Liverpool to tempt former stopper back

Liverpool are hoping they can persuade Brad Friedel to ignore interest from Tottenham Hotspur and return to Anfield this summer.

Friedel, who is out of contract at Aston Villa, has been targeted by Kenny Dalglish to provide competition for first-choice keeper Pepe Reina.

The 40-year-old was originally brought to Liverpool by then manager Roy Evans from MLS side Columbus Crew in December 1997 but made only 31 appearances before being shipped out by Gerard Houllier to Blackburn Rovers in November 2000.

Friedel has already passed up the opportunity of a move to West Bromwich Albion but is aware of interest from Tottenham, with Harry Redknapp contemplating a shake-up of his goalkeeping resources following some erratic recent displays from Heurelho Gomes.

Liverpool, though, are also in the market for an experienced keeper with Reina's current number two Brad Jones facing an uncertain future having spent the end of the season on loan at Derby County while highly-rated reserve Peter Gulacsi has only just turned 21.

Friedel's last game for Villa on Sunday was against Liverpool, the American making a fine save to deny Raul Meireles and maintain a clean sheet on his record-breaking 266th consecutive Premier League appearance.

Meanwhile, Kenny Dalglish has won his first battle as permanent Liverpool manager after Andy Carroll was left out of England's under-21 squad for next month's European Championships.

England U21 coach Stuart Pearce had claimed last month that Carroll was keen to be involved in the tournament and named the striker in his provisional 40-man squad.

Dalglish, though, expressed reservations over Carroll's inclusion given the player's lengthy recovery from a thigh problem and a subsequent knee injury.

And the Liverpool manager will have therefore been relieved to have yesterday seen Carroll's name omitted from the final party of 23 that will head to Denmark.

The 22-year-old missed the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday with a niggling knee problem, and has looked well short of fitness in his two appearances in the five games since initially suffering the damage at Arsenal last month.

Carroll will now have a period of rest and rehabilitation with Liverpool eager to prepare their club record £35million investment for the new season.

Explaining Carroll's absence, Pearce said yesterday: "Andy has been ruled out through injury."

Also missing is Jay Spearing, who was one of the 17 players culled from Pearce's original squad. Spearing underwent a scan yesterday on an ankle problem after being forced to limp out of the defeat at Villa Park when caught by a poor tackle by Nigel Reo-Coker.

England also named their senior squad yesterday for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland at Wembley on June 4, with Glen Johnson Liverpool's sole representative.

Meanwhile, Jamie Carragher has already started setting his sights on the new campaign and is hopeful of some major additions during the forthcoming transfer window.

Club owners Fenway Sports Group have promised to arm Dalglish and director of football Damien Comolli with substantial funds to bolster the squad.

And vice-captain Carragher said: "We're the same as any Liverpool fans. We'd love to see ourselves going for top players and getting top players but that's down to the manager and who he decides is good enough to come in.

"I'm sure there'll be a few changes in the summer, as there is every year no matter how well you're doing. Hopefully we can do a lot better next season."

Liverpool be without European football for the first time in 12 years, but Carragher insists it gives the club a better chance of forcing their way into the Champions League reckoning.

"No disrespect to the Europa League but the way that competition has gone it's not a massive disappointment," he said.

"The main thing for us next season is getting back into the Champions League.

"Not being in Europe will give us a better chance of doing that. We want to get back in the top four and do well in the cups.

"Playing Thursdays and Sundays isn't ideal so there's a flip side to not being involved."

Source: Daily Post

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