LFC NEWS
World Cup winner Arbeloa retires aged 34
Former Liverpool, Real Madrid and West Ham defender Alvaro Arbeloa is retiring from football aged 34.
The Spanish left-back made three Premier League appearances for the Hammers last season before being released.
He won one La Liga title and the Champions League twice at Madrid before signing for West Ham last August.
"It's time to say goodbye," he said. "Physically I was ok to keep playing."
The full-back spent three years with the Reds before returning to Madrid, for whom he made his senior debut, in 2009.
He made more than 200 appearances in total for Liverpool, Madrid and West Ham between 2007 and 2017 and was capped 56 times by Spain.
He was part of his country's World Cup-winning squad in 2010 and helped them win both Euro 2008 and 2012.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca he suggested he would be open to a return to the Bernabeu.
"Madrid is the club of my life, I will never call to ask for a job, but I am always available to offer myself," he said.
Hearts broken and an era ends as Bill Shankly retires as Liverpool manager in 1974
Liverpool hastily convened a press conference and stunned the waiting media by announcing that the man who had rebuilt the club, from an average side in the second division, playing in “the biggest toilet in Liverpool,” into 1st Division Champions, UEFA and FA Cup Winners, was leaving.
Only a couple of months previously Liverpool had “stripped Newcastle United bare,” in a FA Cup final, according to one commentator.
Suddenly, inexplicably, he was leaving the club he had formed a symbiotic relationship with. This is how John Smith, Chairman, broke the news to the press:
“It is with great regret that I as chairman of Liverpool Football Club have to inform you that Mr Shankly has intimated that he wishes to retire from active participation in league football. And the board has with extreme reluctance accepted his decision. I would like to at this stage to place on record the board’s great appreciation of Shankly’s magnificent achievements over the period of his managership.”
Hearts were broken. Tony Wilson, a young journalist working for Granada News, immediately took to the streets of Liverpool, to gauge the reaction of the people. What he captured was stunned disbelief, deep sadness and something bordering on grief.
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The players too were devastated and some wondered if this was the end of Liverpool Football Club. Kevin Keegan would later say that, for him, the club lost some of its lustre that day. He would leave three years later, for Hamburg.
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Shankly’s love of football was legendary, but managing Liverpool and building not one, but two great sides, had had an enormous effect on him. It had quite simply dominated his every waking moment.
The legend would sit up for hours, replying to fans letters. He would work tirelessly to restore the club to the pinnacle and on his days off he would play football on the field in front of his house, with the local kids. That field is now named after the great man.
It was bound to eventually take its toll and he needed a break.
In truth, Shankly would live to regret his decision and he would become a regular visitor to Melwood, the club’s training ground, for a long time after his retirement. This soon became a problem, with players deferring to Shanks instead of Paisley at times – it couldn’t go on.
In the end, Liverpool asked Shankly not to attend training anymore but allowed him to train at Melwood when the first team weren’t there. His love of the game was such, that he missed being around the players and ended up watching Everton train.
It was a sad end for man who had given so much to the club and who had once said of retirement:
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“It’s the most stupid word I’ve ever heard in all my life. It should be stricken from the record. You retire when they put the coffin lid down with your name on top.
Until then nobody can retire.”
Nothing will ever erase Shankly’s legacy. He built the foundations of the club we all love today. His philosophy and ethos are ingrained in the fabric at Anfield and his enduring spirit is still evident at Melwood. He left us with countless memories, three league titles, two FA Cups, and a UEFA Cup.
Above all of that though, he made the people happy.
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LFC wins at the Stadium Business Awards
LFC wins at the Stadium Business Awards
Liverpool FC scooped the Premium and Hospitality Award at the prestigious Stadium Business Awards in Dublin on Thursday evening.
The club won the award for its Red Thread Team’s customer experience training at Anfield.
The Red Thread Team is central to creating, implementing and delivering an inspiring matchday experience. The training team have shaped a programme for all line managers that are responsible for LFC’s matchday operation with over 2800 staff. As a result of the team development, LFC have been able to create a truly unique fan experience for the thousands of fans who visit Anfield.
At the awards ceremony, the club was shortlisted for seven awards including Venue of the Year, Venue Project Award, Best Fan Experience, Executive of the Year, Unsung Hero Award and the Environmental Award.
