Roma full-back John Arne Riise has issued a dramatic ‘come and get me’ plea to his former club as he seeks a dramatic return to Anfield.

Riise left the Reds for £5million in 2008 to join Italian giants Roma. His departure followed the embarrassment of a last-gasp own goal that helped Chelsea grab an unlikely equaliser in the 2008 semi-final clash between Liverpool and the Blues.

The Norwegian, who spent seven years at Anfield before his move to Italy, is now contemplating a return to Merseyside, with left-back Andrea Dossena moving in the opposite direction. He has failed to impress since his £7million move from Udinese.

However, with young Argentine full-back Emiliano Insua, beginning to cement his place in the first XI, Benitez isn't convinced that bringing back the 29-year-old stopper, who he deemed as surplus to requirements not so long ago, is the right move.

But it's understood that Riise is desperate for the move to materialise, and so with the Reds squad not being as strong as some of their Premier League counterparts, Benitez may agree to a cut-price move for Riise.