Meagre Reds spending ahead

Liverpool won’t be spending big in the January transfer window. According to reports, the club’s embattled manager Rafa Bentitez will only be allowed to spend a paltry £1.5m on Argentine winger Maxi Rodríguez. Any money raised from the selling of players will go towards easing the club’s large debt. Benitez is expected to offload Andrea Dossena to Napoli for £4.5m, Andriy Voronin to Dynamo Moscow in a £2m deal, while another £2m will be received when Philipp Degen transfers, most probably to Stuttgart. Ryan Babel, meanwhile, is reported to be a target of Birmingham, with Liverpool reported to have been offered £8m for the Dutch forward. The news is bound to spark further criticism of Liverpool’s American owners.