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Liverpool sign Swiss defender

by RedKenny
Last updated: Tuesday, 20th May 2008 [22:07]

Liverpool Football Club today confirmed that Swiss international defender Phillipp Degen will sign a contract on 1st July. This news kicks off the summers signings for Liverpool, with the right full back position being the first to be strengthened.

The addition of Degen who was out of contract with Borussia Dortmund, will give competition for Steve Finnan and Alvaro Arbeloa at the right back position. And also help Rafa Benitez concentrate on other areas of the squad with funds available.

The Swiss international who will be representing his country in this summers European Championships is looking forward to the challenge of joining the reds.

“When I received the offer from Liverpool, there was no doubt I would accept it. They are one of the biggest clubs in the world and I am looking forward to the challenge of establishing myself there and playing in the best league there is.”

Meanwhile, Rafa Benitez is confident that Degen will be a quality addition to the squad.

“Philipp is still young but has gained great experience from playing in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and on the international stage with Switzerland. He also played in the Champions League during his time with Basel and so is used to top level football.

“He is an offensive player with great energy and a winning mentality. His strength is going forward and I am confident he will be prove to be a quality addition to our squad.”

“Sometimes you can find these players on the market. When you find a player like him who costs no money it means you can use money for improving other parts of the squad.

“He is a good signing, a player of potential, who can help us improve in the wide areas.”

Welcome to Liverpool, Phillipp.

13 comments to Liverpool sign Swiss defender

John Heri Dam
posted on May 20th, 2008 at [22:43]
I do not know if Degen is a good or bad buy, for LFC. But LFC needs players on the wings, not like Barry, Downing or Bentley, they are all crap!!!
LFC need player that have class, like David Silva on the left, and Querestma on the right. This lads from England, do not have what it takes. Playing for team in the bottom half of the league, is not good for LFC.
Reina
Alves 14mill Skertl Agger Dossena 8 mill

Querestma 15mill Mascherano Gerrard David Silva 15 mill

Babel Torres

Fantastic team for 52 mill:

And sell Crouch 8 mill
Carson 6 mill
Riise 4 mill
Pennant 4 mill
Voronin 1 mill
21 mill

52 mill - 21 mill = 31 mill ;o))) This would win us the title!!!! Come on Benitez
John Heri Dam
posted on May 20th, 2008 at [22:46]
Sorry for the bad spelling, i am not English, i am from Faroe Islands.
Red2707
posted on May 21st, 2008 at [19:28]
I agree we need full backs and a winger like Quaresma. We need wingers who can score. Babel scored a few, but Pennant is rubbish. We need a winger scoring 10-15 goals not 1 or 2 a year. Ang get rid of riise he used 2 be good but no can only score own goals- Useless!!
Roy
posted on May 22nd, 2008 at [10:41]
All valid points, but please remember Liverpool has a tradition of producing world class talent (and by the way Rafa, bring out the next Owen or Fowler, they out there in Mellwood). As far as wingers go, Steve McMananman, nuff sed(even though he left on a sour note, right player, wrong team around him).

I personally want Queresma at any cost yeah

Guys like Steven Wright, Steven Warnock know what THE POOL is all about, all the teams of the past were made up largely of local lads, some Scottish, some Irish - lets start looking at home first - we gotta take a chance on local lads - only a footballer from Liverpool could ever fill Steven Gerrard or Jaimie Carragher’s shoes !

Gareth Barry will be a good signing (rather Barry and Hendry instead of Lampard and Cole HA HA).

Lets bring something home next year - COME ON YOU REDS !!!

Roy
phil
posted on May 22nd, 2008 at [23:56]
rafa’s got one more season. he’s got to get this summer’s transfers right.
boldy4
posted on May 23rd, 2008 at [13:53]
What about Xabi and Carrager?
wing wizard
posted on May 23rd, 2008 at [14:40]
I agree with the defensive side we have made alot of silly mistakes this yaer, however we do need quality wingers but shouldnt need to score 10-15 goals we need a quality service from them and pennant doesnt always get the credit he deserves. rafa needs to establish a partnership up front with torres, personally i think we need to acquire kun aguero from athletico madrid for torres hes only 19 i think ! and hes awsome . also argentinian which would benefit mascherano, and sadly say goodbye to crouch and voronin !
get quaresma
posted on May 23rd, 2008 at [20:26]
i fink we need a good left-back,riise and aurelio dont do their jobs well.i agree about quaresma he’s got pace,talent
Mark
posted on May 28th, 2008 at [09:38]
This is what liverpool should do:

Sell Kuyt for 12m, Voronin for 10m, crouch for 10m, Pennant for 5m, Mascherano for 17m, Alonso for 16m, Kewell for 3m, Finnan for 1.5m, Arbeloa for 5 m, Aurellio for 5m, riise for 6m and itandje for 2m.

Buy Essam el hadary for 5m, Wayne Bridge for 6m, Bentley or Nasri 20m, Gareth Barry or Michael Johnson for 19.5m, Ricardo quaresma or Ashley Young for 20m, Sergio Aguero, Alexander Pato or Zlatan Ibrahimovic for 28m, Kerlon for 10m and Matt Derbyshire for 5m.

If Liverpool do that they would win all the titles they can win on a season.
elvinto
posted on May 31st, 2008 at [14:37]
hi my name is elvin and i want 2 just advise rafa 4 some few things first if u want 2 buy some new good players u r going 2 need yo have money >>i think u should sell voronin 4 about 4 mill and risse for 5 mill coz i dont think they are doing the right job… i think benyoun is good but only good 4 a subsiute then u wat u relly need is full backs we alreadu hane good ones like caraghr , hyypia and finan but we still need like mmmm 2 more then we need a strong winger….. a relly good strong winger that could score more goals i say sell penant because at liverpool he is not doing a good job like he did in bringham city… so we need wingers like try 2 get robihno he will do a good job and also a winger that goes forwar like hargraves or carrick try some really good players because we want to win all the cups there is plz rafa do the right choice

Evin
elvinto
posted on May 31st, 2008 at [14:53]
hi i am elvin and i was telling that we need good wingers so i think we should get quarsema please get him please please because he is soo good and beleive me u will not regret
Haider
posted on June 9th, 2008 at [15:14]
Buy Queresma and barry liverpool 4 lifeeeeeeeeeeee
Haider
posted on June 9th, 2008 at [15:16]
I would just like to say use the money on Quresma, Barry and hunterlaar or just by a winger and defender we need them to be top class like torres big up all liverpool fans youll never walk alone ………..