Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt has been told by the Reds that he will not be leaving the club in the January transfer window, as they want to keep him at Anfield, Metro. The Dutch international has been out-of-favour so far this season, but scored the winner against Manchester United on Saturday to put the Reds into the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Kuyt has been one of the club’s consistent performers since his £10m move from Feyernoord in 2006, but has not been given as many first team opportunities under Kenny Dalglish this season. The 31 year old has been strongly linked with a switch away from Liverpool this month and Turkish side Galatasaray made enquiries about Kuyt’s future. Kuyt is concerned about his lack of first-team football and wants to guarantee he will have a place in the Dutch side travelling to Poland and Ukraine for the European Championships this summer.
Rob Jansen, Kuyt’s agent, and Dalglish held a meeting on Merseyside yesterday and came to the conclusion that Kuyt would be better served staying at Anfield. Liverpool had been looking to sign a striker to enhance their forward line after a goalshy season so far, but their deals fell through and Kuyt’s place at the club has been assured. The situation will be reassessed in the summer, either before or after the Euros depending on whether Kuyt makes the squad.
The Reds had looked to sign Nikica Jelavic in January, but he has favoured a move to cross-city rivals Everton and Liverpool have also been rebuffed in approaches for Darren Bent and Carlos Tevez. FC Groningen striker David Texeira will have to wait until the summer and a loan bid for Inter Milan youngster Luc Castaignos was rejected in favour of the striker moving to Cesena to continue his development in Italian football.
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