Liverpool FC Forum

[Cool Hand Luke]

Latics close on Kirkland

Skysports.com understand Wigan Athletic are closing in on the signing of Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.

The Latics are believed to have agreed a season-long loan deal for the former Coventry City custodian, with the option to buy him at the end of the loan.

The player's agent revealed to skysports.com last week that a couple of clubs were chasing Kirkland, but it appears Wigan are on the verge of securing his signature with just a few minor issues to be ironed out.

Liverpool are willing to let Kirkland leave as they have Jose Reina, Jerzy Dudek and Scott Carson all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Kirkland spent last season on loan at West Bromwich Albion, but after a promising early start to his career at The Hawthorns, he picked up an injury which forced him to sit on the sidelines.

Wigan have held a long-term interest in Kirkland and tried to sign him last season.

Latics boss Paul Jewell is a big fan of Kirkland and sees him as coming in as first choice goalkeeper, if he can prove his fitness.

Kirkland is back to full fitness and he is keen to secure a move away from Liverpool so that he can get regular first-team action and try and win his place back in the England squad.

http://home.skysports.com/list.as....irkland
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Looks like clubs still believe in his potential but are still worried about his injuries, especially his back injury. I will be disappointed if it is only a loan deal but it seems as though we have no other option.

[JC_81]

We might as well go for this, nobody's going to pay a transfer fee for him with his injury record and he's clearly not in Benitez's plans, at least it'll reduce the wages we are paying him.

[Cool Hand Luke]

If he is to go out on loan, we should insist that the other club pay 100% of his wages

[JC_81]

If he is to go out on loan, we should insist that the other club pay 100% of his wages

In an ideal world...

[bigmick]

One day in the future we will be rid of the millstones which the previous management regime left hanging around the neck of the club. Signing two goalkeepers for big money on the same day must have seemed like a good idea and totally logical at the time but seems a little odd now with the benefit of hindsight and clear thinking.
I was never really a fan of our previous manager but the stark contrast between the frittering away of millions upon millions of pounds and todays more sensible, frugal and considered approach couldn't be greater. Thank God we've got the fella running the club that we've now got.

[Anfield Kop]

If he could have been less injury prone, he would have been a serious contender for a place in the world cup squad/

[red37]

when you think back to 4 years or so ago, kirkland was much heralded and vaunted as a goalkeeper.  big, strong, athletic came off his line etc....some whispered similarities to clemence. it hasnt happened, it is a shame. injuries have wrecked his chances. although equally fair to say is, he really didnt do that well where opportunity struck either.

cest la vie. though an expensive one long term, it has to be goodbye at some point along the line...maybe wigan will be best suited for him. he deserves better than the hand he's been given though. i wish him luck.

sound financial structures in place are essential for any business to prosper. and currently id say liverpool appear to have scraped back up to the hill in terms of depressing looking p/l accounts...maybe?  just about... though at some stage the brakes will be released and the fruits of thrift will once again be able to be realised on the pitch. it is happening, just frustratingly slowly it appears (to us fans).  investment though is going to have to be embraced to keep up with the 'jones' at a level thats both competitive and effective at the end of the day...the mistakes are steadily being ironed out of the fabric though and that in itself is cause for celebration, never mind god knows how many trophies along the way!

anyway best of luck to the lad, wherever he ends up.

[RÉD RÉPÚBLÍC]

Good luck to him, I hope he does well at Wigan. I don’t think he had a chance to show his full potential due to his injuries. I also think Everton have the same problem with Richard Wright.

[RUSHIE#9]

This story was mentioned earlier in the week i think in the Liverpool Echo. In it the reporter (Chris Bascombe) stated that Liverpool would only release Kirkland on loan as a last resort and since wigan had the £8.5 million they'd offered for AJ still burning a hole in their pocket Rafa was going to push really hard for a cash only deal. Now call me stupid but I don't think we are currently at a stage were Liverpool's hand is being forced into agreeing a loan deal. Since it's only june 2nd and the transfer deadline is still the best part of 3 months away there is surely still plenty of time for some sort of deal to arise.

[(BIGMICK)]
One day in the future we will be rid of the millstones which the previous management regime left hanging around the neck of the club. Signing two goalkeepers for big money on the same day must have seemed like a good idea and totally logical at the time but seems a little odd now with the benefit of hindsight and clear thinking.
I was never really a fan of our previous manager but the stark contrast between the frittering away of millions upon millions of pounds and todays more sensible, frugal and considered approach couldn't be greater. Thank God we've got the fella running the club that we've now got.

In essence I agree with you on this one Mick and yes the benefit of hindsight is a great thing. At the time though I believe the thinking behind the signing of both keepers on the sameday was in direct response to the massive blunders that were creeping into westervelds game. IMO i believe Dudek was intended to be the number one for the immediate future and Kirkland to inherit the mantle in the long-term after Dudek's best years were past him. I still belive this was one of the better transfer moves by the previous regime as Kirkland was seen as the natural successor to the england no.1 spot ahead of Paul Robinson. Dudek was the best keeper in the premiership for his first season before his game went to shit (thank you Joe corrigan).

I think that the best way Liverpool are gonna offload Kirkland may be through a loan deal (if there aren't any takers for a permanent deal) but with the club loaning him paying 100% of his wage and then hope he doesn't pick up any injuries and has an impressive spell at that club. WBA were eager to sign him it's been reported but as they were relegated he won't drop down to the 1st Division but it does prove that the loan deal avenue shouldn't be ruled out under the right circumstances.

[deejay-cgt]

Good luck to him, I hope he does well at Wigan. I don’t think he had a chance to show his full potential due to his injuries. I also think Everton have the same problem with Richard Wright.

100% agree with that richard wright was an ok player at arsenal. wish kirkland all the best hope he does well

[AussieKopite]

Good luck to Kirkland. Hopefully he can avoid those injuries that have plagued him.

[EddieC]

Good luck to the lad, hopefully he'll have better luck with injuries in future. Definately time for him to go though, he doesn't have any chance of breaking into the team here.

[El Nino_#9]

Its plain to see Kirkland has no future at Liverpool with Reina, Dudek and Carson to compete with.
It is a pity with all the injuries he has had.

Good Luck to the lad in his future club.

[Cool Hand Luke]

As Wigan's Jason Roberts moves nearer the exit door at The JJB stadium, reports on Sunday claim The Latics are poised to offset the striker's departure by adding two more new recruits.

Manager Paul Jewell, who has already signed Fitz Hall from Crystal Palace, has taken in a number of matches at this summer's World Cup as he bids to further bolster his midfield.

And one player, in particular, has caught Jewell's eye.

"I've seen some players who have taken my eye at the World Cup," Jewell told the Daily Star. "One could be here at Wigan very soon."

Hajduk Split's Croatian international midfielder Niko Kranjcar and AZ Alkmaar's Dutch international Denny Landzaat are two names rumoured to be on Jewell's hit-list.

Closer to home, Jewell is also believed to be nearing a deal to sign Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.

After being reassured on the player's fitness, Jewell is hoping to agree a fee with The Reds for Kirkland.

The 25-year-old spent last season on loan at West Bromwich Albion and both parties had intimated they would consider a permanent deal but Wigan may have beaten Albion to the punch.

http://home.skysports.com/list.as....le+deal

[redmikey]

i thought he was going to be a great signing for us, big agile young keeper, but injures have stopped him from making it with us and now we have pepe and scott carson i can't see a way back for him any time soon,