Villa Tempted By Liverpool Move

Villa, 26, is currently one of the hottest properties in Europe having already scored four goals in two games for his country at Euro 2008.

The Valencia striker who will quit the Mestalla this summer had been reported as saying he would prefer to remain in Spain, despite interest from several Premier League clubs.

Yet it now appears that the lure of Liverpool, with their Spanish contingent, including manager Rafael Benitez and fellow striker Fernando Torres, may have changed his mind.

“Liverpool and Chelsea are both big clubs with a lot of attraction,” he said before adding, “Liverpool have a Spanish coach and I also have a lot of friends there.”

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is clearly a fan of the striker having previously tried, unsuccessfully, to sign Villa when he was Valencia manager, something Villa is aware of. He said: “When Rafa was coach at Valencia and I was at Zaragoza there was contact about me joining Valencia but I couldn’t arrive until the year after he left there.”

Villa eventually signed for Valencia from Zaragoza in 2005 and has gone on to make 101 appearances for the club, scoring 58 goals.  

He is currently playing for Spain in Euro 2008 and after scoring a hat trick in his opening game against Russia, went on to hit a last minute winner against Sweden last night to send his side through to the quarter finals of the competition. 

Gill Clark