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No contact with United, says Liverpool boss Hodgson

Roy Hodgson will not sell his best players © Getty Images

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Roy Hodgson insists Liverpool Football Club have had 'no contact whatsoever' with Manchester United regarding his players, and he supported the stance of the Reds' owners, who earlier stated that Liverpool are not a selling club.

Arch enemies United have been linked to the signature of goalkeeper Pepe Reina this week, a man held in the highest regard at Anfield. Steve Gerrard has even earmarked the Spaniard to captain the club when he retires.

Fernando Torres has also been linked with a move away from Liverpool, but new owner John Henry issued a statement on Friday, saying: "Our clear focus from day one of our ownership has been - and will be - to improve the club and focus on what it will take to put Liverpool FC consistently in a position to challenge for trophies. We intend to build this club the right way.

"Stories about our top players leaving are destructive and unwarranted but we realise that this kind of speculation is also common. We intend to build on the strength of the current squad, not undermine it. And I can reassure our supporters that we have no intention of allowing the team to be weakened going forward."

Hodgson welcomed the statement and, when asked in Friday's press conference whether he had been contacted by Manchester United, the former Fulham boss replied: "No, none whatsoever. I don't know where these stories come from. Most of the time there's no truth in them. It's easy to kick people when they're down. We're down at the moment so the kicks are raining in on us, but we'll deal with it."

Elaborating on the statement of the Liverpool owners, Hodgson reiterated that he would not even consider an offer for any of his key players.

"The statement is very self-explanatory. It is our policy totally. There is no way we are interested in letting any of our players go in January, unless they are not featuring in the first team or they are players who need to move on to get first-team football. But for the players we are counting on to help us have a good season, there is no way any of those would even be considered for transfer in January. The club's intention is to build around the good players we have and add players to that to make us strong, that's what excites us all here.

"I was very pleased to see the owners so quickly react to it [speculation] and to reassure the fans this is not a selling club, this is a buying club and that we will strengthen, we will get better and we will use the transfer window. I think it's also very wise of them not to make bold promises for the January transfer window because sometimes in January you cannot get the level of players we need, but we will be looking. If the players are there, I'm sure the owners will back us and help us get them."

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