FootballNews

Albert Riera has been given a shock opportunity to revive his troubled Liverpool career after he was named in the 22-man squad that has flown to Switzerland.


The Spanish winger has not been sighted near Liverpool's first team since he was suspended and fined two weeks wages for a serious breach of club discipline in March.

Liverpool had looked to offload Riera - who fell out spectacularly with former boss Rafa Benitez - in April to Spartak Moscow but the deal fell through due to his personal demands.

However, Roy Hodgson has taken the surprise step of including Riera, who had missed the first two days training under the new manager due to a slight knee problem.

Though there is still some doubt about Riera's long-term future at Anfield - his list of misdemeanours include a fight with an unnamed youth player - he is poised to get a chance to turn things around.

Liverpool paid £6m for Riera just before transfer deadline day in August 2008 but he has failed to make a significant impression due to a succession of injuries and indiscipline.

Aside from Riera, the travelling party, which includes first-teamers Lucas, Alberto Aquilani, Emiliano Insua and David Ngog, arrived in Switzerland last night and will play the first of three friendlies against Saudi Arabian champions Al Hilal on Saturday in Austria.

New signing Milan Jovanovic will meet up with squad in Switzerland, as will Sotirios Kyrgiakos - he will begin his pre-season training programme today after returning from his post World Cup break.

Hodgson will be united with Liverpool's top names at the end of the month but a delegation from the club's Sports Science and Sports Medicine department are expected to head out to Madrid for discussions with Spain's medical staff over Fernando Torres.

Liverpool confirmed last night that their World Cup striker faces up to three weeks on the sidelines after suffering an adductor injury in Sunday's final.

Torres underwent a scan in Spain on Tuesday in which a small tear was diagnosed.

The club's new Head of Sports Science and Medicine Peter Brukner said: "The initial assessment was he had a mild adductor tear and the Spanish medial staff didn't consider it to be too serious at the time.

"He had an MRI scan yesterday which confirmed a small tear. He should be able to resume training within two to three weeks and be able to play again within three to four weeks."

Hodgson has yet to meet Torres in person but he was thrilled to see him pictured in a Liverpool scarf cradling the World Cup immediately after the final.

"As Liverpool manager, I take great pride in the fact that two of our players can call themselves World Cup winners this summer," he said.

"I think it's safe to say the pictures of Fernando in the dressing room with the World Cup certainly went down well with our fans. But the club can be proud of all the players who went away to the World Cup."

Meanwhile, Liverpudlians will be keeping an eye on the action from the first legs of the Europa League second round qualifiers to check out prospective third round opponents.

The draw takes place in UEFA's headquarters tomorrow but Liverpool cannot be paired with big guns such as Juventus and Sporting Lisbon thanks to their UEFA coefficient.

We're gonna win the league. Easy.

apparently signed central defender Danny Wilson from the huns.

Only weak position is LB.

Don't post if you got nothing good to say eg: Lopperman

liverpool are missing that superstar that can stay fit, i can see torres and gerrard both breaking down at some point of the season

Seeing as there is an arsenal thread, I thought I'd create a topic where us Liverpool supporters can discuss transfers, results, line ups etc.
Don't post if you got nothing good to say eg: Lopperman

Degen transfer listed. Signed on a bosman and we should get ~2m for him.

I like that Woy is cutting the fat. Lucas, Reira, Itanje and El Zhar (theres about 15m of sales right there).

Riera to Olympiakos

Degen transfer listed. Signed on a bosman and we should get ~2m for him.

I like that Woy is cutting the fat. Lucas, Reira, Itanje and El Zhar (theres about 15m of sales right there).

Degen transfer listed. Signed on a bosman and we should get ~2m for him.

I like that Woy is cutting the fat. Lucas, Reira, Itanje and El Zhar (theres about 15m of sales right there).

We have signed J.Cole, Jovanovic and Danny Wilson
Mascherano is most likely on his way out
Liverpoolfc.tv have a media watch section which gives us gossip. Apparently we are after Loic Remy, Martin Pederson and Reto Ziegler
Remy - young gun. Plays in french league. decent target, I'd take him
Pederson - 20 year old. Apparently Norweigen Rooney. Don't know a whole lot about him
Ziegler - rate him very highly. We need a left back

Also after Figueroa

Joe Cole declares he has joined the biggest club in england

do you honestly think this is still true you liverpool fans??

Reira didn't get on for the game against Olympiakos...

Anfield aura key to Cole decision to sign for Liverpool

The prospect of playing at Anfield was key to Joe Cole's decision to join Liverpool, not financial reasons.

"I thought about the Champions League semi in 2005 when I ran on to the field and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up," said the ex-Chelsea star.

"I was thinking about playing in that atmosphere every week and that swung it for me," added the England midfielder, 28, who has signed a four-year deal.

"I tried to take the finances and location out and think about football."

Chelsea lost 1-0 on aggregate to Liverpool in that 2005 Champions League semi-final in front of a delirious Anfield crowd when even their former manager Jose Mourinho was moved to comment: "I felt the power of Anfield, it was magnificent."

Cole had been expected to remain in London after he was released by Premier League champions Chelsea at the end of May.

Arsenal and Tottenham both expressed interest in the London-born England international, who spent seven years at Stamford Bridge after coming through the ranks at West Ham.

Instead Cole chose Liverpool and he completed his move on Wednesday after passing a medical.

"I know I've made the right decision and I'm looking forward to the challenge," added Cole, who reportedly will earn £90,000 a week at Anfield.

"I have played in London all my life. I could have stayed at Chelsea because the fans loved me and I won things, but I wanted to challenge myself and when I knew Liverpool were interested it was a no-brainer because they are the biggest club in the country."

West Ham academy graduate Cole becomes Liverpool's second major summer signing after Serbia forward Milan Jovanovic arrived on a three-year contract from Standard Liege.

Cole joined Chelsea from West Ham for £6.6m in 2003 and scored 40 goals in 282 appearances, winning three Premier League titles and two FA Cups.

Cole has won 56 England caps, including two at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, on both occasions as a second-half substitute.

Despite reports suggesting he would be handed the number seven shirt, Cole will wear number 10.