Andrew Parkinson, operations director at Liverpool FC, said: “As a football club we pride ourselves in delivering a first-class fan experience for all our fans. We take on board fans’ feedback and are continually striving to ensure our fans enjoy a memorable experience at Anfield.
“The experience fans receive when they visit Anfield is truly unique and leaves a lasting memory about this great club.
“The Red Thread Team deserves recognition for their hard work, commitment, innovation and creativity and most of all for the fan experience achieved and constantly delivered at Anfield.”
Arsenal to sell Oxlade-Chamberlain to Reds
Arsenal are ready to sell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool with as many as eight other first-team players following him out the exit door.
The England international is yet to agree a new deal with the club and with only a year remaining is likely to be sold this summer with Anfield understood to be his most likely destination.
Jurgen Klopp is a known admirer and is set for a busy summer as he attempts to build a squad capable of challenging both in the Premier League and in Europe where the Reds are back in the Champions League after a two-year absence.
Arsenal are set for an overhaul of their own and are under pressure to cut their wage bill in the wake of the Premier League's new cost control measures that are coming into force this summer.
The rules say that a club’s wage bill should not be more than £7m more than it was in 2016-17, or £19m more than from the 2012-13 season.
If it does increase beyond that limit, the money can only come from external sources such as player sales, ticketing or commercial money, rather than Premier League central funds.
If Arsenal’s wage bill does jump by as much as they want it to with proposed new deals for Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, they are unlikely to make up the money through commercial or ticketing or TV money for next season, not least because they will be playing in the Europa League, not the Champions League.
This means the money will have to be found in player sales this summer, not just of fringe players, but first-team players too.
Olivier Giroud is another who could follow Oxlade-Chamberlain out with Napoli joining Marseille and West Ham monitoring his situation. Jack Wilshere is another who could leave after spending last season on loan at Bournemouth but his wages may prove a stumbling block to a permanent move.
There are plenty of fringe players likely to depart, including Calum Chambers, Wojciech Szczesny, Chuba Akpom, Kieran Gibbs, Lucas Perez and Carl Jenkinson but Hector Bellerin is set to stay with the Gunners telling Barcelona that the Spanish right back is not for sale at any price.
Source: The Independent
This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.
Arsenal to sell Oxlade-Chamberlain to Reds
Arsenal to sell Oxlade-Chamberlain to Reds
Arsenal are ready to sell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool with as many as eight other first-team players following him out the exit door.
The England international is yet to agree a new deal with the club and with only a year remaining is likely to be sold this summer with Anfield understood to be his most likely destination.
Jurgen Klopp is a known admirer and is set for a busy summer as he attempts to build a squad capable of challenging both in the Premier League and in Europe where the Reds are back in the Champions League after a two-year absence.
Arsenal are set for an overhaul of their own and are under pressure to cut their wage bill in the wake of the Premier League's new cost control measures that are coming into force this summer.
The rules say that a club’s wage bill should not be more than £7m more than it was in 2016-17, or £19m more than from the 2012-13 season.
If it does increase beyond that limit, the money can only come from external sources such as player sales, ticketing or commercial money, rather than Premier League central funds.
If Arsenal’s wage bill does jump by as much as they want it to with proposed new deals for Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, they are unlikely to make up the money through commercial or ticketing or TV money for next season, not least because they will be playing in the Europa League, not the Champions League.
This means the money will have to be found in player sales this summer, not just of fringe players, but first-team players too.
Olivier Giroud is another who could follow Oxlade-Chamberlain out with Napoli joining Marseille and West Ham monitoring his situation. Jack Wilshere is another who could leave after spending last season on loan at Bournemouth but his wages may prove a stumbling block to a permanent move.
There are plenty of fringe players likely to depart, including Calum Chambers, Wojciech Szczesny, Chuba Akpom, Kieran Gibbs, Lucas Perez and Carl Jenkinson but Hector Bellerin is set to stay with the Gunners telling Barcelona that the Spanish right back is not for sale at any price.
Source: The Independent
This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.
Oxlade-Chamberlain set for Liverpool move
Arsenal are ready to sell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Premier League rivals Liverpool in a £25million deal, reports say.
