Although Everton have had a £9.5 million bid for Riera accepted by Espanyol, the one-time Manchester City player has made clear his desire to move to Anfield, with Liverpool hopeful of agreeing a deal in the coming days provided that they match the offer made by their Merseyside rivals.
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The Liverpool board will weigh up whether to meet those demands over the next 24 hours, aware that Stewart Downing, the Middlesbrough winger, is also eager to move to Anfield. Downing is well regarded by Rafael BenÍtez and the Liverpool hierarchy, but the club are concerned that he may cost considerably more than Riera and that Middlesbrough, having previously indicated that Downing is valued at around £15 million, will be highly reluctant to sell so soon before the transfer window closes on September 1.
It could yet be Downing, rather than Riera, who moves to Anfield, but Everton were already preparing for further frustration last night. Having already been snubbed in recent weeks by Tiago, the Juventus midfield player, and Diego Milito, the Real Zaragoza striker, the prospect of missing out on Riera is another blow for David Moyes, the Everton manager.
"There is a team which is offering what we have asked and another one which isn't, but the player is interested in the one which is offering the least," Paco Herrera, the Espanyol sporting director, said. "We will not lower our asking price."
Everton's disappointment was partially offset by the news that Lars Christian Jacobsen, the Denmark right back, is expected to become the club's first signing of the summer today, provided that there are no problems with the medical that he had yesterday. Jacobsen, who has agreed a 12-month contract, will join on a free transfer from FC Nuremberg.
Moyes is also hopeful of signing Nikola Zigic, the 6ft 8in Serbia striker, from Valencia on a season-long loan, with a view to a permanent move, although with the transfer window due to close in six days, the Everton manager faces a race against time to land the five players he wants to bolster a threadbare squad.
BenÍtez, the Liverpool manager, has no such problems, but, while he has identified Riera as his main target, the Spaniard could still be in the market for another player in the event that he manages to offload any of Voronin, Jermaine Pennant or Xabi Alonso.
Of more pressing concern to BenÍtez, however, is the return leg of Liverpool's Champions League third qualifying round tie against Standard Liège tomorrow. Having been held to a goalless draw in the first leg in Belgium less than a fortnight ago, the tie remains delicately poised, with Liverpool standing to lose at least £10 million in revenue should they fail to qualify for the group stage.