03 Summer Signings

Hello Goodbye

Your need-to-know rundown of LFC’s latest signings…and farewell to a few familiar faces

Christian Benteke

When Christian (pictured above) was three his family moved to Belgium where he played youth football for Jeunesse Sportive Pierreuse and Standard Liege then signed for Genk in 2006. The powerful striker returned to Standard in 2009 then back to Genk (via two loan periods at Kortrijk and Mechelen) where his goals persuaded Aston Villa to sign him in 2012. He's been a nemesis to Liverpool FC ever since, netting five times against us in six games, but after 49 goals in 100 appearances for Villa he'll now bang them in wearing a red shirt instead.

Did you know? Like Benteke, defensive-midfield legend Claude Makelele and Norwich City's Youssouf Mulumbu were also born in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital city.

Quick word: “I know Liverpool is a big story – they've won league titles and the Champions League five times and lot of trophies..”

Expert view: “He's got the physical presence, the ability to hold the ball upfront and play with his back to goal. He will make sure that all the other players we've got connect with him” – Simon Mignolet

Nathaniel Clyne

The 24-year-old right-back was discovered by a South London football academy before making his senior debut for Crystal Palace aged just 17. He was the Eagles’ player of the year in 2010/11 before moving to Southampton in 2012 where he established himself as one of the best full-backs in the country and was rewarded with a first England cap last year. Attack-minded, he scored a belter for the Saints in front of the Kop last season, one of six goals in his 241-game first-team career so far.

Did you know? Londoner Clyne has tattoos of Big Ben, the London Eye and a phone-box!

Quick word: “I want to be competing for all the titles and trophies that are available.”

Expert view: “Some modern full-backs are good at defending but can’t go forward, but from what I’ve seen of Nathaniel he appears to have everything” – Rob Jones

James Milner

Milner became the Premier League’s youngest-ever goalscorer when netting for Leeds United at Sunderland in 2002 aged just 16 years and 356 days. He’s since made over 500 career appearances taking in spells at Swindon Town, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Manchester City where he won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and League Cup. The versatile midfielder has 54 caps for England, is a former PFA young player of the year and was also a talented cricketer during his school days. Too late for an Ashes call-up?

Did you know? Milner scored two penalties in a shoot-out for England Under-21s against Holland in the Euro Under-21s semi-final of 2007, but the Dutch won 13-12 to set a new UEFA record for the longest such shoot-out.

Quick word: “I’ve played in front of the Anfield crowd and to have them supporting me is going to be an amazing feeling.”

Expert view: “Every time we played Manchester City, the fitness coach would come in with the running stats and he would always blow everyone off the chart” – Jamie Carragher

Danny Ings

Five years ago Danny was on loan at Dorchester Town from Bournemouth, but the 22-year-old’s career has progressed rapidly since. A move to Burnley in 2011 proved to be a turning point for the striker and he netted 43 goals – including 11 in the Premier League last season – for the Clarets during a four-year spell at Turf Moor. The hard-working forward was part of England Under-21s European Championship squad in the summer and wears no28 – the shirt in which Steven Gerrard started.

Did you know? Eight other players whose surname begins with an ‘I’ have previously made first-team appearances for Liverpool FC: Bob Ireland, Colin Irwin, Alan Irvine, Paul Ince, Charles Itandje, Emiliano Insua, Thomas Ince and Jordon Ibe.

Quick word: “You need young, developing players and also – there’s a great mixture here and that was one of the big reasons why I came.”

Expert view: “The talent’s there; if he carries on learning and developing he can become a top striker and we love top strikers” – Steven Gerrard

Roberto Firmino

A signing that has already captured the imagination of Kopites, the 23-year-old Brazilian international can operate in any attacking position and is known for creating goals as much as scoring them. He joined Figueirense’s youth set-up and made such an impression in 14 months that he was signed by German club Hoffenheim. Quick, mobile and with an ability to score from long range, he netted 49 goals in 153 games in Germany and got on the scoresheet against Venezuela in the Copa America this summer.

Did you know? Firmino’s first-ever goal in England came at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium when he netted Brazil’s winner in a 1-0 friendly victory against Chile in May.

Quick word: “I’d like to establish myself as a starter in my new team and go on to celebrate a lot of success at Liverpool.”

Expert view: “He’s a player I like a lot: very skilful but he also has the strength and the mentality to survive in the Premier League” – Didi Hamann

Adam Bogdan

The Hungarian international goalkeeper was 19 when Bolton Wanderers boss Sammy Lee brought him to English football from hometown club Vasas Budapest, but it was the 2010/11 campaign before he made his Trotters debut. He established himself as first choice the following season – earning the club’s player-of-the-year award – until injuries halted his game-time last year. Capped 19 times for Hungary.

Did you know? Bogdan is originally from Obuda, the least-known of the three districts that make up Hungary’s capital. You’ve probably heard of the other two, Buda and Pest!

Quick word: “I would like to take this opportunity and play as many games as I possibly can, and be a no1 keeper for Liverpool.”

Expert view: “He knows exactly what he wants and is not afraid to tell anyone that – he is very assured at the back and that helps other players” – Dougie Freedman (his former manager at Bolton)

Joe Gomez

Handed his Charlton Athletic debut just three months after his 17th birthday last August, the England Under-19s centre-half made such an impression at the Valley that he won the club’s young player of the year award. Now he's a Liverpool FC player with the ambition of making a first-team breakthrough sooner rather than later. Having also played at full-back, he's already shown Reds’ new assistant manager Sean O’Driscoll what he is capable of having worked with him at international level.

Did you know? Gomez was part of the England Under-17s squad that won the European Championships in Malta last year and was named in the team of the tournament.

Quick word: “I understand it is a massive club and a step-up from where I’ve been playing, but I’m going in with the aim to challenge for a place, regardless of age.”

Expert view: “Joe is a young guy and is very fit. I heard that he was a good player, but he surprised me. I think he is going to be a great talent, a very good central defender.” - Bob Peeters (his former boss at Charlton Athletic)

And so long…

There are always player departures between seasons at every football club, but few have been more high-profile than Steven Gerrard's leaving of Liverpool. After 710 appearances and 186 goals, the man who skippered the Reds more than any other has begun a new life across the pond with LA Galaxy and scored on his debut. As LFC legends go, few – arguably any – are bigger than Stevie G. Another long serving player to have moved on (to Stoke City) is Glen Johnson, who appeared 200 times for the club during a six-season stint at Anfield, while fellow defender Sebastian Coates – scorer of that memorable scissor-kick goal at Queen's Park Rangers in 2012 – completed a permanent move to Sunderland after a successful spell on loan at the Stadium of Light last season.

Raheem Sterling also ended his Liverpool FC career after 129 games by becoming the most expensive English footballer of all time when he signed for Manchester City and Rickie Lambert has moved on to West Bromwich Albion after scoring twice for the Reds last season. Iago Aspas, who netted just one goal in 15 games for the Reds, has returned to Spain to sign for Sevilla, fellow Spaniard Luis Alberto is spending the season on loan at Deportivo La Coruna and Andre Wisdom is playing Premier League football while on loan at Norwich City. Also gaining loan experience during 2015/16 are midfielder Jordan Williams (Swindon Town), defender Lloyd Jones (Blackpool), attacker Sheyi Ojo (Wolverhampton Wanderers) and goalkeepers Danny Ward (Aberdeen) and Lawrence Vigouroux (Swindon Town).