Benitez is confident of landing Bellamy
Tuesday, 20 June 2006 14:52Rafael Benitez believes it will be an 'easy' decision to make for Craig Bellamy to join Liverpool.
Blackburn Rovers confirmed today that they had allowed the Reds permission to speak to the Wales striker.
The 26-year-old is reported to have a clause in his contract which allows any Champions League club to speak to him if they offer £6.5million.
Ewood Park officials confirmed Liverpool had made an official bid and the 26-year-old is now set to enter into negotiations, and Benitez does not doubt that Reds fan Bellamy possesses 'the passion' to sign.
'We have an agreement which allows us to talk to the player,' Benitez said. 'He is on holiday, but we will talk over the next few days. I know the player's qualities very well. He is a very good footballer and now we need to see if he has the passion to play for our club.
'I don't think this will be a problem because he is a Liverpool fan, so I think it will be easy for him. I will be talking to him to express my ideas. He has the ability, the pace and the talent we've been looking for and now we need to talk about other things.'
Rovers are keen to hang on to their prized asset who scored 17 goals last season as they qualified for the UEFA Cup.
Manager Mark Hughes spoke with Bellamy yesterday and the club have now reluctantly given Liverpool permission to speak to the former Newcastle United player.
'We have made it crystal clear to Craig and his advisors that we want him at Ewood Park,' Blackburn chairman John Williams told the club's website www.rovers.co.uk.
'We made him an improved offer before Liverpool declared their interest, an offer that was consistent with our ambition and determination to build on last season's success. The decision now rests with the player.'
Rovers are reported to have offered Bellamy a new contract in excess of £50,000 a week but the suggestion is the player will actually take a pay cut to move to a club he supported as a boy.
Benitez is keen to find more firepower for his side as he tries to turn them into Premiership title challengers and Bellamy fits the bill after an impressive season with Rovers.
He would add a cutting edge to a misfiring forward line which has already lost Fernando Morientes, sold to Valencia, from last season and Djibril Cisse, who broke his leg just before the World Cup when he was set for a move to Marseille.
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