Liverpool face fight from Spain for Alves

Liverpool appear to be facing a fierce battle with Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid to sign Brazilian full-back Daniel Alves.

The Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez - who is currently on a short holiday - had put the Seville star at the top of his shopping list and it is believed a £7m bid has been lodged.

Alves, a 22-year-old who can also play in midfield, has yet to play for his country but impressed in Seville's successful Uefa Cup campaign and had a fine game in the final against Middlesbrough.

The player's agent, Jose Rodriguez Baster, said in Spanish newspaper Marca: "To all the teams that have called me, and in addition to everyone publicly, I have said that the first thing they must do is speak with Seville, to reach an agreement with the club.

"Barcelona were put in contact with us to know Daniel's situation and we directly transferred them to Seville. Since then, we have not spoken with them.

"Nothing can be discarded and, in addition, there are great clubs also involved who have not yet been publicised. I cannot say it, with respect to the clubs, but I can say that there are three important clubs, at European level, that have shown their interest in Alves."

There are problems also for another of Liverpool's summer targets, the Chile winger Mark Gonzalez.

Liverpool will submit another work permit application for Gonzalez later this week, aware that the player was sent home from the Chile squad after an alleged breach of discipline while on his country's European tour following last week's match in Dublin against the Republic of Ireland.

Gonzalez has now threatened never to play for his country again, after an incident involving team-mate Reinaldo Navia in the team hotel. Chile coach Nelson Acosta sent the pair home after they were allegedly caught in a hotel room with three girls.

Gonzalez, who spent a spell on loan at Real Sociedad last term because he was not allowed to play in the UK, has denied the allegations and admitted he was hurt by the decision to send him home.

He said: "After what has happened, a lot of damage has been made to me. I am in a great moment of my career and this gives me a lot of problems. Now I am going to think very carefully if I will wear again the national shirt because I told Acosta that there was a misunderstanding in Dublin but even with my explanations he decided to send me back to Chile.

"It has been something really stupid but it has put me into problems. The press all over the world has been talking about me and I don't like that at all. I am really ashamed about all this.

"Neither Navia or me were drunk and I have already explained that we were with three girls only giving them our autographs. The press should say things how they were."

Meanwhile, Anthony Le Tallec wants Paris St-Germain to end his Liverpool nightmare after admitting he is "fed up" of being shipped out on loan. The 21-year-old French forward has failed to make an impact at Anfield, starting just 13 games for the club since joining from Le Havre four seasons ago.

He has found himself on loan at St Etienne and Sunderland for the majority of the past two seasons and has become frustrated.

"I want to be transferred, change air," he said. "When you're loaned without a view for a permanent move you know that you won't be there anymore the following year. I want to commit myself to a club which is ready to trust me for two or three years. PSG has always been the club of my heart. If they make a good offer I will go."