Dirk Kuyt insists: Fernando Torres can set new goal records

Apr 18 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

DIRK KUYT has backed Fernando Torres to end his first season in England as a record breaker.

The Liverpool striker’s goal in the 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers last Sunday was his 30th goal of the campaign.

Twenty-two of those have come in the Premier League, with Torres now one short of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record for a foreign player’s debut season.

And with Liverpool having four top-flight games still remaining, the first of which is at relegation-threatened Fulham tomorrow, Kuyt is confident Torres can surpass his compatriot van Nistelrooy.

“I think he deserves that,” said Kuyt. “He has scored many goals already and is playing really well for us.

“We still have a few games to go and with Fernando on fire as he has been I see no reason why he won’t reach that target and beat the record.

“We will have to wait and see but he definitely has the quality to score more than 23 league goals this season. Like I say, it seems like he can score in every game.

“To take the record from someone like van Nistelrooy would be a great achievement. He was absolutely fabulous for Manchester United in that first season and most of the years to follow.

“Van Nistelrooy is a great striker but Fernando is only going to get better and better. I can only see him scoring more goals.”

Meanwhile, Tom Hicks yesterday revealed he will hand Rafael Benitez a new one-year contract extension should he succeed in his attempt to buy out co-owner George Gillett.

The news came during an interview in which Hicks underlined his determination to head a group of investors and take sole control of the club.

Since admitting to talks with

Jurgen Klinsmann over a proposal to become Liverpool manager, Hicks has been public in his backing of Benitez.

Benitez still has two years remaining on his present deal, but Hicks is keen for the Spaniard to commit his future until the proposed new Anfield is completed on Stanley Park in 2012.

“If I were to buy George out the first thing I would do is offer Rafa a one year extension to make sure he is still going to be here up until we get the new stadium, hopefully have some success and then extend again,” said Hicks.

“I communicate regularly with Rafa by phone and by e-mail and I think Rafa has unique skills.”

Benitez, though, has grown tired of the chaos in the boardroom, particularly since it emerged chief executive Rick Parry was present at one meeting with Klinsmann late last year.

Privately, the Spaniard believes that if the ownership situation is not resolved during the close season, he will have no option but to listen to other offers with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and his former club Valencia interested in his services.

And with Gillett last night making clear he has no intention of selling his shares to Hicks, the longer the off-field impasse continues the more likely Benitez is to call time on his Anfield tenure this summer.