Hodgson unhappy with Inter’s ‘behind the scenes’ Kuyt pursuit

LIVERPOOL manager Roy Hodgson has suggested forces are at work behind the scenes in an attempt to lure forward Dirk Kuyt to Inter Milan.

And the 62-year-old claimed Inter’s ex-Reds boss Rafael Benitez would be reneging on an agreement not to raid Anfield for former players.

Hodgson denied any knowledge of Kuyt wanting to leave despite suggestions by his agent that talks between the two clubs are continuing.

The Englishman did confirm, however, that the club had held talks with his former side Fulham over left-back Paul Konchesky.

“Dirk has not expressed that sentiment to me,” said Hodgson, who insisted the assurances he had received from Inter president Massimo Moratti last week that the Italians were not intending to buy any Liverpool players still held firm.

“When he left the club Rafael Benitez signed an agreement that he would not poach players from Liverpool.

“We haven’t received an offer from any club so this is something obviously going on behind the scenes, with the agent possibly talking to the manager of Inter Milan.

“We don’t welcome any offers, we haven’t received an offer and at this late stage of the transfer window it would be remarkably unusual for us to accept an offer for a player we don’t want to leave for money we don’t need.

“I would suggest, with respect, if his agent had a serious plan to move him to the club he should have been working during the last four to five weeks and not the last few days.’’

Kuyt’s agent Rob Jansen claimed in the Dutch press that negotiations wereon-going.

“The two clubs continue to talk, but things are moving slowly,” he said. “The difference between demand and offer is important.’’

On Konchesky, Hodgson said he was one of the players under consideration to strengthen the left side of his defence.

“We had discussions with Fulham about whether they were prepared to sell any of their players and I would be lying if I said Paul was not a name we considered,” said the Liverpool boss on his arrival in Trabzon ahead of tonight’s Europa League play-off second leg tie.

“Whether or not there is a chance of business is still very much up in the air.”

The future of Javier Mascherano is no nearer being resolved with the midfielder again left out of the squad after Barcelona’s £16 million (€19.5m) bid was rejected.

But Hodgson said he hoped there would be a conclusion one way or the other in the next few days and did not rule out selecting the Argentina captain for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League match at home to West Brom.

Hodgson has travelled to Turkey without seven first-team players — Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Maxi Rodriguez, Daniel Agger, Milan Jovanovic, Danny Wilson and Mascherano — for one reason or another.

That makes the task in Trabzon all the more difficult despite their 1-0 lead from the first leg.

“I am confident the team that plays will do a good job, work very hard and do their level-best to get a result,” said Hodgson.