Craig Bellamy has had more than his share of run-ins with managers and other players, and his reputation for having a volatile temper now counts against him.

The Portugal mess that surrounds Liverpool’s finest has been blown up for far more than it is worth, and all that has done is fueled speculation that Liverpool will be selling Bellamy in the summer.

For starters, if any strikers are going, they are Fowler and possibly Crouch. Kuyt is here for at least another two seasons, and Bellamy - for all his disciplinary problems, is likely to stay with him. Liverpool have been linked with Voronin, but he won’t come in as first choice but would rather be in rotation.

Liverpool are also being heavily linked with David Villa, but this has more to do with Rafa’s links to Valencia than any serious show of intent. Villa for his part has played the diplomatic card and said all top four clubs would be great to play for, but he’s not going to want to leave if Valencia win anything this season, and Valencia will certainly not let him go for less than 30m. Liverpool can afford him, but if the need arises so can Chelsea and Manchester United.

It should be an interesting transfer tussle, but one that has nothing to do with Craig Bellamy.