Liverpool - News

Liverpool to apply for safe standing licence as Anfield rail seats increase to 13,300..

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Rail seats were installed at Anfield in 2021, with campaigners having called for standing to be reintroduced in recent years


Liverpool are to apply for a safe standing licence as the club increases rail seating at Anfield to 13,300.

The initiative has been trialled successfully by several Premier League clubs over the past two years.

Liverpool installed 7,800 rail seats in the summer of 2021 and a further 2,500 during last season's World Cup break.

Another 3,000 will be added this summer, meaning Anfield will have safe standing sections in the Kop and the newly redeveloped Anfield Road end.

The latter will open for the 2023-24 season, taking the ground's capacity to 61,000.

The rail seats to be installed this summer will all be in the Kop, taking its total to 7,425 - about 55% of the famous stand's capacity.

Liverpool have plans to add more in the Kop next year.

Enforcement recommendations from the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) state that stadiums with rail seating for more than two years must apply for a licence.

Six Premier League clubs currently have a licence - Brentford, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Wolves.

"Following an extensive review of our rail seating trial we're delighted to confirm it has been successful and is now a permanent feature at Anfield Stadium," said Liverpool managing director Andy Hughes.

"The health and safety of our supporters when attending matches at Anfield is, and always will be, paramount."

Concerns over "persistent standing" by supporters in the Kop and Anfield Road stands were highlighted in a 2021 review by the SGSA.

Chelsea's Stamford Bridge became the first top-flight stadium to allow licensed standing in almost 30 years as part of a trial in January 2022.

Since 1994, grounds in the first and second tiers of the English football pyramid have been required by law to be all-seater.

That followed a recommendation of the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, when 97 fans died following a crush.

However, after new guidance from the SGSA, rail seating has been developed at some grounds to provide seats that can be converted to standing areas when desired.

Liverpool wrote to all the families of the Hillsborough victims before installing the first rail seats at Anfield.

Liverpool 'perfect to make the next step' - Szoboszlai..

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"It's a really historic club, really good players, good coach," said new Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai following his £60m move from RB Leipig.

"For me, it was perfect to make the next step in a club like this. The fans, the stadium, everything is really good."

The 22-year-old won the German Cup in each of the last two seasons.

Szoboszlai made 31 appearances in the Bundesliga last season, scoring six goals and registering eight assists.

He signed from Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg in January 2021 and has since scored 20 goals and had 21 assists in 91 appearances.

Szoboszlai's release clause expired on Friday but Liverpool activated it in time before agreeing personal terms.

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Jurgen Klopp on Hungary captain Szoboszlai's 'big strides'..

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp needed to reinforce his midfield after James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all left the club this summer.

New signing Dominik Szoboszlai played against Liverpool in the Champions League in 2019 when he was at RB Salzburg, with his side losing 4-3 and 2-0 in the group games between them.

"We already have a little knowledge of Dominik as an opponent because we had a couple of really tough games against RB Salzburg when he was a player there, and I think everyone who saw those fixtures will have realised that even at that stage he was a really interesting prospect," said Klopp.

"I'm pretty sure he was still a teenager at that time and since then he has made some big strides - moving to Leipzig, doing really, really well in the Bundesliga, playing for the Hungary national team and then becoming captain of his national team at an incredibly young age.

"This is a signing for our present and also for our future, and the work that has gone into it could not be more appreciated."

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp had followed Szoboszlai's progress in the Bundesliga and had received glowing reports about the player from friends and former colleagues in Germany.

Szoboszlai, who has been given the number eight jersey previously worn by club legend Steven Gerrard, is viewed at Anfield as being a versatile midfielder who can also operate in both wide positions, while also having leadership qualities having already been made captain of Hungary in his young career.

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Steven Gerrard: Ex-Liverpool midfielder named manager of Saudi Pro League Al-Ettifaq

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Steven Gerrard played in 710 games for Liverpool, scoring 185 goals

Former England and Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard has been named manager of Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq.

The 43-year-old had said in June he had been invited over to the country to "look at a potential offer" but that he would not be taking it up.

"Without a doubt, Gerrard's presence will be an addition and a quantum leap to our league," said Khalid Al-Dabal, the club's chairman.

Gerrard has signed a two-year contract with the Saudi club.

Al-Ettifaq were seventh in the 16-team Saudi Pro League last season, finishing 35 points behind champions Al-Ittihad.

Gerrard has been out of work since being sacked as Aston Villa manager in October last year.

The former England midfielder's move to Saudi Arabia follows a summer of heavy investment by Pro League clubs as several top European players have joined Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo in the Middle East.

