SOCCER: Rafael Benitez hopes to secure the England striker Peter Crouch as a Liverpool player by the end of the week after talks between the European champions and Southampton resumed last night.

The Merseysiders' chief executive Rick Parry was in dialogue with the Southampton's chairman, Rupert Lowe, with a view to striking a compromise on the fee needed to prise Crouch from the Championship club. Liverpool had a £5 million bid turned down last month and an improved offer of £6 million has also been rejected, with Lowe keen to generate nearer £8 million from the forward's sale following relegation.

The 24-year-old, who graduated to the full England side on their tour of the US earlier this summer, has since expressed his desire to move to Liverpool, with Harry Redknapp increasingly resigned to losing him. He may wish to consider taking a player from Anfield in part-exchange having seen his squad depleted by 10 departures this summer, with only the free transfers Dennis Wise and Darren Powell arriving.

A deal would appear imminent, though Benitez is prepared to turn his attentions elsewhere should Southampton continue to drag their feet.

"I want to sign Peter Crouch," he said yesterday. "I like the player and he would be a good addition to our squad. At this moment Rick Parry is talking to Southampton and hopefully something can be agreed, but I would like Peter to come to Switzerland with us on our training camp (on Thursday). As a manager you like the signings to come in as soon as possible."

The Spaniard is growing frustrated with the lack of progress in the proposed signing of Real Madrid's veteran midfielder, Luis Figo. Real are demanding around £2 million for the 32-year-old should he move to Anfield, despite the fact they are apparently willing to let him move to a club who are not competing in the Champions League for free.

"We have tried, but now I think it's going to be really difficult," said Benitez, who suffered similar initial frustration when attempting to sign Fernando Morientes from Real in January, a transfer which eventually materialised. "I was confident last week that something would be done, but now I think we need to look at other options.

"We have told Madrid that we have one or two possible alternatives we may need to explore in that position. Sidney Govou at Lyon is another option and someone who we have been talking about."

Figo has expressed a desire to move but has travelled with the Real first-team squad on their pre-season tour to the US - the England centre-half Jonathan Woodgate has remained behind to continue rehabilitation work.

Liverpool also hope to sign a centre-half but were at least able to parade the Spanish international goalkeeper Jose Reina yesterday, the 22-year-old having completed his £6 million move from Villarreal and revealing that he had rejected the chance to join Manchester United in favour of moving to the European champions.

"There were other offers that my agent was looking at and discussing with other clubs but, when it was on the table, the chance to come to Liverpool was the most interesting," said Reina, who is likely to start tomorrow's Champions League qualifier against Total Network Solutions at a sold-out Anfield. "I spoke to Xabi (Alonso), Fernando and Luis Garcia about coming here and I was dying to sign."

Reina will be joined by the Valencia midfielder Mohamed Sissoko today with the Mali international having undertaken a medical at Melwood yesterday. The 20-year-old, plucked away from Everton and despite late interest from Chelsea, will cost £5.6 million.

"He's a young player with huge talent," said Benitez.

Everton's David Moyes is considering a move for Tottenham's Sean Davis, who he almost signed from Fulham two years ago only for the player to fail a medical, after seeing Sissoko slip the net. He retains an interest in Crystal Palace's Andy Johnson.

Meanwhile Graeme Souness remained upbeat as his second summer signing Emre Belozoglu arrived on Tyneside last night.

Assuming Emre passes his medical, the 24-year-old Turkey international will complete his £4 million transfer from Internazionale and join Scott Parker in Souness's shifting squad.

However neither player will be risked in Newcastle's premature opening game of the season in Slovakia on Sunday.

Drawn against the little-known ZTS Dubnica club in the Intertoto Cup over two legs, Newcastle are likely to find Deportivo La Coruna standing in their way should they overcome the Slovakians.

Were Newcastle to defeat the Spaniards, a club of the stature of Marseille or Lazio will possibly bar their way in one of the three finals of the much-derided Intertoto tournament.

Those potential ties represent as difficult a proposition as Newcastle have met in their last two Uefa Cup campaigns - they lost to Marseille in the semi-final in 2004.

Souness does not disguise the fact that the Intertoto Cup is not his priority and he has stated that neither Parker nor Emre will take part in Slovakia.

However, with the possibility of full houses at St James' Park for fixtures against the likes of Deportivo and Marseille, Souness may well amend his selection policy if Newcastle defeat Dubnica.

Fulham's Luis Boa Morte is expected to be the next arrival at St James' Park but there is fresh speculation that Lee Bowyer will become the next high-profile exit. Steve Bruce, the Birmingham City manager, has been persistent in his attempts to recruit the midfielder but has admitted Bowyer "wants to be in London".

Manchester City have informed Chelsea they will not sell Shaun Wright-Phillips unless they are offered in the region of £23 million.

If the deal were to go through, City would then hand Stuart Pearce £10 million for new players with the remainder easing the club's debts, last calculated at £62 million.

Pearce has made contingency plans for Wright-Phillips's possible departure. His preferred target would be Crouch but the striker wants to go to Liverpool. He has inquired about Everton's Marcus Bent and is also monitoring the potential availability of Tottenham's Robbie Keane and Frederic Kanoute.

Kanoute, in particular, might be surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane after apparently falling out with the manager Martin Jol.

Guardian Service