Club in ‘agreement’ to sign Liverpool midfielder – but other interest emerges

Liverpool’s Leighton Clarkson is in demand heading into the summer, with a move to Scotland not guaranteed despite a “broad agreement” in place.

Clarkson concluded his loan spell at Aberdeen on Sunday with his 38th appearance for the club, who finished third in the Scottish top flight.

The 21-year-old scored six goals and laid on nine assists in that time, including a free-kick in midweek which could see the club into the Europa Conference League.

Aberdeen will enter the group stage if Celtic beat Inverness in the Scottish Cup final this weekend – if not, they will begin their campaign in the qualifying rounds.

Either way, the Dons are hoping to sign Clarkson on a permanent basis, with the Daily Record reporting that a “broad agreement” has been struck.

Clarkson has a year left on his contract at Liverpool and therefore a fee would need to be agreed for his transfer – with that seemingly set.

However, journalist Scott Burns adds that talks over personal terms are “on hold” as Clarkson “wants to have a break and then to consider his options over the summer.”

Not only are Aberdeen interested in the playmaker, but also Reading – who will spend next season in League One – and a host of clubs from the Championship.

Both West Brom and QPR have been credited with an interest in the past, while Celtic and Rangers have also been linked in recent months.

QPR made a “strong move” to sign Clarkson in January – which would have required his loan at Aberdeen being terminated – and it stands to reason that then-manager Neil Critchley would now want him at Blackpool.

No price tag has been set for the midfielder as of yet, though it is likely to be a nominal fee if he were to head to Aberdeen.

The club have relied upon loan deals and free signings in recent years, and their record transfer remains the £1 million spent on Paul Bernard in 1995.

While Aberdeen hope qualification for Europe would be a “major lure” for Clarkson, the opportunity to play in the Championship may prove more tempting.

So, too, might the prospect of joining either Celtic or Rangers, who are perennial title contenders in the Scottish Premiership as well as regulars in the Champions League and Europa League

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Liverpool legend reacts bitterly to Manchester United’s ‘lucky’ top four finish

Liverpool are struggling as they come to terms with their 2022/23 season and John Aldridge has a platform to express his bitterness towards Manchester United.

Jurgen Klopp’s team missed out on Champions League qualification after finishing outside the top four.

Some pundits previously argued how these Liverpool players compared to Treble winners from 1999, but they were quiet this year when those same stars flattered to decisive and failed to win any trophies.

In response to this, the Liverpool fans who hide behind keyboards will scream from the roof tops about their 7-0 win over us at Anfield in March.

All I can say is enjoy your 7UP Cup, lads. I doubt it will be enough to wipe about those tears.

Liverpool could play at this stadium in the Europa League next season.

Zalgiris Vilnius (Lithuania) Home stadium 🇱🇹🚂

pic.twitter.com/xHanpAVPx

— Barstool Football (@StoolFootball) May 29, 2023

Former Liverpool player John Aldridge writes a column and it’s never shy of a childish dig at Manchester United.

This time it’s a hilarious attempt by Aldridge to undermine United’s third place finish in the Premier League, two places and eight points clear of Liverpool.

Aldridge brazenly claims United were ‘lucky’ to finish in the Champions League spots – for multiple reasons!

In his column for the Irish Independent, Aldridge said: “Manchester United got lucky on a few fronts this season as they stumbled over the finishing line in the race for a top four finish.

“The Premier League’s top six has been settled in the last few years, with the occasional interruption from a team like Leicester when they had an exceptional campaign.

“Yet this is the season when all that has been ripped up and nothing had made sense. For starters, we had a World Cup that should never have been allowed to take place stuck in the middle of the season.

“That made it feel like two very separate stories – before and after the tournament in Qatar.

“The break helped United manager Erik ten Hag as Cristiano Ronaldo was pushed out of the club just before that World Cup and if the season was ongoing, it would have been a huge story.

“By the time the Premier League restarted again, Ronaldo was old news and United could get on with the season without that circus affecting them.

“Another big helping hand that has pushed United towards a top four finish has come from their rivals, especially Chelsea and Liverpool.”

To use the Cristiano Ronaldo fall-out as a positive, without giving Erik ten Hag a bit of credit, is ridiculous and I would be lying if I said I expected anything better from Aldridge.

It truly beggars belief the depths people will go to show their bitterness.

Hated. Adored. Never ignored.

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