The England international has grown frustrated at the Emirates with the north London outfit failing to secure his services on a longer – and more lucrative – deal.
While Premier League champions Chelsea and Manchester City have expressed interest in the 23-year-old, the Independent say Oxlade-Chamberlain will likely join Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool this summer.
Klopp is a known admirer of the versatile midfielder and hopes to bolster his squad with at least three more signings following confirmation of the club’s move for Egypt international Mohamed Salah.
The Gunners have come around to the idea of selling Oxlade-Chamberlain amidst a growing pressure to cut their wage bill – new Premier League rules state that clubs’ salary expenditure should not be more than £7m than it was last year.
Arsenal’s wage bill is expected to rise significantly as the club look to strike deals with influential duo Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
The club will therefore be forced to save money through player sales and it is claimed Olivier Giroud could follow Oxlade-Chamberlain out of the exit door in the coming months.
West Ham have signalled interest in the 30-year-old talisman but a return to France appears more likely with Marseille long-term admirers.
Source: Metro
This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.
Oxlade-Chamberlain set for Liverpool move
Oxlade-Chamberlain set for Liverpool move
Arsenal are ready to sell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Premier League rivals Liverpool in a £25million deal, reports say.
The England international has grown frustrated at the Emirates with the north London outfit failing to secure his services on a longer – and more lucrative – deal.
While Premier League champions Chelsea and Manchester City have expressed interest in the 23-year-old, the Independent say Oxlade-Chamberlain will likely join Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool this summer.
Klopp is a known admirer of the versatile midfielder and hopes to bolster his squad with at least three more signings following confirmation of the club’s move for Egypt international Mohamed Salah.
The Gunners have come around to the idea of selling Oxlade-Chamberlain amidst a growing pressure to cut their wage bill – new Premier League rules state that clubs’ salary expenditure should not be more than £7m than it was last year.
Arsenal’s wage bill is expected to rise significantly as the club look to strike deals with influential duo Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
The club will therefore be forced to save money through player sales and it is claimed Olivier Giroud could follow Oxlade-Chamberlain out of the exit door in the coming months.
West Ham have signalled interest in the 30-year-old talisman but a return to France appears more likely with Marseille long-term admirers.
Source: Metro
This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.
Photo gallery: Salah takes special tour of Anfield
Photo gallery: Salah takes special tour of Anfield
Mohamed Salah took a tour of his new home stadium on Friday morning, exploring Anfield after sealing a transfer to Liverpool from AS Roma.
The club’s new No.11 will officially join on July 1 having penned a long-term contract at Melwood yesterday, but headed to the ground for a first look.
Salah checked out the dressing room he’ll share with his Reds teammates, touched the famous ‘This is Anfield’ sign and provided autographs and photographs for fans after bumping into a tour.
Take a look in the photo gallery below…
Get your 'Salah - 11' shirt from the official LFC store here>>
Arsenal ‘ready to sell’ Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool this summer
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Arsenal are reportedly willing to sanction a £25 million deal to sell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool, with his contract set to expire in 2018.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has been widely touted as one of Jurgen Klopp‘s targets for the summer transfer window, as the German bolsters his squad ahead of 2017/18.
Despite the £36.9 million signing of Mohamed Salah on Thursday night, this is not expected to dampen the Reds’ interest in Arsenal‘s No. 15.
The 23-year-old was previously due to enter talks with the Gunners regarding an extension to his current contract, but that now seems an unlikely scenario.
According to the Independent, Arsenal are “ready to sell” Oxlade-Chamberlain, due to the Premier League‘s new wage rules.
A club’s wage bill is not permitted to be over £7 million more than it was in 2016/17, or £19 million more than five years ago, in 2012/13.
And with both Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in line for big-money contracts, Arsenal will be forced to sell.
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Oxlade-Chamberlain is among those likely to depart, along with Olivier Giroud, Jack Wilshere and a host of peripheral figures such as Wojciech Szczesny, Calum Chambers and Kieran Gibbs.
The report claims that Liverpool could sign Oxlade-Chamberlain for £25 million, which would provide Klopp with another excellent addition.
Oxlade-Chamberlain could serve as a versatile option in both midfield and attack, and still just 23, has considerable potential to develop further under Klopp.
