Rafa to raid Everton for £10m Pienaar

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is preparing to raid Merseyside rivals Everton to sign Steven Pienaar, according to reports.

Pienaar has been one of Everton's star performers this season but his contract runs out in 14 months and Benitez is ready to risk the wrath of Everton boss David Moyes to land the South African international.

Pienaar, 28, is currently in contract talks at Goodison Park and is reported to want about £50,000 per week to put him on a par with the club's top earners.

Liverpool's apparent interest will help negotiations and Pienaar's agent, Ivan Modia, expects everything to be settled one way or another in the coming months.

"Steven's future will be sorted before the World Cup," Modia told the Daily Mail.

Moyes is obviously reluctant to let one of his star players go, particularly to his city rivals, and warned: "Pienaar is at a club that really suits him and sometimes a player has to decide what is best for him. Everton has been good for Steven. If anybody wanted to leave, they'd be poorer for it."

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.