Football - Liverpool FC: Eintracht Frankfurt fear money will scupper Andriy Voronin move

Nov 19 2009 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Football - Liverpool FC: EINTRACHT FRANKFURT fear they will be priced out of a January move for Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin – as Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera the Anfield outfit an unlikely fitness boost.

Voronin has been linked with a move away from the club after a disappointing campaign in which he has fallen behind David Ngog as back-up to main striker Fernando Torres.

The Ukraine international spent a season on loan at Hertha Berlin last term, scoring 11 times in 20 appearances, and has previously played for Borussia Moenchengladbach, Mainz, Cologne and Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.

Eintracht are known admirers of the 30-year-old, and have shortlisted Voronin for a possible move during the January transfer window.

However, those hopes appear to have been dashed with manager Michael Skibbe revealing the Bundesliga outfit would find it difficult to afford Voronin.

“We have a shortage up front following the injuries to Ioannis Amanatidis and Martin Fenin,” he said.

“But I really do not think we are in a financial position to be able to afford a player like Andriy Voronin. I really do not think so.”

With Fernando Torres joining Fabio Aurelio on the sidelines for Saturday’s Premier League visit of Manchester City, Voronin will compete with David Ngog for a place in attack.

And Rafael Benitez may even be able to call up on Benayoun and Riera with the pair making remarkable progress following the hamstring tears they suffered during the 2-2 draw with Birmingham City.

Both were expected to be sidelined for up to a month, but have responded to radical treatment on their injuries.

The Liverpool midfielders were flown to Belgrade earlier this week to see Mariana Kovacevic, the physiotherapist who has gained a reputation for curing injured sportsmen with liquid from horse placenta. And Riera and Benayoun now have an outside chance of being fit for the weekend.

“I have been in Belgrade to see her and I am feeling better already,” said Benayoun. “My hope now is that I will be fit in one week, two at the most. I have a good feeling about it.”

Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger will all be available, although Jamie Carragher and Philipp Degen will both serve the second game of their respective three-match bans for their red cards at Fulham last month.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have bolstered their youth ranks by paying an undisclosed fee for highly-rated Luton Town youngster Dave Moli.

Fourteen-year-old forward Moli had been part of the Hatters’ under-15 side but will now move with his family to Merseyside, where he will continue his schooling and train at Liverpool’s Academy in Kirkby.

Luton reported another Premier League club to the Football Association for making an illegal approach for the player, but Liverpool’s approach through the Blue Square Premier club has been accepted. Luton’s youth development officer Gregg Broughton said: “We never like to lose talented players, but it is important that we do not stand in the way of young players’ development.”