Liverpool releases Crouch to join Portsmouth

July 9, 2008

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has finally given a nod to Portsmouth bid for their striker and England international Peter Crouch. He agreed to sell him in order to pursue other transfer targets.

Now, Crouch will be one of the two players to be sold this transfer season by the English Club along with Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso’s yet-to-be finalized move to Juventus, which again is being delayed for transfer fees.

Crouch ended 2006-07 as Liverpool’s top goal scorer in all competitions with 18 goals.

According to reports, Portsmouth will be required to pay an 8 million pound down payment, and a further 3 million as add-ons. Having joined the Reds for 7 million from Southampton in 2005, ‘Crouchie’ is leaving them with a good margin to join ‘Pompey’, the club he played for during 2001-02.

The money accumulated from transfers of Crouch and Alonso will be used by Benitez for getting further additions to his squad, which may include Villa midfielder Gareth Barry and Spurs forward Robbie Keane. His other potential targets for Anfield are Valencia’s David Silva, Real Madrid’s Ruben De La Red, Espanyol winger Albert Riera and Borja Valero from Real Mallorca.

Liverpool has already bought Switzerland’s Philip Degan and Italian Andrea Dossena as Wing backs, and Nikola Saric, a Denmark under-18 international. Saric is a 17 year old with all the ingredients for making it big at major events.

Now, Crouch, with over hundred league goals under his belt, is sure to be seen rubbing shoulders with the likes of David Nugent, Nwankwo Kanu and Jermian Defoe at Fretton Park.

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