Liverpool FORCED to offload STAR: How crazy is this!
by Mr Comfort on August 4th, 2008Rafa Benitez is understandably irate at a decision made by the authorities. This is in relation to a work permit for a young talent, who will now have to be loaned out elsewhere rather than challenging for a spot at Liverpool!
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Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has been left frustrated after Argentine winger Sebastian Leto was refused a work permit for the new season.
The British Government has turned down Leto’s application and the 21-year-old is now set to leave Anfield on loan, with Olympiakos a likely destination.
Leto made four appearances for the Reds last term while on an Italian passport but that was later revoked by the Italian Government, which is now subject to an appeal.
Liverpool, therefore, applied for a permit with Benitez insisting he will select Leto, who has failed to impress since arriving from Atletico Lanus in July 2007, on a more regular basis in the new campaign.
But having been refused, Benitez believes the process for awarding work permits needs to be addressed, telling the Daily Express: “The system needs to change, clearly.
“I cannot understand how an Argentine player who has been in pre-selection for the Olympic squad and has played in the UEFA Champions League and at a club like Liverpool is not good enough.
“Now we need to find a solution for him and find a good team. Maybe in the future when he is playing Champions League someone will say, ‘we made a mistake’.” (Sky Sports)
This is a crazy situation! Clearly the freedom of player movement is problematic for non-EU players, but on this occasion, the law seems to have held back the chances of a youngster proving his worth to his club. It’s not like we are talking about a sub-standard player getting in the way of English talent, this is a player who has the ability to perform at the highest level but is simply being held back by red tape. What do Liverpool fans think about this decision and what could be done to help ease these types of restrictions?
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Tagged Under: Liverpool FC, Premier League, Transfer Rumours



Rafa The Gaffer - August 4th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
It’s an absolute farce. We will end up loaning Leto to a Champions League playing side (Greece is looking likely), yet the English authorities think he isn’t good enough to play in the Premier League. Yet they allow Arsenal to sign god knows how many Africans without any concerns.
It really is a farcical system getting a work permit in this country.
Dan - August 4th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Never heard of him. However, it is the same for all clubs so Benitez should wind his neck in.
kk - August 4th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
he is rubbish
sc - August 4th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
what an awful title, how can leto be considered a “STAR”?
@narky @nus - August 4th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
why are africans aqllowed in when south americans aren’t… it’s a discrimination nation…. fuk da politishaaaans
Lee D - August 4th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
MAYBE THEY WATCHED A VIDEO OF HIM PLAYING
@narky @nus - August 4th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
he looks like noel fielding…. and plays about as crappy as him too…ha haaaaa……
Anonymous - August 4th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Rafa the Gaffer… specifically which african players have arsenal signed that did not fulfil the work permit criteria?
michael - August 4th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Dats rasiusm
elninoT9 - August 4th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
absolute disgrace, if it was any other club he wud hav got it arsenal bring in all these youngsters from africa and not once hav i herd of them bein refused a work permit
David Villa - August 4th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
4 sc 08.04.08 at 6:44 pm what an awful title, how can leto be considered a “STAR”?
That’s exactly what I was thinking
Martin oniell - August 4th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
about time you fuckers get some bad news,i wonder who benitez has tapped up today?
alecland - August 4th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
We are forced to offload one of our stars, Gerrard or Torres?
Martin oniell - August 4th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
How about a headline,
VILLA FORCED TO SELL THEIR CAPTAIN BECAUSE OF UNDERHAND SILLY LOOKING SPANISH CUNT
fuckin scouse bastards.
shadda2002 - August 4th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Leto is dud. He will never make it.
steven - August 4th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
i think leto is a really promising player. he has pace, skill, keeps the ball well and has flair. the only thing lacking is his final ball, which can obviously be improved. i really dont understand how a 17 year old denilson with very little experience even back in brazil, can get a work permit for arsenal straight away, but leto cant, even after having played in the first team in europe. like mark gonzalez, he wont get a fair chance due to these loans and will never been able to settle.
Boys pen1946 - August 4th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Don’t be surprised if Manure get work permit for Manucho from Ghana…..amazing innit how rednose always gets his way
Boys pen1946 - August 4th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Correction Manucho comes from Angola
Lee - August 4th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
i know a lot of kids are showin promise but i cant picture Leto as one of them.
the opportunities he was given he was far from impressive or even decent?
we’ve much better youngsters like Nemeth and Plessis.
not to mention Lucas? i think we give Lucas another year or 2 he’ll be amazing and we’ll be fightin clubs off him.
steven - August 4th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
i agree with you lee in that those youngsters you mention should get a chance but i also think leto should, especially as the wings are weak at the moment. he only played 4 games and i thought his only bad game was against marseille when we lost at home, but no-one played well in that game. against reading in the carling cup he played well and provided one of the goals with a through ball for torres. so he has shown glimpses of what he can do, but needs a run in the first team. we shall see after this loan to olympiakos or whoever
Anonymous - August 5th, 2008 at 12:54 am
yeah lee…lucas will be superb when he gets that colour blindness sorted…liverpool play in red so y does he nine times out of ten get it wrong? he needs to go…sell him instead of alonso…lucas cud play til he’s a 100 n he will neva b world class……xabi is!
Zekk67 - August 5th, 2008 at 3:55 am
Why bring in Barry when we are talking about Leto? Barry wasn’t tapped up. Villa agreed to the selling even before the saga occured. It was Martin O’Neill who stabbed the deal on the back by leaking out information to the media. Villans accuse us of doing that but clearly we do not stand to gain anything if we do so (non-disclosure can help keep vultures like Man U and Arsenal in the dark). However, this leak means Martin O’Neill can incite a price bidding war to raise Barry’s already inflated price. Next, when he failed to do so (coz Arsenal is so god darn broke), he quoted a ridiculous price and a now-non-existent deadline to force Rafa’s hand. All this points to Villa’s own wrongdoing, and you got the nerve to point fingers at us!
Ben - August 5th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Good riddance, he was awful.
fife ftf - August 5th, 2008 at 11:59 am
he’s fucking shit, like
Hornfinger - August 5th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I agree about Denilson - not sure how he is granted a work permit and Leto isn’t. Although, Arsenal have had similar work permit problems with Carlos Vela who, if granted a work permit two years ago, would already have made a big impact.
Personally, I think it’s a blessing in disguise. I can’t see him getting much first team action at Liverpool this season, despite what Rafa says, so if he spends a season or two getting first team experience on loan before he’s granted a work permit, I think that serves both club and player quite well.
michael sinnott - September 3rd, 2008 at 5:35 pm
leto is a wanker were better off without him arbeola dossena shit we got rid of riise for that were goin down the same line as inspector cleousse