RONALDO TO MISS LIVERPOOL MATCH...MAYBE...

Meanwhile surgery on Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo will see him miss the Liverpool clash in September, if of course he's still a Utd player come then.

DAVID MARTIN TO GO OUT ON LOAN

Liverpool are hoping to loan out rookie 'keeper David Martin to a Championship club next season in the hope of him gaining valuable first team experience.

ANOTHER CENTRE BACK? DOUBT IT!

A very brief newspaper snippet today claims that Liverpool are sniffing around VfB Stuttgart centre-back Fernando Meira (30).

According to player manager Roger Wittman, Liverpool and Juventus have declared an interest in the player who is available.

Wittman said: "Once the player is put on the transfer list, everything will go very fast. There's always interest for a player of his qualities."

ARBELOA TO SEVILLE???

According to a brief snippet today, Sevilla have made an enquiry regarding the availability of Reds defender Alvaro Arbeloa.

TORRES:GERRARD IS MY ROLE MODEL

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres believes pressure from Rafael Benitez and
inspiration from Steven Gerrard have helped him to become a global superstar and
European champion.

The 24-year-old topped off a season during which he scored 33 goals in his debut campaign for the Reds by firing Spain to the Euro 2008 title last weekend.

And he claims manager Benitez's demand for constant improvement has driven him
to ever greater heights following last summer's transfer from Atletico Madrid.

"After you score 20, Benitez is at you during the next training session and stays on top of you all day, all week," Torres told Champions magazine.

"I want to progress in life, not relax, not be complacent, and you need someone close to you telling you to keep at it. It is impossible to do it otherwise.

"We don't always fancy someone that close but, in the long term, I am sure that everybody will thank him for it."

The Spaniard has also been impressed by his club captain Gerrard, and in particular by the Scouser's ability to deal with the pressures that come with his high profile.

"He's always under tremendous pressure to perform and everyone looks to him to
show leadership, to lift the team," Torres said.

"He's a great example, and those of us who have been in a similar situation know how difficult it is to handle.

"It's incredible the way he carries himself regardless of what is going on around him. I'd love to be captain of another team one day and Steve has shown me how to be a great leader."

KEANE TRANSFER HEATS UP

Reported Liverpool target Robbie Keane will not be allowed to leave Tottenham this summer, according to assistant boss Gus Poyet.

The Republic of Ireland international striker is thought to be a big summer target of Reds boss Rafa Benitez who is aiming to pair up Keane with prolific Spanish hitman Fernando Torres at Anfield.

However Poyet has moved quickly to dismiss the possibility of Keane leaving White Hart Lane given the doubt surrounding Dimitar Berbatov.

He told the Sunday Star: "We can't afford to let Robbie go.

"We have lost Jermain Defoe and, hopefully Dimitar Berbatov will stay.

"If we lost Robbie it would be too much.

"We have to keep our best players if we want to achieve something."