• Premier League

Cole to make Liverpool return

ESPN staff
June 5, 2012
Joe Cole will be given a second chance to impress at Liverpool © PA Photos
Enlarge

Lille boss Rudi Garcia has confirmed Joe Cole is to return to Liverpool.

Cole, 30, joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Chelsea two years ago during Roy Hodgson's time in charge but struggled to make an impression during his debut season at Anfield and was allowed to spend last season on loan at Lille.

However, new Reds boss Brendan Rodgers had indicated in an interview last weekend that he would consider bringing Cole - who is keen to prove himself at Liverpool - back to the club. "I know Joe well from my time at Chelsea and he's a wonderful talent," Rodgers told talkSPORT.

Garcia has now announced that Rodgers has decided that Cole will be part of his plans for next season.

"Joe Cole will stay at Liverpool," he told Canal+. "The new staff have decided to keep him. We will remember him very fondly as a player but also as a man."

Rodgers had also revealed at the weekend that Alberto Aquilani, who has spent the season on loan at AC Milan, may yet have a future at Anfield.

"I thought he was a really, really good player," Rodgers said. "Obviously he came to Liverpool and it didn't work out and he's gone back [to Italy] on loan. He's a wonderful talent, a terrific player. He might just not be able to settle, he might not be able to adapt to the country, so you've got all those issues and obviously sometimes you're not aware of that until you speak to them."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices