Liverpool hope to sign Campbell next week

Liverpool hope to sign Sol Campbell by next week.

"Sol is ready to talk to Liverpool about a possible move in the summer. Discussions are at an early stage, but money at this stage is not an issue," his agent Sky Andrew told skysports.com today.

"Sol has already spoken to Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid so he has options. At this stage he would like to stay in England."

Liverpool offered Tottenham £12 milllion for Campbell in 1999 but the London club refused to sell hoping that their captain would agree a new contract to stay with them.

But Campbell refused overtures to stay at Tottenham and his links with Liverpool are strong.

Internazionale made contact with defender Sol Campbell during a shopping trip to Milan three days ago.

Campbell made the same trip in July 1998 after the World Cup finals but denied that he was in talks with Inter but new Inter coach Hector Cuper is keen to sign the centre back who will be a free agent next month.

Campbell said he wanted to play in the Champions League next season after refusing the last offer to stay at the London club.

"I will be 27 in September and need to be playing in the major European club competitions sooner rather than later," Campbell said in a statement last night.

"My decision has been based purely on football."

The England international will now look to join a club already qualified for the Champions League and with FC Barcelona struggling to make it this season then he may look elsewhere. Inter lost to Parma last week and drew with Lazio on Sunday making a place in the Champions League only a remote chance for them now.

Campbell refused Tottenham's latest contract offer on Saturday and is to leave the club next month at the end of his contract.

Liverpool, Inter and FC Barcelona are the current front runners to sign Campbell with Real Madrid also interested..

The Tottenham captain's agent is meeting several Premiership clubs over the next few days to see if they can match FC Barcelona's offer for the England international.

Campbell is out of contract at Tottenham from July 1st and the London club were trying to seal a new deal for one more year with their captain but he has been offered a five year contract at Barcelona worth £100,000 a week.

That is four times his wage at Tottenham but Campbell is not very keen to move abroad and there is heavy interest in him from other English clubs.

Liverpool could present Campbell with the best offer to sign next month on a five year contract but Manchester United are also set to talk to the player.

With strong interest from Barca, Inter and Bayern Munich adding to proposals from Real Madrid last year, Campbell was free to talk to continental clubs from January 1st but he was waiting for the best English offers to come in before he decided on his future.