Finnan up for challenge at Liverpool

Steve Finnan admits he is already bracing himself for a showdown with Jamie Carragher for a first team slot at Liverpool.

The Republic of Ireland international right-back, who formally completes his move to Anfield from Fulham at the beginning of next month, concedes that he will have to fight to get the shirt from Carragher.

Finnan said: “I’m confident in my own ability. But it’s a very good squad so it certainly won’t be a case of me walking straight into the team.

“At Fulham the squad is smaller and probably half the players are guaranteed their places – but it won’t be like that at Liverpool.”

England international Carragher warned Finnan he is in for a real battle to claim the right-back role when he said: “Better players than Steve Finnan have come to this club and tried.”

And Finnan understands that the difference between Fulham and Liverpool is massive.

He said: “Fulham was a great club, but realistically, at Liverpool you’ve got real world class players and I suppose playing with them can only improve your game.

“Liverpool are a massive club. In my mind they are one of the top three in the country with Manchester United and Arsenal – and there’s great history there.

“And if one of the top three clubs in the country comes in for you, then I just think it’s in your best interests to go. I’m really looking forward to it.

“It means you’re involved in higher profile games – they’re not in the Champions League – but they’ll be expected to do well in the UEFA Cup.”

Meanwhile, Anfield boss Gerard Houllier is being linked with a host of players from across Europe, including youngster Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 18 year-old has been watched twice while playing for Sporting Lisbon by Liverpool number two Phil Thompson, and Anfield scouts have been in attendance to see Ronaldo play for Portugal’s youngsters in the Toulon tournament in the south of France.

But the Portuguese player, comfortable on either wing, is just one of a clutch of players Houllier is believed to have made inquiries about.

Hamburg’s Iranian winger Mehdi Mahdavikia, Udinese’s Chilean star David Pizarro and Inter Milan’s French international midfielder Stephane Dalmat are all reportedly on Houllier’s hit-list.

But he could be about to lose out on Basle’s playmaker Hakan Yakin, a long-term target since the Swiss side knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League.

Yakin is on the verge of a move to Atletico Madrid, and his agent Ertan Irizik says: “We have agreed contract terms with Atletico for Hakan and expect the deal to go through this week.”

Houllier is also facing competition for Auxerre defender Jean-Alain Boumsong, who is now interesting new Aston Villa boss David O’Leary.

And Fulham midfielder Steed Malbranque – linked with Liverpool for several weeks – is interesting the Cottagers’ west London rivals Chelsea.