BLUES PLAN HIGH TEK MOVE
Klopp and Co will escape FA action if they play youngsters in Anfield replay
CHELSEA could beat Spurs to the £25million signing of AC Milan striker Krzysztof Piatek.
With Edinson Cavani closing in on a move from Paris Saint-Germain to Atletico Madrid, the Blues have switched their attention to the 24-year-old Poland international, even though he has scored only four times this season.
Tottenham’s negotiations with Milan to sign Piatek (right) on an initial loan deal fell through and they lined up a move instead for Real Sociedad’s Willian Jose.
But Jose’s price tag is too steep and they are now set to return for Piatek, meaning Chelsea will have to act quickly. Struggling West Ham have also expressed an interest but Piatek has rejected them in favour of a move to a bigger club.
WEST HAM are on course to land £17million Slavia Prague midfielder Tomas Soucek.
The club are hoping the Czech international, 24, will be the first of up to four signings before Friday’s transfer deadline.
Soucek has scored 12 in 26 games this term with two of his goals coming in the Champions League.
JURGEN KLOPP has come under fire for saying he will sidestep Liverpool’s FA Cup replay and select Anfield kids – but the Premier League leaders will escape punishment.
Liverpool are expected to field a similar team against Shrewsbury to the young lineup which lost to Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup last month but, as long as they are first-team squad members, no action will be taken.
Klopp will not even attend, handing responsibility to Under-23 boss Neil Critchley. And that has infuriated lowerleague clubs, with Accrington Stanley owner Andy Holt (above) taking to social media to urge the FA to show some mettle. “This is a battle the FA must win or their flagship competition is totally undermined,” said Holt on Twitter. “This is a battle the FA must win or they should shut up shop. Liverpool need fining heavily. It’s not their football. It’s ours.
“This path we’re on, forever losing out to Premier League greed, has to stop. It might be government or supporters who have to fight for our game in the end. In the absence of a strong FA or EFL there may be no other option.
“We have non-payment of wages, clubs going out of business after being kicked out... just how much more evidence is needed for the FA and EFL to see it’s gone too far? Football is in distress. Act for our pyramid or leave.”
FA bosses yesterday said that all Premier League clubs were warned that fourthround replays could end up being staged in the winter break.
And they are stressing that Liverpool are still getting an 11-day rest they would not have previously received.
Tottenham, Southampton and Newcastle are also in the same position but all are expected to field strong line-ups in their replays. But Klopp has received support for his stance from an Anfield legend.
Former Kop defender Jamie Carragher wrote on Twitter: “Senior players having a winter break is right, you can’t implement one and then have a replay in the break. But Klopp should take the team, his young players would be delighted.”