http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/90652/Come-back-Crouchie/24th July 2009 By Dave Armitage
Liverpool have emerged as shock contenders to take Peter Crouch back to Anfield in a £12m deal.
The England hitman was thought to be heading to Tottenham after he spurned Sunderland approaches.
But Kop boss Rafa Benitez has the 28-year-old striker on his radar and has asked to be kept informed with Liverpool currently on tour in Thailand. Spurs and Fulham had looked set to fight it out for the 6ft 7in star with Portsmouth boss Paul Hart resigned to losing him.
But Liverpool’s emergence in the race is a surprise – the striker spent three years at the the club before Benitez sold him to Pompey in an £11m deal last year.
However, with Andriy Voronin heading for the exit door, Benitez would welcome Crouch back to the fold.
Benitez is also ready to go head-to-head with old adversary Martin O’Neill in a fight to land French international defender Sylvain Distin from Pompey.
Aston Villa boss O’Neill and Benitez are hardly best of chums after their protracted fall out over Liverpool’s attempts to prise Gareth Barry away before the player opted for an £18m switch to Manchester City.
O’Neill has already had a £2.5m offer laughed out of court by Portsmouth – and Benitez is vowing to match any offer they make to get his man.
