LIVERPOOL boss Rafael Benitez wants to clinch the £7m signing of Saints striker Peter Crouch by Thursday.

Speaking publicly of his interest in the England forward, Benitez said: "Crouch is a player I like and I would hope that the final talking will be over as soon as possible."

The manager hopes Crouch will be in his European Champions League squad when Liverpool fly to Switzerland on Thursday to start a ten-day training camp.

"I would like to see him working with us, at this stage of our season you want players sooner rather than later," Benitez added.

Crouch was expected to be on the plane, though, when Saints flew to Scotland this morning for tonight's first pre-season friendly.

Harry Redknapp's men face Motherwell tonight in their first preparation friendly before the start of the Championship season on Saturday August 6.

Antti Niemi is also expected to be part of the Saints squad, even though his agent, Richard Cody, said in yesterday's Daily Echo that "it would not good for Antti, Celtic or Southampton" if his player didn't rejoin Gordon Strachan in Glasgow this week.

Saints chairman Rupert Lowe, who is away until later this week, has already turned down two Liverpool bids for Crouch and one from West Ham.

But Benitez said: "Our chief executive Rick Parry is in contact with Southampton.

"Crouch is a player I like and I would hope that the final talking will be over as soon as possible."

Saints are believed to be holding out for £8m for the striker they signed from Aston Villa's bench for just £2m a year ago.

That is more than Liverpool have offered, but it seems now that a compromise of around £7m will be negotiated for a player Redknapp has admitted is keen to move to Anfield.

Redknapp is not likely to be giving his first choice XI a run-out at Fir Park tonight, rather just trying to use the game and Friday's friendly against Kilmarnock and two training sessions in between to increase his players' fitness levels.