Liverpool Finalize Capture Of Luis Suarez From Ajax For €27m

Liverpool have officially completed the signing of Luis Suarez from Ajax for a fee of around €27 (£23) million.

After a transfer deadline day which saw the headlines stolen by the moves involving Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll, the lack of confirmation over Suarez’s switch fell under the radar.

However, the deal has now been confirmed late on Monday, with the 24-year-old signing a five-and-a-half-year deal after agreeing personal terms, passing a medical and being granted a work permit.

A statement on the club’s website read: "The club agreed a fee of up to 26.5million Euros with Ajax for the transfer of the Uruguayan international on Friday.

"The deal was subject to the completion of a medical, which the player has now passed.

"Luis Suarez will wear the No.7 shirt for Liverpool."

The Uruguay forward is set to partner £35m British transfer record signing Andy Carroll in a new-look strike-force under Kenny Dalglish.

Suarez rose to global prominence by sensationally scoring 49 goals in all competitions for Ajax during the 2009-10 season – 35 of which arrived in the Eredivisie from just 33 league matches.

He built on that during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, netting three times for his country as they embarked on a surprise run to the semi-finals.

However, he will be best remembered for his deliberate goal-line handball in the quarter-final against Ghana, which denied the Africans a last-minute winning goal and saw him sent off.

Asamoah Gyan went on to miss the resulting penalty to allow the South Americans to subsequently progress on penalties. At the time, his action and subsequent celebration saw the incident billed as ‘the hand of the devil’.

Since then, the player has continued his fine form in the Netherlands, with the prolific front-man netting 111 goals in 159 official matches for the club overall since joining in 2007.

Liverpool fans will be hoping his proven goalscoring can help compensate for the loss of Fernando Torres to Chelsea.

Suarez has been handed the No.7 shirt at Anfield, which has been vacant since the departure of Robbie Keane back to Tottenham in 2009.

Liverpool Complete Club-Record Signing Of Andy Carroll From Newcastle United

Liverpool has officially completed the club-record signing of England striker Andy Carroll from Newcastle United.

After a sensational day of drama on transfer deadline day, the Reds have confirmed the 22-year-old has signed a five-and-a-half-year deal at Anfield.

The Reds were initially said to have made a £30 million bid for the player on Monday morning, which was promptly rejected by Newcastle.

A second offer of £35m plus add-ons was also initially said to have been rejected, but Carroll then decided to hand in a transfer request to force through the move and the North East club reluctantly accepted the proposal.

A statement on the club’s website said: "Andy Carroll has completed his transfer from Newcastle United to Liverpool FC and signed a five-and-a-half-year deal that will keep him at Anfield until 2016.

"The club agreed a record transfer fee with Newcastle earlier in the day for the transfer of the England international striker.

"The deal was subject to the completion of a medical, which the player has now passed.

"Andy Carroll will wear the No.9 shirt for Liverpool."

The former Newcastle forward will be expected to team up with fellow new signing Luis Suarez, who has joined the club from Ajax, in a new-look strike-force under Kenny Dalglish.

Carroll has burst onto the scene in the Premier League this season, netting 11 Premier League goals in 19 games and scoring a hat-trick against Aston Villa in August.

He made his international debut for England against France at Wembley in November.

Carroll’s sale will come as a bitter blow to Newcastle fans, who had idolized the powerful front-man and repeatedly heard assurances from the club that a January sale would not be sanctioned.

The striker is yet to play in 2011 due to a thigh injury, but he has passed a medical and is now officially a Liverpool player.

Andy Carroll Claims He Was Forced Out Of Newcastle United

Andy Carroll has claimed that he was forced out of Newcastle United after they accepted a £35 million bid from Liverpool, according to The Mirror.

Despite insisting that the player was not for sale throughout the transfer window and rejecting an earlier offer from the Reds, Newcastle sold Carroll with minutes to spare on deadline day.

In a series of text messages exchanged between Carroll and Toon Talk editor Steve Wraith while the deal was being concluded, the new Liverpool No.9 allegedly said he didn't want to leave.

“They have kind we don’t want u [sic], but want me to say I wanna go. And I said I don’t wanna go,” he said.

Asked what was going on, Carroll replied: “I don’t know mate. Gutted tho. They said they wanted the money. Gutted to be leaving my home club but I was practically told to go. Don’t want to leave. That’s why I signed five-year deal.”

Magpies boss Alan Pardew had insisted from the day he took the Newcastle post on December 9 that the England international would not be sold and that the striker was one of the main reasons he decided to join the club.

Newcastle are currently eight points above the relegation zone and their Premier League future could be in doubt as they failed to bring in a replacement for their star striker, while having two late bids of up to £12m rejected by Wigan Athletic for Charles N'Zogbia.

Alan Shearer: Andy Carroll Will Face Backlash From 'Angry' Newcastle Fans

Alan Shearer believes Newcastle’s supporters will be in uproar at the club’s decision to sell striker Andy Carroll to Liverpool.

Carroll put the finishing touches to a big-money deal taking him to Anfield on Monday night, effectively as replacement for Chelsea-bound Fernando Torres.

Shearer recognized the offer for Carroll, thought to be around £35million, was difficult to turn down. But the Newcastle legend believes fans will nevertheless be fuming about the deal.

‘I think they’ll be angry. They’ll feel hard done by. He’s just recently signed a new contract,’ said the legendary No.9.

‘And after listening to Andy say he wants to stay at Newcastle, and listening to the chief executive and the owner and the manager saying he was going nowhere, I think they’ll be disappointed.

