Hodgson has some convincing to do

New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson admits the club are having to work hard to persuade some of their "disenchanted" stars to stay…

New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson admits the club are having to work hard to persuade some of their "disenchanted" stars to stay this season. There has been speculation about the futures of striker Fernando Torres, captain Steven Gerrard and midfielder Javier Mascherano since the Reds finished a disappointing campaign under Rafael Benitez.

The Spaniard's departure at the beginning of June intensified rumours about the future of a number of players, and although Hodgson has spoken to Gerrard he is yet to meet Torres or Mascherano, who are still on leave after the World Cup.

Speculation continues to grow about an impending Chelsea bid for Torres while Mascherano has been linked with a reunion with Benitez at Inter Milan or a move to Barcelona, who were interested in him 12 months ago, and his agent is actively talking up the prospect of a transfer again.

However, Hodgson has stressed from the moment he took over on July 1 that he wants to keep his key players.

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"We are working very hard on making certain the players we have at the club who you would call the 'good players' are going to be with us for next season," said the Englishman.

"The board are working very hard in that area. Some players are a bit disenchanted after what happened last season and we want to make sure we get that enchantment back."

As well as the reported exodus from Anfield, a host of names have been linked with moves to Merseyside as Hodgson looks to strengthen a squad which under-performed in the previous campaign.

The 62-year-old has made no secret of the fact he wants to bring in fresh faces but he dismissed the lengthening list of players which are being linked with the Reds.

"We are looking to add to and improve the squad, but I prefer not to talk or say what we are doing until we have something concrete to announce," he added.

"We are being linked with players left, right and centre and it amuses me that we are sometimes linked with players we haven't even heard of.

"I have great faith in the Liverpool public that they will see through the snippets of information they may read, take it with a pinch of salt and wait for an official announcement."

Promising striker Krisztian Nemeth is one of the fringe players who has been touted for a summer move, with Italian club Lecce reportedly interested.

However the agent of the 21-year-old, who spent last season on loan at AEK Athens and has not travelled to the club's Swiss training camp, insists he does not want to leave.

"He wants to stay as a Liverpool player, and his wish is to be successful as a Liverpool player, if Liverpool will give him a chance to fight," Tibor Pataky told the Liverpool Echo.

"If Liverpool say he can fight for a first team place, then he will do so.

"But if not, then he is happy to go for maybe half a season to another club on loan."

Hodgson welcomed new signing Milan Jovanovic - whose free transfer was set up by Benitez prior to his departure - to the club's Swiss base today.

"I'm very pleased we have got Milan. He looks a very keen and enthusiastic player and it's good to have players who are desperate to play for the club," said the manager. "I was not responsible for signing him but I was pleased to hear the club had taken the initiative to get a player like him.

"I've seen him a lot during my time at Fulham and we were watching him.

"He's a natural wide player who can play through the middle. He's more of an attacking winger than a wide midfielder and he's a goalscorer.

"He scores goals for club and country and I'm sure we'll get a lot of use out of him."