Saturday, May 07, 2011

Liverpool Confirm Completion Of New Big Money Deal For "Next Gerrard"

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish and Director of Football Strategy Damien Comolli have tied up a new contract for promising young midfielder Jay Spearing, with the tenacious academy graduate emerging this season as a valuable squad player and drawing comparisons to team-mate Steven Gerrard.

The specific details on the length of the deal are yet to be announced, but Comolli confirmed that an extension has been signed and the youngster now looks set to continue filling in for the injured Steven Gerrard. Weeks after Gerrard sustained his long-term injury, Dalglish was quick to praise the efforts of a young man he believed could be the long-term replacement.

"You feel for players when they're injured but when they are injured someone else steps up to the plate. It's to their credit that they've all stepped up to the plate; not just Jay, all of them.

"He's always been a good passer but maybe now he's got a bit more confidence and belief in himself and he's encouraged more to do it. Jay's been fantastic in the games he's played for us, and that's a great lift for everyone at the club - to see someone like that coming through."

Spearing finally broke into the Liverpool first team earlier this season, and the 22-year-old local boy has since made 18 impressive appearances for the club. Many have been swift to compare Spearing to Gerrard; both are Liverpool-born Reds, with a passion and tenacity to get around the pitch.

Adding to his combative and courageous approach to the game, Spearing's improved passing ability has helped to earn him an improved big money deal, and Comolli was quick to praise his efforts in the campaign so far.

"He has worked hard and has done very well," Comolli told Liverpool FC’s official website.

"He won his place in the team on merit and has showed in the last games that he can raise his game to what we need.”

According to Comolli, the new deal is the result of lengthy contract negotiations rather than just a reflection of his form over the past few weeks.

"To be fair to him,” Comolli continued, “it's not only what he has done in the last four or five games that triggered the new contract.

"We have been talking for quite a while, independently of what he was doing on the field. But that was confirmation that it was the right thing to do.

"His commitment and aggression on the pitch is fantastic and since he has been playing I think he has added some passing quality which we didn't see before.

"He has started to get forward more and the more he plays the more he improves."

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