By Fotis Voinikas Last updated: 24th July 2008
Leto: Olympiakos target
Liverpool winger Sebastian Leto has confirmed he is close to agreeing a loan move to Olympiakos.
Reds boss Rafa Benitez has informed Leto he is willing to loan him out as he is well down the pecking order at Anfield.
Leto's stay at Liverpool has been placed in doubt because of a passport fiasco.
The Argentine currently holds an Italian passport to enable him to win a work permit, but Italian authorities are thought to be carrying out an investigation on the validity of a number of citizenship decisions.
The 21-year-old has revealed he has spoken to Olympiakos manager Ernesto Valverde and he admits he would be interested in a move to Greece.
"I spoke with the people of the club [Liverpool] and our decision is to leave the club and to play somewhere else on loan for one season," Leto told Greek daily SportDay. "I have to play football next season.
"My agents are in Athens. They speak with Olympiakos for my loan.
"Their manager, Ernesto Valverde called me. He told me that he is really interested in having me at his team. He told me about his thoughts and everything. For me its really important to have a manager who speaks my language.
"I spoke with some friends who know everything about Olympiakos and they told me that this is the biggest club in Greece, that they always win the championship and they always play Champions League football.
"I heard a lot also about the fans of Olympiakos. I know also that Galletti, Ledesma and Belluschi are players of Olympiakos and they are really good, they are players of national team level.
"I have some offers from Italy and Spain but Olympiakos is the best club for me at the moment."
Leto has been assured he has a long-term future at Liverpool by Benitez and he is just hoping to have his passport problems resolved so that he can move to Greece.
He added: "I am still waiting for the community passport. Liverpool will wait for it until 31st of July.
"Of course, my dream is to play football here in Liverpool.
"I spoke with Rafa Benitez and he told me that he wants me but I can't stay without the passport.
"He advised me to go somewhere else to play for one season and to return next summer. He is right."

Wolves 1-4 Arsenal - McCarthy
Wolves 1-4 Arsenal - Wenger
Blackburn 3-1 Portsmouth - Allardyce
Aston Villa 5-1 Bolton - Megson
Tottenham 2-0 Sunderland - Redknapp
Man City 3-3 Burnley - Coyle
Tottenham 2-0 Sunderland - Bruce
Man City 3-3 Burnley - Hughes
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Sunday 8th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Hull vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Fulham |
| 16:00 | Chelsea vs Man Utd |
| Monday 9th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Liverpool vs Birmingham |
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Liverpool vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Birmingham vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Burnley vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 | Hull vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Arsenal |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs Everton |
| Sunday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Bolton vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Wigan |
| 16:00 | Stoke vs Portsmouth |
| Wednesday 25th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hull vs Everton |
| 20:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Hull |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wolverhampton 1 - 4 Arsenal | |
| Man City 3 - 3 Burnley | |
| Tottenham 2 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Portsmouth | |
| Aston Villa 5 - 1 Bolton | |
| Wednesday 4th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 1st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 0 - 0 Man City | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 2 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Sunderland 2 - 2 West Ham | |
| Portsmouth 4 - 0 Wigan | |
| Bolton 0 - 4 Chelsea | |
| Stoke 2 - 2 Wolverhampton | |
| Fulham 3 - 1 Liverpool | |
| Burnley 2 - 0 Hull | |
| Everton 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Arsenal 3 - 0 Tottenham | |
| Sunday 25th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 2 Arsenal | |
| Man City 2 - 2 Fulham | |
| Liverpool 2 - 0 Man Utd | |
| Bolton 3 - 2 Everton | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea | 11 | 27 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 11 | 25 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 11 | 25 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 12 | 22 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 12 | 21 |
| 6 | Manchester City | 11 | 20 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 11 | 18 |
| 8 | Sunderland | 12 | 17 |
| 9 | Stoke City | 11 | 16 |
| 10 | Burnley | 12 | 16 |
| 11 | Fulham | 10 | 14 |
| 12 | Wigan Athletic | 11 | 13 |
| 13 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 | 13 |
| 14 | Everton | 10 | 12 |
| 15 | Birmingham City | 11 | 11 |
| 16 | Bolton Wanderers | 11 | 11 |
| 17 | West Ham United | 11 | 10 |
| 18 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 12 | 10 |
| 19 | Hull City | 11 | 8 |
| 20 | Portsmouth | 12 | 7 |
Sunderland fan Lucinda Gittins was strutting her stuff in the Soccer AM studios this week.
With Didier Drogba in frightening form, Paul Merson expects Chelsea to beat Man Utd on Sunday.
Aston Villa and Tottenham made their Champions League aspirations clear as Arsenal also won but Man City were held by Burnley.
Chelsea go into the match with Man Utd at Stamford Bridge in arguably their best form of the season.
Arsenal maintained their recent fine form on Saturday as they eased to a 4-1 victory over Wolves.
Kevin McDonald's late equaliser ensured Man City's winless run continued as Burnley claimed a 3-3 draw.
Super sub Jason Roberts came off the bench for Blackburn to score two and kill off Portsmouth 3-1.