Yes the fee seems extortionate but will Rafa pay over the odds to get his man?
El Mundo Deportivo reports that Espanyol winger Albert Riera has made formal his determination to leave Montjuïc this summer.
It comes as no surprise that the Spanish international has sent in a transfer request as various European clubs look to secure his services.Furthermore, Riera has personal reasons for wishing to leave. As he told the media after Espanyol’s disastroud second half of the season, he was hurt by the banners from fans that read: “Stay on vacation. We won’t be in Europe, and you won’t be at the Euros.”
While he then informally signalled his intention to leave, president Daniel Sánchez Llibre stated that he would be going nowhere unless his €24m (£19m) release clause was met.
Riera, then, has set his agent about finding him a new club of considerable financial wherewithal – a search that continues. Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are thought to be among those interested. (goal.com)
The Albert Riera saga seems more nearer to completion than the Gareth Barry-gate fiasco. Now that the one time Man City loanee has put himself up for a transfer there is no going back, the problem is that the winger is good but maybe not good enough for Liverpool’s Spanish boss to pay such an inflated fee. Do Liverpool fans think Benitez should cough up? Or should they sign Barry or someone else with that cash?