‘But from the club’s point of view, you’ve got to say that £35m, or whatever it is, is just a massive amount of money.

‘If you’re inside the football club you can see why they’ve had to accept that.’

Shearer was surprised by the deal, saying: ‘I think it’s an incredible amount of money for a guy that’s had half a season in the Premier League, albeit he’s done very well.

‘The potential is there, he’s now a full international, but it’s an incredible amount of money.’

Shearer suggested Carroll has ‘carried the team at times on his own’ at Newcastle this season, adding: ‘There’s no doubt they’ll miss him.’

The former England striker, who played under Reds manager Kenny Dalglish in Blackburn’s Premier League-winning team, believes the Scot will make the best of Carroll’s ability.

‘He’s going to a club that has to win trophies, is expected to win trophies,’ he added.

‘He’s going there with a great manager who I’m sure will get the very best out of him.’

Chelsea Snap Up Fernando Torres In €58.5m Deal

Chelsea have officially completed the sensational £50 million signing of Spain star Fernando Torres from Premier League rivals Liverpool.

The 26-year-old World Cup winner was the subject of rumours and speculation throughout transfer deadline day, but has now put pen to paper on a five-year-deal at Stamford Bridge.

The transfer saga began in earnest last week when the Reds declined an offer from Chelsea and then rejected a transfer request from Torres, insisting the player would be required to honour his long-term contract at the club.

Despite this, negotiations between the clubs continued and a conclusion was reached on Monday, allowing the forward to undergo a medical and agree personal terms with the reigning league champions.

A statement on Torres' official website said: "Spain international Fernando Torres will defend the Blue shirt of Chelsea after joining the London club on the January transfer deadline.

"The striker has signed for the reigning Premier League and FA Cup champions for five and a half seasons.

"After Liverpool and Chelsea had reached an agreement, the player travelled down to London where he successfully passed his medical before agreeing personal terms. Fernando Torres then put pen to paper on a deal that will see the forward remain at Chelsea until June 2016."

Torres had joined Liverpool from boyhood club Atletico Madrid for a fee of around £25m in July 2007 and bagged 33 goals in all competitions during a stunning debut campaign.

The striker went on to play a total of 142 times and score 81 goals in three-and-a-half successful personal seasons on Merseyside.

Despite enjoying a close relationship with the club’s fans, a lack of trophies and the Reds’ inability to challenge for major honours haunted the player, who has long been linked with an Anfield exit to various destinations around Europe.

The fact he has joined another English club will be a bitter pill for Liverpool fans to swallow in a deal comprehensively becomes a new British transfer record.

Torres, who is yet to win a major honour in club football, has already amassed 82 caps for Spain, scoring 26 times.

Fernando Torres Receives Death Threats From Liverpool Fans

Fernando Torres has received a series of death threats from Liverpool fans after completing his record £50million move to Chelsea while supporters have been burning his shirt on the streets of Merseyside.

Chelsea confirmed the signing of the Spanish striker minutes after the January transfer window closed yesterday night after Torres agreed to a five-and-a-half year deal at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking to Chelsea TV, Torres said: ‘This is the target for every footballer - to try to play for one of the top clubs in the world and I can do it now. I have to be very, very happy as I am.’

Liverpool fans, however, are not so happy for the 26-year-old, and have taken to Torres’ Facebook fan page to abuse the striker over his decision to join Chelsea.

One fan menacingly wrote: 'You'll never walk alive', while another added: ‘Torres u r a disgrace- and the most hated player in Liverpool’s history- u sly b***ard -lfc not big enough 4 u.’

A further comment on the official page read: ‘Traitor... You'll regret being a Blue, and you'll walk alone forever. NO ONE is bigger than Liverpool.’

Liverpool fans were pictured burning Torres replica shirts on Monday evening after it was confirmed Chelsea had been successful in their attempts to sign the Spaniard.

Conor Thomas Moves To Liverpool FC

Coventry youngster Conor Thomas has completed a surprise loan move to Liverpool until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent move, the npower Championship club has confirmed.

Thomas, 17, is the hottest young prospect on the books at the Ricoh Arena and has represented England at Under-17 level.

But his development has been relatively low key, with no suggestion of interest from England’s top clubs and his move comes out of the blue.

The central midfielder made his full Sky Blues debut in Saturday’s 3-2 FA Cup defeat by Birmingham, just weeks after his first-team bow as a substitute in the third-round victory over Crystal Palace.

He will be based with Liverpool’s reserves at their Academy in Kirkby.

Daniel Ayala Forced To Wait Until February To Seal Derby County Loan

Liverpool’s Daniel Ayala will not be joining Derby County on loan until later in February according to the Rams official website.

The defender, who has been on loan at Hull City earlier in the season, was expected to join the Rams until the end of the season but he is still recovering from a hamstring injury so any deal will be delayed.

Derby manager Nigel Clough confirmed that he was still interested in signing the centre half but he was prepared to wait until he had returned to full fitness.

"We still want Daniel to join us and we are pretty confident that will happen, albeit later in February,” Clough told the club’s official website.

"We have had him checked over and the advice we are getting is that he won't be ready to play for a number of weeks yet.

"It makes sense for everyone involved that Daniel continues his rehabilitation with Liverpool at Melwood.”

And Clough praised the work done with Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, and that he was looking forward to working with the player once he returned to full fitness.

"Liverpool has been tremendous to deal with throughout this process and I would like to thank Kenny Dalglish and Damien Comolli for their help and willingness to allow Daniel to come to Derby County,” he continued.

"The player himself is a great character and the time we have spent with him today showed us he is the right type of person and player we want to bring to Derby County."