With the vast majority of Liverpool players set to report back to Melwood for pre-season training tomorrow, they’ll be greeted by a few new faces with the Reds signing six new players thus far this summer, but they’ll see some changes in management as well with the Anfield outfit set to announce the appointment of Sean O’Driscoll as Brendan Rodgers assistant manager.
Following the sackings of Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh, Liverpool have been on the look-out to add some top class talent to the Northern Irishman’s coaching staff, but it appears they’ve eschewed any of the higher profile targets linked with the job in favour of the former England Under-19s boss. Along with O’Driscoll, academy coach Pep Lijnders is also expected to be made part of the first team set-up as the Reds look to improve on a dire sixth place finish last season.
Acclimatising the new players will be one thing, but the real challenge could be working with the players who are already there with Raheem Sterling, subject of a serious of big money bids from Manchester City, expected to turn up at Melwood tomorrow ahead of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of Australia, the Far East and Finland.
A third bid that should all but match the Reds £50mil valuation of the player is expected in the coming weeks with the restrictions imposed on the Citizens under UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules now lifted. The Anfield outfit have thus far rebuffed the advances of Manuel Pelligrini’s side as they look to hang on to the 20-year old, who, by all accounts, is expected to take part in the pre-season festivities.
