Liverpool accept £6m offer from CSKA Moscow for Albert Riera

Posted Tuesday, March 23, 2010 by theguardian.com

Liverpool accept £6m offer from CSKA Moscow for Albert Riera
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez (right) watches over Albert Riera from the touchline

Liverpool have accepted an offer of around £6m from CSKA Moscow for their outspoken midfielder Albert Riera and hope to conclude the sale of Rafael Benítez's critic by the end of this week.

The Spain international is due to return to training at Melwood today having served a club suspension for last week's public criticism of Benítez's management style. Whether the 27-year-old gets as far as the training pitch is debatable, however, with Liverpool now willing to cash in on the marginalised winger and to allow Riera to discuss personal terms with CSKA.

Liverpool are hopeful of a swift deal for Riera, who has cut an increasingly frustrated figure in a season where he has been restricted to 16 appearances and whose desire for first-team football ahead of the World Cup arguably prompted his outburst on Radio Marca. The winger, signed for £8m from Espanyol in 2008, described Liverpool as a "sinking ship" in the interview and was scathing in the assessment of Benítez, who he claimed held a personal grudge against him and had zero dialogue with players.

Russia's transfer window is open until 8 April and Benítez will have made a profit of approximately £12m through sales this season should Riera follow Andrea Dossena and Andrei Voronin out of Anfield. Even that surplus is not guaranteed to be reinvested in the Liverpool squad this summer, however, with Champions League qualification, or the lack of, determining how much can be spent.

The Rhône Group has made provisions for a transfer budget as part of its £100m offer for a 40% stake in Liverpool, with a decision yet to be made by the owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, although Benítez's spending power will be reduced should they fail to secure a top-four finish.

Despite the financial uncertainty at Anfield, Benítez insists he has been encouraged by recent contract talks with Javier Mascherano and is confident the Argentina captain will be the latest component of Liverpool's first-team to commit his long-term future to the club.

"We were talking, progressing and we're closer now. Still we need to talk a little bit but we are closer," the manager said. "It would be very important for the club. We have some important players with some years left on their contracts and this could be another one. It's very important that we're keeping the spine of the team."