Work permit hitch delays Gonzalez’s Anfield switch
The deal, believed to be around £4 million (€5.8m), for the 21-year-old to join Liverpool from Albacete, is virtually completed with terms agreed with the player and his club.
Liverpool have been technically unable to complete the deal because the contract cannot be put into place without a work permit - but they are in a position to “control” the immediate future of the player.
They were refused a work permit at the beginning of the season, and cannot apply for another one until the summer - and that has frustrated their attempts to bring the Chile international to Anfield.
That is despite constant claims from Gonzalez’s advisors and the player that he will join Liverpool this month.
But Anfield sources now confirm that the chances of the club being able to speed up the issue of a permit are as unlikely as Gonzalez acquiring a Spanish passport.
Now boss Rafael Benitez is likely to agree to the player being loaned to a Spanish club for the rest of the season before joining Liverpool in the summer, when he will almost certainly acquire a Spanish passport anyway and be able to move to Anfield without needing a work permit.
And it is likely that Espanyol will be the club he will join on loan, although that has not been confirmed as yet.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will unveil Jan Kromkamp today after the Dutch World Cup prospect successfully completed his medical.
And with the FA Cup signing qualification now the same as for Barclays Premiership matches - the day before the match - the 24-year-old can make his debut at Luton in the third round on Saturday.
Kromkamp has joined as part of a swap deal which has taken full-back Josemi to Villarreal.
Kromkamp has quit Villarreal after joining them from Dutch club Alkmaar in the summer, but failing to settle in Spain where Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez revealed “he has had trouble learning the language.”
It is becoming a busy week for Liverpool now the transfer window has opened, with the first new face being 17-year-old Paul Anderson who has completed his move from Hull in exchange for England Under-21 midfielder John Welsh, who has been on loan with the Tigers all season.
Liverpool also have Deportivo Saprissa winger Christian Bolanos on trial, after he excelled against the Anfield men in the World Club Championship in Tokyo last month.
Liverpool also aim to complete the £5.5m (€8m) signing of centre-back Daniel Agger from Brondby by the weekend.
His signing will give the Liverpool manager long-awaited cover for Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia.
The deal will be significantly cheaper than the one Manchester United have concluded for Nemanja Vidic from Spartak Moscow.
Benitez had shown interest in the Serbian but was not prepared to pay £7m (€10.1m) for a player who had a get-out clause in his contract for a fee less than £5m (€7.25m).
There is also considerable doubt over another of Benitez’s long-term targets, Benfica winger Simao Sabrosa, who is also interesting United.
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