Former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves and Chelsea trio N'Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy are among those to move to Saudi Arabia, with Inter Milan's Marcelo Brozovic to Al-Nassr the most recent deal to be completed.

Fulham managed Marco Silva has also reportedly turned down a £17m offer to coach Al-Hilal.

The trend underlines the league's ambition to be one of the top five in the world and follows a decision in June by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns Newcastle United, to take over four leading clubs in the country. Al-Ettifaq is not one of those clubs.

Gerrard retired from playing in 2016 and his first managerial role was at Scottish club Rangers.

He took over the Ibrox side in 2018 and led the club to their first Scottish Premiership title in 10 years in 2020-21.

Gerrard then became Villa boss in November 2021 but left after 13 wins from 40 games during his time in charge.


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Gossip:

Thiago Alcantara is attracting interest from foreign clubs, including those in Saudi Arabia, although Liverpool have yet to receive an official bid for the Spain midfielder, 32.

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The summer transfer window is in full flow, so we asked for your opinions on Liverpool's newest recruits.

Here's some of your thoughts:

Charles: From the analysis by the Hungarian sports journalists, Szoboszlai looks a very good buy and I personally welcome him. We've been lacking goals from the midfield and relying heavily on our forwards.

Tony: Delighted to see Liverpool return to their ‘no fuss, no fool ’ approach. Things happen quickly and speculation is kept to a minimum. I would like to see a centre-back come in who can play on the left, and perhaps one more midfielder or a right-back to allow for Trent to play fully in the pivot.

Steve: Great signings so far but we need a right-back and cover for Mo Salah during the African Cup of Nations.

Ken: The midfield needed new blood that's for sure. The signings that have been made are fantastic but we always need more. The squad always need plenty of options because it's a long season with a lot of games, and that comes with a long injury list.

Mundeep: Very good signings. I'm quite excited, we've now got two excellent midfielders to freshen up the midfield. We could do with a defensive midfielder and another centre-back, but I'm very satisfied.

Gossip:

Torino's Dutch centre-back Perr Schuurs, 23, is attracting interest from Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp looks to bolster his backline without parting with a large huge fee.

The Star reports that Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson could turn down a "mega-money move" to Saudi Arabia in a bid to prolong his England career, with the European Championship to take place in Germany next summer.

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The Times report, however, says Jordan Henderson is "giving serious consideration" to the Saudi offer and is likely to hold talks with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp that will decide his future.
The story adds that Al-Ettifaq have not made a formal bid for Henderson and are unlikely to do so unless the 33-year-old indicates he is willing to leave Anfield after 12 years at the club.

Gossip:

Liverpool are ready to make an offer for Chelsea's 20-year-old English defender Levi Colwill.
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Fabinho: Liverpool receive £40m offer for midfielder from Al-Ittihad..By Mandeep Sanghera, BBC Sport.

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Fabinho joined Liverpool from Monaco in the summer of 2018

Fabinho has been left out of Liverpool's squad for a training camp in Germany following a £40m bid for him from Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has also been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia but has travelled to Germany.

The Reds received the offer for Brazil midfielder Fabinho on Friday night.

A decision between the club and player was then taken to remove the 29-year-old from the 32-man touring party, which left on Saturday.

Fabinho has been at Liverpool since July 2018 after the Reds signed him from Monaco for a fee in the region of £39m.

He has since helped the club win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and Fifa Club World Cup.

There are reports Henderson is a target for Al-Ettifaq, who recently appointed former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard as their new manager.

Liverpool have not set an asking price for the 33-year-old but the £10m offer being speculated about falls well below the club's valuation for a player with two years left on his contract and who has been an integral part of their side.

The Reds have already been rebuilding their midfield following the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

They have signed Argentina international Alexis Mac Allister, 24, from Brighton and Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai, 22, from RB Leipzig and were looking at long term successor to Fabinho.

Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, 19, was one of those under consideration but if they lose the experience of Fabinho, and possibly Henderson, it is expected to see the club shift their transfer strategy.

A number of potential targets are believed to be under consideration but Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, who is expected to join Chelsea, is not one of them.

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The player exodus to Saudi Arabia
Fabinho would be the latest in a number of big-name players to move to Saudi Arabia this summer if his transfer goes through.

His former Liverpool team-mate and compatriot Roberto Firmino, whose contract with the Anfield club had expired, has joined Al-Ahli, who also signed Senegal keeper Edouard Mendy from Chelsea.

Al-Ittihad, meanwhile, have already brought in former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, ex-Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante and Portuguese forward Jota from Celtic.

Al-Hilal have signed Portugal midfielder Ruben Neves from Wolves and Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea.