A dodgy internet connection may have prevented the News Desk from reporting on this sooner, but for all you late comers, Liverpool have now officially completed the transfer of Southampton fullback Nathaniel Clyne from the South Coast club for a fee that could potentially rise as high as £12.5mil.
An opening bid of £10mil immediately following the end of the season was rebuffed quickly by the Saints with rumours of Manchester United’s interest in the 24-year old setting up a potential bidding war between the two bitter rivals, but with the Old Trafford club dropping out of the race for his signature, Clyne looked almost certain to move to Anfield despite the Reds falling short of their £15mil valuation of the player.
“I’m delighted and it’s a dream move for me to come here and play for such a big club with all of its history,” Liverpool’s newest defender told the clubs official website in his first interview. “As soon as Liverpool showed their interest in me, I was happy and just wanted the deal to go through.”
Clyne is the latest player to trade the South Coast for the Northwest after the Reds snapped up a trio of Southampton players last summer — with varying degrees of success. Former captain Adam Lallana had an injury hit first season on Merseyside while striker Rickie Lambert was used sparingly and Dejan Lovren, once hailed as the fix to Liverpool’s defensive woes, looked to have suffered a severe blow to his confidence resulting in the Croatian spending large swathes of the season on the bench. Here’s to hoping the 24-year old Englishman fares better than his friends…
