Magpies to hijack Morientes’ Reds move

NEWCASTLE are trying to sabotage Liverpool’s bid for Fernando Morientes by making their own move for the striker.

But Anfield boss Rafa Benitez won’t get involved in a bidding war and will switch his attention to Nicolas Anelka if the situation drags on.

Morientes met Real President Fiorentino Perez yesterday to plead to be allowed to join Liverpool. But Perez is adamant the Reds’ £3.5m bid isn’t acceptable and continues to overprice the 28-year-old.

A showdown meeting involving Morientes, Perez and the player’s agent took place in Madrid.

Morientes was told he can leave but only at the right price. Madrid still haven’t officially rejected Liverpool’s first bid for the Spaniard and appear to be trying to inflate his value by involving other clubs.

Madrid officials told the player both Newcastle and Monaco are prepared to pay more than the £3.5m on the table.

There is even a suggestion Graeme Souness is ready to bid as much as £10m for the striker.

Liverpool are sure to increase their offer to £5m if Real indicate they’ll allow Morientes to move to Anfield, but won’t go beyond this fee.

The £7m price tag originally placed on Morientes’ head is seen as ridiculous given his age and he has only 18 months left on his contract.

Benitez thinks the ball is in the player’s court and his next move will be influenced by how much he feels Morientes wants to come to Anfield.

Meanwhile Steve Morgan still harbours hopes of investing in Liverpool despite withdrawing his latest offer and launching another attack on the Anfield board yesterday.

The building tycoon pulled out of plans to underwrite a £70m shares issue after losing patience with the club’s hierarchy over the lack of progress with his fourth proposal of the year.

Morgan claims he has been used as “a stalking horse” to attract other offers to Anfield, an accusation rejected by Liverpool.

He also claimed that half the investment would go to chairman David Moores instead of directly into the club if he met the board’s demands.

But despite his frustration, Liverpool’s third largest shareholder remains willing to invest if no other deal materialises - and the club now approaches him. Morgan’s lawyer, Vincent Fairclough said: “Steve has waited eight months for one of his offers to be considered by the club. None of them have been, including this latest one, so he is not going to initiate any more offers. That is not to say his interest is over.”

“If the club wants to come back to him with regards to a future investment then they know where he is.

“He is not going to take his offer anywhere else, he is not interested in buying into another club because he loves Liverpool,” said Fairclough.