Alonso clings to derby dream
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is clinging to the hope that he can return from injury in time for the Merseyside derby at Everton in 12 days’ time.
The Spanish midfielder is recovering from a broken metatarsal which has sidelined him for the last six games.
But he is now hoping the two-week international break will give him enough time to prove his fitness ahead of the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on October 20.
Alonso has been badly missed in Liverpool’s recent worrying run, and said: “There is a chance at this moment that I could be OK for the derby, I don’t really know.
“We will just have to wait and see. If I am pain-free next week then maybe I could be involved but it’s still really too early to say.”
Manager Rafael Benitez is looking forward to welcoming both Alonso and fellow metatarsal victim Daniel Agger back to the squad, but he insists they will only return when the time is right.
He said: “At the moment Agger and Alonso are still not ready. We said six weeks for them to be out and it is getting close to that by the time the international break is over.
“We will now have a two-week break for the internationals and we will see how they are after that.”
Benitez is believed to be preparing a list of January transfer targets, with reports linking him with Heerenveen’s Brazilian front man Afonso Alves.
Alves is one of several names under consideration by the Liverpool manager, who can expect further backing from the club’s co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.
And Benitez’s interest would suggest Peter Crouch is heading for an Anfield exit in the new year.
Alves is one of the most sought-after forwards in Europe and scored an incredible seven times for Dutch club Heerenveen on Sunday in their 9-0 victory over Eredivisie rivals Heracles Almelo.
The 26-year-old forward cost Heerenveen a club record £3million when arriving from Swedish side Malmo ahead of last season, and went on to score 34 goals in 31 league games before being named Holland’s player of the year.
Alves, who has seven caps for Brazil and was a summer target for Middlesbrough would cost around £8m.
Meanwhile, Dirk Kuyt is an early derby doubt after pulling out of Holland’s squad for their Euro 2008 qualifiers against Romania and Slovenia.
Kuyt has remained at Melwood to undergo treatment on a hamstring strain suffered during the 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Sunday.