While the signing of Salah would impact his prospects of a regular role out wide, it can be argued that Oxlade-Chamberlain would be more influential in a deeper midfield duty.
The Reds are currently pursuing RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita to operate as Klopp’s No. 8, but the Bundesliga side are adamant their star man won’t be leaving this summer.
This was compounded by UEFA’s ruling that both Leipzig and sister-club Red Bull Salzburg are eligible to compete in next season’s Champions League.
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If Liverpool fail to sign Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain would be an interesting alternative, potentially taking up a similar role to his former Southampton team-mate, Adam Lallana.
Due to Oxlade-Chamberlain’s flexibility, too, he could provide cover in a variety of roles—including for both Salah and Sadio Mane on the flanks.
The first-choice wingers will both likely head to the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, with Egypt and Senegal respectively, and Klopp will require a contingency plan for while they are away.
While that is a long way off at this stage, Oxlade-Chamberlain would be a perfect alternative, and for £25 million, he would be a great signing for Liverpool.
More: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rumour MillPromoted
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Liverpool ready to compete for Mbappe
Liverpool will go head-to-head with Arsenal in an attempt to pull off the most spectacular and unexpected transfer in their history should Kylian Mbappe decide to move to England rather than Real Madrid.
The French teenager is now the most wanted footballer on the planet and Jurgen Klopp is determined to be part of the conversation should Monaco agree to sell their star striker before the start of the season.
There is a broad expectation 18-year-old Mbappe will go to Real Madrid, who have the finances to outbid any competitors. It is rare for any player to reject the overtures of the Bernabeu club once they have been identified as the number one target. It is difficult for any player to say no when Madrid call and French media have today reported meetings between Mbappe and Real coach Zinedine Zidane in which he has been assured of a starting place.
But Liverpool, like Arsenal, have investigated whether Mbappe would prefer a move to the Premier League at a club where he can be guaranteed game time and patience. It is felt career progress rather an immediate desire to become a Galactico is Mbappe’s priority, even if Madrid remain clear favourites and the most likely winners of the pursuit.
Should Mbappe decide it is too soon to move to the Spanish giants, Liverpool are prepared to spend big to get him. Unlike Arsenal, they could be playing Champions League football this season, although they also know Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea would make rival offers if what currently seems like a fantasy evolved into reality.
Read more: The Telegraph
This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.
Liverpool ready to compete for Mbappe
Liverpool ready to compete for Mbappe
Liverpool will go head-to-head with Arsenal in an attempt to pull off the most spectacular and unexpected transfer in their history should Kylian Mbappe decide to move to England rather than Real Madrid.
The French teenager is now the most wanted footballer on the planet and Jurgen Klopp is determined to be part of the conversation should Monaco agree to sell their star striker before the start of the season.
There is a broad expectation 18-year-old Mbappe will go to Real Madrid, who have the finances to outbid any competitors. It is rare for any player to reject the overtures of the Bernabeu club once they have been identified as the number one target. It is difficult for any player to say no when Madrid call and French media have today reported meetings between Mbappe and Real coach Zinedine Zidane in which he has been assured of a starting place.
But Liverpool, like Arsenal, have investigated whether Mbappe would prefer a move to the Premier League at a club where he can be guaranteed game time and patience. It is felt career progress rather an immediate desire to become a Galactico is Mbappe’s priority, even if Madrid remain clear favourites and the most likely winners of the pursuit.
Should Mbappe decide it is too soon to move to the Spanish giants, Liverpool are prepared to spend big to get him. Unlike Arsenal, they could be playing Champions League football this season, although they also know Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea would make rival offers if what currently seems like a fantasy evolved into reality.
Read more: The Telegraph
This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.
From Fernando Torres to Mohamed Salah – Liverpool’s 10 most expensive signings
He’s not as bad as a lot of supporters claim, but he has also failed to justify both the hype that came his way and the hefty price tag. A squad place beckons from this point on.
Worth the money? No
9. Fernando Torres (£20.2million)
One of the boldest signings in Reds history, the arrival of Fernando Torres felt huge back in 2007, as Rafa Benitez worked his managerial magic.
‘El Nino’ didn’t disappoint, scoring 81 goals in 142 appearances, and cementing his reputation as one of the world’s best strikers in the late 2000s.
