Venlo's Honda says Liverpool interested in him

VVV Venlo and Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda said Tuesday that Liverpool was interested in him.

"I was told before the match that a scout from Liverpool had come," Honda said on his website, two days after scoring twice in promoted Venlo's 2-2 draw with ADO Den Haag at home in the Dutch first division.

The 23-year-old Japanese, who won the MVP award in the second division last season, has already scored three goals in the first two games of the new season.

Japanese media have carried Dutch and English press reports quoting VVV Venlo chairman Hai Berden as saying that several top European clubs have expressed an interest in signing Honda.

"A number of top clubs are interested in Honda. Some of them are participating in the Champions League this year," Berden said, adding two of England's top five clubs were among them.

Honda has scored 21 goals in 52 games for Venlo since joining the club in January last year after four seasons with J-League Nagoya Grampus.

Known for his physical toughness and free-kick skills, Honda has also scored one goal in six games for Japan since making his international debut in June 2008 during World Cup qualifying.

"We hear that Liverpool scouts have been following Honda since last season while top Dutch clubs also watched him," Taishi Takahatake, head of Honda's management firm Balance Inc., told AFP.

"But there has been no formal offer. His Dutch agent is in charge of any deal and we will wait and see until the transfer window closes at the end of the month," he said.