MOURINHO BATTLING INTER AND LAZIO IN RACE FOR GIROUD
Lallana – who has been there from the start – is leaving, but Klopp’s determined to keep him long enough to celebrate the title he has done so much to earn
JURGEN KLOPP has revealed the emotional reasons behind Adam Lallana’s decision to stay with Liverpool until the end of the season.
Lallana has agreed a short-term extension of his contract with the Reds, keeping him at Anfield until the current campaign is completed, before moving on a free transfer.
And Klopp indicated he desperately wanted the former England midfielder to be part of something he has played a huge part in – the building of a title-winning outfit.
Klopp (with Lallana,
TOTTENHAM have not given up hope of capturing Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud this summer.
Giroud, who is also wanted by Serie A sides Inter Milan and Lazio, signed a new one-year deal at Chelsea last month.
But the arrival of Timo Werner (right) from RB Leipzig, and Hakim Ziyech from Ajax, is likely to see the Frenchman pushed below) said: “It is not possible for me to find words in the English language to properly explain the importance of Adam Lallana during my time at this club.
“Even the way he has handled this extension tells you all you need to know about the person and his character. A topclass professional and an even better person.
“He wants to be here to finish the job and do it properly, but it says everything about him that his biggest concern was blocking the progress and opportunity of a player who is under contract for next season also.
“But his role is too important to lose him before this back down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea spent a combined £90million on Werner and Ziyech, and could open the cheque book again for Bayer Leverkusen’s £75m-rated Kai Havertz, so will need to balance the books.
Spurs manager Jose Mourinho remains a fan of former Arsenal centre-forward is done. So it’s fantastic we can delay our messages of gratitude and good luck until the end of July.”
Klopp revealed that even though the former Southampton forward had offers from several clubs to join them on June 30, he wanted to help Liverpool end a 30year wait for the title.
“I know how highly sought-after Adam is by clubs who want him for next season, so this is a commitment to us and we are very appreciative to him for it,” Klopp said.
Lallana, who will leave at the end of July, said he was thankful for the chance to say goodbye to his team-mates and supporters in the right way.
“I am really pleased to have the chance to finish this season – it means a lot to me and my family,” he said. “One of the big personal positives about committing to this short-term extension is that I will now get to say goodbye to the people who mean so much to me.
“I feel in my time at Liverpool I’ve always looked to do the right thing in every deciseason
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Giroud, 33, (right), who he tried to sign in January, but Chelsea would be reluctant to sell to Premier League rivals. N’Golo Kante has given Blues boss Frank Lampard a boost by returning to full-contact training. The France star, 29, is expected to miss Chelsea’s first game back at Aston Villa on Sunday, June 21. But Kante could sion I’ve made. I think this one fits into that category as well, so I’m buzzing to be seeing out this campaign and hopefully get to celebrate something memorable with an amazing group”
While Liverpool will not be extending the contracts of Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne, Pedro Chirivella or Andy Lonergan, they ARE in talks with Gini Wijnaldum over a new deal.
And there are signs that the Holland international is close to agreeing a three-year contract that will keep him at the club until at least the summer of 2023.
Forgotten man Clyne has been training away from the first team since his return from injury and it looks certain he will leave on June 30. be ready for the league clash with Manchester City four days later, followed by the FA Cup quarterfinal at Leicester on June 28.
The World Cup winner sat out the whole of the first phase of contact training and did not play in Chelsea’s in-house warm-up game at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. But he returned to full training with the rest of the squad on Monday.