Liverpool concluded a productive transfer window with a late surprise when they accepted Chelsea's £12million offer for the Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles.
Ultimately, the only bid that came close to Liverpool's valuation was Chelsea's second offer for Meireles. Liverpool had rejected a deal of £7million plus Yossi Benayoun last week and made it clear to the midfielder that he would have to submit a transfer request if he wished to be reunited with André Villas-Boas, who managed him for three weeks at Porto last summer.
Meireles submitted a request as the 11pm deadline approached after Chelsea, thwarted in their pursuits of Luka Modric and Alvaro Pereira, agreed to meet Liverpool's valuation. He has signed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, having been due an improved contract at Liverpool.
Liverpool's business also involved looking ahead to next summer. They agreed to pay 60% of Cole's wages during his season at Lille in an attempt to obtain first refusal on the Belgium international, Eden Hazard, should the French club elect to sell their coveted midfielder. That request was rejected by Lille, although Liverpool retain hope that their £3million costs for Cole over the next 12 months will deliver an advantage in any future talks for Hazard.
Cole agreed to join the French club despite late interest from Aston Villa, having made only nine starts in the Premier League last season. Fenway Sports Group, which inherited the 29-year-old's £100,000-a-week contract, was keen to offload the midfielder but struggled to find a suitor. Through the director of football Damien Comolli, Liverpool had used Lille's interest in Cole as a means to try to steal a march on their rivals for Hazard.
Liverpool inquired about Lille's attacking midfielder earlier in the summer and, along with Arsenal and several European clubs, were informed that the 20-year-old was not for sale. But Lille's stance on Hazard may change at the end of this season, prompting Liverpool to offer generous loan terms on Cole.
Lille can offer Cole Champions League football this season and are believed to be relaxed about the England international commuting to and from London. His exit was part of a successful clear-out of expensive transfer mistakes by Liverpool, who have also offloaded Milan Jovanovic to Anderlecht, Alberto Aquilani, on loan to Milan, and Poulsen to Evian. The Denmark international, who cost an initial £4.5million from Juventus last summer, made only 21 appearances for Liverpool and has joined the French club on a permanent transfer.
Bellamy has signed a two-year contract with Liverpool, having negotiated his release from City. The 32-year-old, who played for Liverpool for one season under Rafael Benítez in 2006-07, had two years left on a £95,000-a-week contract and his refusal to accept reduced terms had deterred several Premier League clubs this summer, plus Celtic, another of his former employers.
Liverpool, however, have offered similar personal terms after he successfully completed a medical on Merseyside last night.
The Anfield club also completed the signing of the United States under-18 striker Villyan Bijev from California Odyssey after the teenager impressed on trial at the academy. Bijev does not have a work permit and so has joined the German side Fortuna Dusseldorf on loan with immediate effect. They also cancelled Degen's contract by mutual consent and sold Ngog to Bolton for a fee of around £4million.
Liverpool – The complete summer 2011 transfer lists:
IN
Stewart Downing (Liverpool, £20m)
Jordan Henderson (Sunderland, £16m)
Charlie Adam (£9m)
Jose Enrique (Newcastle, £6m)
Alexander Doni (Roma, free)
Sebastian Coates (Nacional, undisclosed)
Craig Bellamy (Manchester City, free)
Villyan Bijev (California Odyssey, undisclosed)
Total summer spending: £51 million + undisclosed fees *
OUT
Joe Cole (Lille, loan)
Christian Poulsen (Evian, undisclosed)
Alberto Aquilani (AC Milan, loan)
Paul Konchesky (Leicester, £1.5m)
Emiliano Insua (Sporting Lisbon, undisclosed)
Daniel Ayala (Norwich, undisclosed)
Milan Jovanovic (Anderlecht, free)
Sotirios Kyrgiakos (Wolfsburg, free)
Tom Ince (Blackpool, free)
Stephen Darby (Rochdale, loan)
Daniel Pacheco (Atletico Madrid, loan)
David Ngog (Bolton, £4m)
Raul Meireles (Chelsea, £12m)
Villyan Bijev (Fortuna Dusseldorf, loan)
Philipp Degen (released)
Nabil El-Zhar (Levante, free)
Chris Mavinga (Rennes, £1m)
Gerardo Bruna (Blackpool, free)
Total summer recouped: £18.5 million + undisclosed fees *
* Transfer fees are just speculation figures gathered in the press, actual amount may not be accurate as displayed
Source: Guardian
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Jovanovic, now 30, joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Standard Liege last summer, but he was unable to establish himself in the Premier League.
Kenny Dalglish is working hard to shipped out the deadwoods at Anfield to refill his transfer kitty for at least one more new player before the new season kick-off.
Jovanovic joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Standard Liège last summer, having impressed the then manager Rafael Benítez, but was unable to establish himself in the Premier League and last started a game for Liverpool in January. Anderlecht have not paid a fee for him.
The Serbian forward has been told he’s surplus to requirements at Anfield and the Belgian side are keen to snap him up.
Jovanovic joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Belgian side Standard Liege but has failed to make an impact at Anfield.
The Cobblers defied all the odds to book a place in round four after both David Ngog and Nathan Eccleston missed for the home side during the shoot-out.
Gerrard has a back problem while the club has decided not to risk Torres playing a third successive game following his injury troubles.