Worth the money? Yes
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8. Luis Suarez (£22.8million)
The most talented player ever to wear a Liverpool shirt? It’s hard to argue with that.
Luis Suarez enjoyed an astonishing three-and-a-half-year spell on Merseyside, showcasing his genius on a regular basis, and producing one of the all-time great individual seasons, in 2013/14. Sold to Barcelona for £75million.
Worth the money? Yes
=7. Gini Wijnlaldum (£25million)
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Unlike many signings, the purchase of Gini Wijnaldum came from nowhere last summer, with fans left bemused at where the Dutchman would fit in.
He has proven to be an excellent piece of business, however, playing with great intelligence, consistency and influence in the middle of the park. Seems like a great guy, which is an added bonus.
Worth the money? Yes
=7. Adam Lallana (£25million)
For a while, it looked as though the £25million spent on Adam Lallana looked like a waste of money – like Wijnaldum, £23million was paid up front – but he has been superb with Klopp at the helm.
Prodigiously gifted, as hard-working as anyone and underrated because he’s English, Lallana should remain a key man for the foreseeable future. A completely different player to the one that struggled at first.
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Worth the money? Yes
5. Roberto Firmino (£29million)
Having struggled to make an immediate impression, mainly because of Brendan Rodgers’ woeful use of him, Roberto Firmino has blossomed into one of the first names on Klopp’s team-sheet.
A footballer of effortless class, the 25-year-old feels like someone who will still only improve, which should excite Liverpool supporters.
The Reds initially paid £21million for his services, but that should rise to £29million in time, depending on the team’s success and his appearances domestically and for Brazil.
Worth the money? Yes
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4. Sadio Mane (£30million)
The signing of Sadio Mane was not met with great anticipation a year ago, but what a magnificent buy he has proved to be.
A superb debut season saw him named Liverpool’s Player of the Year, with pace to burn, goals coming at a regular rate and his absence felt more than any other player.
Worth the money? Yes
3. Christian Benteke (£32.5 million)
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Christian Benteke didn’t feel like a Liverpool from day one, despite his goalscoring pedigree.
The big Belgian found the net just 10 times in 42 appearances and managed to comically miss an open goal with no goalkeeper between the sticks, against Leicester City in 2015.
Worth the money? No
2. Andy Carroll (£35million)
For over six years, Andy Carroll was inexplicably Liverpool’s record signing, but thankfully that has now changed.
With all due respect to the burly striker, he was never suited to playing for the Reds, like Benteke, and his £35million fee was laughable. Eleven goals in 58 matches says it all.
Worth the money? No
1. Mohamed Salah (£36.9million)
So here we have it, the most expensive player ever to represent Liverpool Football Club.
Who knows what Salah will do in a Reds shirt in the coming years, but one thing’s for sure, he should be a far more successful signing than a number of the players mentioned above.
Worth the money? We’re about to find out!
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Liverpool make €100m Kylian Mbappe bid
Liverpool have reportedly seen a staggering €100m offer for Monaco starlet Kylian Mbappe rejected as they step up their pursuit of the youngster.
There’s no denying that the 18-year-old is the most in-demand player in Europe this summer, as after his exploits last season, he has stolen the attention of every top club around the major leagues.
With 26 goals and 14 assists in 44 outings in all competitions, Mbappe was crucial in helping Monaco win the Ligue 1 title as well as reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Amid speculation of interest from the likes of Arsenal and Real Madrid, Marca claim that it’s Liverpool who have had a €100m bid rejected by the French giants. With owner Dmitri Rybolovlev adamant that even though he doesn’t have any intention of selling Mbappe, the bidding must overtake the world-record transfer fee needed by Man Utd to sign Paul Pogba last summer.
The report reveals that there’s a double blow for Klopp too as, despite his commendable ambition in going for a player like Mbappe, it’s added that the player himself only wants to leave for Real Madrid, and he’s told Monaco that too.
In turn, it makes a move to Anfield look unlikely at this stage, even though Klopp could have promised him a central role in their push for silverware next season as the Reds will look to compete both domestically and on their return to the Champions League, if they make it through the qualifying round.
Source: CaughtOffside
This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.