Will Gerrard and Lampard head for super-rich Anzhi?

HERE'S a report that is sure to cause misery on Merseyside. According to the Metro, Liverpool talisman Steven Gerrard is weighing up an offer from "super-rich" Anzhi, the Russian club wallowing in money since it was bought earlier this year by billionaire Suleyman Kerimov.

Anzhi Makhachkala – that's the capital of Dagestan, by the way - have already snapped up Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o  from Inter Milan, making the latter the world's highest paid footballer on a stunning £350,000 a week.

Now the Metro says that Anzhi hope to lure 31-year-old Gerrard from Liverpool, and an offer might also be in the pipeline for Gerrard's England team-mate, Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard. Apparently the pair could be tempted with two-year contracts worth £250,000 a week - an eye-watering amount even for the millionaires that they already are.
 
With England coach Fabio Capello also being touted as the next coach of Anzhi, it appears Kerimov is trying to recreate the Three Lions in Russia - although it remains to be seen whether he'll make a play for Gareth Barry.

In other news, several papers report that Arsenal and Barcelona are vying for the services of Valencia striker Paco Alcacer. The 18-year-old has caught the eye with his goal-scoring exploits and it's said that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is keen to sign the teenage sensation who has an £8.7m release clause in his contract.

Unfortunately for the nutty professor, he's not the only one interested in Alcacer; Barcelona and Real Madrid have also been sniffing around and if it comes to a choice between a top Spanish club or an outfit who concede four goals against Blackburn, then surely the youngster won't even give the Gunners a second glance.

Talking of talented teenagers, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is said to be lining up a bid for 17-year-old Peruvian defender [B] Horacio Benincasa. The Daily Mirror claims the Lilywhites were alerted to Benincasa during the recent South American U17 Championship, and invited him to White Hart Lane for a trial.

Having performed well, the teenage left-back is now likely to sign for Spurs in January from Esther Grande de Bentin. But the Mirror warns Tottenham to be on their guard – apparently German outfit Werder Bremen have been making enquiries and might try and muscle in on Benincasa in the New Year.

It could be all change in the Chelsea front-line before long. First, Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas has come clean and admitted that Nicolas Anelka is looking for a way out of the Bridge. The disillusioned French striker allegedly feels sidelined at Chelsea and wants to leave now rather than when his contract expires next season.

Asked by reporters if Anelka was angling for a move, Villas-Boas replied: "Yes... we will make our efforts for him to renew but Nico has his own decision to make and I am not sure he will be willing."

Meanwhile the Mirror has a stunning scoop, claiming that Fernando Torres will be loaned out in the New Year. The former Liverpool frontman has endured a miserable time of it since joining the Blues on a £50m transfer in January and now it seems Chelsea have lost patience with the Spaniard.

Villas-Boas believes that Torres needs a temporary change of scene, preferably back in his homeland, and the Mirror says a loan deal with Atletico Madrid is on the cards, although there's also an outside chance that newly-minted Malaga will make a move for the 27-year-old.

Though Torres scored his first goal of the season yesterday in Chelsea's 3-1 defeat by Manchester United, he was guilty of fluffing an open goal in a clear sign of what Sky Sport's Jamie Rednapp called the "yips". ·