debts owed to Liverpool by Portsmouth for the transfer of Peter Crouch that were factored into the Johnson deal). Considerable funds have also been dedicated to the renewal and extension of many current player`s contracts at Anfield - including Benayoun. In fact, I understand that, had he been sold, David Silva was considered as a replacement for the Israeli, but now that Yossi is staying at the club - the signing of Silva is even less of a possibility.
Although there have been no formal contact between Liverpool and Valencia in relation to David Silva recently, the channels of communication remain open between Anfield and the player`s representatives - so as with anything in football, we can never say never, but nothing appears likely at this time. It has even been suggested that Manchester United are also interested in David Silva, and I have been advised that the player will be under very close scrutiny when Valencia take on Ferguson`s men next month.
Another question that many have been asking on this site, and one that relates to the above, not to mention David Villa is: "how on earth can Valencia possibly keep hold of the pair when the club are in such dire financial circumstances and have previously admitted that they must sell to avoid financial meltdown?"
Unfortunately, there is no logical or rational explanation, and at times the situation at Valencia is as baffling to us here as it appears to you. In many ways the Mestalla club remind me of Newcastle United: a club where what counts is the opinion of the public, an anonymous body that defies all financial and sporting logic and one that rules the club with its heart rather than its head. The problem at Valencia is that nobody wants to be the pantomime villain and risk the wrath of the fans by actually selling their favourite players. Consequently, the club remain in a mess financially and the players concerned are growing deeply frustrated and unsettled - particularly David Villa, who we will have more on tomorrow...
