Loyal servant moves to Denmark…
Liverpool have sold Daniel Agger to his boyhood club Brondby for £3m, reports the Daily Mail.
The Danish defender had been with the Reds since 2006, having signed from Brondby for £6m. In that time, the talented centre-back racked up 232 appearances, but only managed to win one trophy, the League Cup in 2012 under Kenny Dalglish.
With the arrival of Dejan Lovren this summer, and the signing of Mamadou Sakho last year, Agger had fallen badly down Brendan Rodgers’ pecking order, and it was in the best interest of both parties to part company.
Against Manchester City, Brendan Rodgers selected the ageing Kolo Toure ahead of Agger on the bench, and it was clear that the likeable Dane’s time on Merseyside had come to an end.
“Liverpool have been such a big part of my life and my family’s lives for so long, that leaving is extremely difficult,” Agger told Liverpoolfc.com.
“The opportunity arose for me to return home to Brondby and at this stage of my career it felt like the right decision for me.
“I wouldn’t leave here to go anywhere else and that has been proven by my actions in recent seasons – I have turned down many offers to move to other Premier League and European clubs.
“I would like to thank the Liverpool supporters for the incredible backing they have given me in my time here and the warmth and generosity of spirit displayed to my family.”
Liverpool’s manager Rodgers has also thanked Agger for his many loyal years of service at Anfield
“We wish Daniel and his family well for the future. We’ve been discussing Daniel’s future with him during the close season and I know this is a decision he has reached after much soul searching and deliberation,” Rodgers said.
“Daniel loves Liverpool and the club’s supporters, and has a unique connection with them.
“When we had the privilege to play Brondby in pre-season, we saw the esteem he is held in and I can understand why he would want to return there.
“On behalf of everyone at Liverpool, I thank Daniel for his service to the club and hope he finishes his career with some happy times in Denmark.”
The Reds are unlikely to move for a new centre-back to replace Agger, as they already have Martin Skrtel, the aforementioned Sakho and Lovren, Kolo Toure and young Tiago Ilori, currently on loan, to choose from.
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