And the boss wants him to stay, and a new CB lined up (Milito?)
Liverpool Daily Post, 31 May 2005 Hamann set to stay at Anfield after rethink By Ian Doyle, Daily Post Staff
DIETMAR HAMANN will stay at Liverpool for another season as Rafael Benitez moved a step closer to securing his latest summer signing.
Hamann, who is out of contract this summer, was on the brink of joining Premiership rivals Bolton Wanderers after deciding his future lay away from Anfield.
But after playing a prominent role in Liverpool's unforgettable European Cup final triumph over AC Milan last Wednesday, the German international has had a rethink and decided to remain at Anfield.
It is a mbuttive fillip for Benitez, who wants the 32-year-old as part of his new-look squad for next season as he aims for an improvement in Liverpool's inconsistent Premiership form.
Hamann has agreed a contract in principle, and will sign a one-year deal next month with the option of another 12 months.
Benitez, meanwhile, is closing in on a move for Argentine centre-back target Gabriel Milito. The 24-year-old was part of the Real Zaragoza side which rounded off their Spanish La Liga campaign with a 3-1 defeat at home to Real Madrid to end any hopes of European qualification for next season.
Zaragoza are £30m in debt, and with the club struggling to meet interest payments they have on option but to sell players this summer.
Milito has a buy-out clause of £20m in his contract, but such is Zaragoza's immediate plight that Liverpool are confident that an offer of £6-7m will be enough to persuade them to part with the player.
With the Spanish season now over, Benitez - who is currently back in his homeland - wants to move quickly for a player previously courted by Barcelona and Manchester United.
Another Argentine Zaragoza player, Luciano Galletti, is on Benitez's wishlist, and with £30m to spend the Liverpool manager has also targeted Shaun Wright-Phillips and Feyenoord striker Dirk Kuyt.
Meanwhile, Harry Kewell has vowed to draw a line under his injury torment after revealing he had mixed emotions following Liverpool's Champions League triumph over AC Milan last Wednesday.
The Australian was a surprise starter but was forced off during the first half with a groin injury that required surgery on Friday.
And Kewell said: "Hopefully with the operation completed I can put all this injury business behind me.
"Wednesday night in Turkey was the highlight of my career and also the worst nightmare of my career, its all mixed in two inside my head.
"Rafael Benitez showed a lot faith in me by picking me from the start because he had other options. It was great for me until the injury.
OT: Portable DABHi. Anyone know if you can yet get a portable DAB radio that is actually small, and may run of AA batteries instead of needing a submarine battery? My little portable piece of crap...
"I stretched for a ball and my groin snapped, I couldn't do anything about it.
"Now it's not going to be a great summer with all the rehabilitation but it's been like that for the last six months.
"But if you'd said to me six months ago that I was going to pull my groin in the European Cup final and I would end up with a winner's medal I'd have taken that.
"Maybe it's one of the worst things to have happened to me but it's still been the perfect end to the season."
