DONE DEAL – Liverpool COMPLETES Yet Another Transfer Business
Liverpool have been the busiest Premier League club in the transfer market this summer , having already the confirmed the arrival of five new players with several more expected to join in the coming days , with long time stalwarts Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson having departed fro Anfield. The latest in the line to ply their trade away from Anfield next season is 22-year-old Welsh goalkeeper Danny Ward , who has signed for Scottish club Aberdeen on a season-long loan deal.
The player , who has been capped by Wales up to the under-21 level by Wales , had recently signed a new long-term deal with the Premier League giants and it seems manager Brendan Rodgers wants the player to further his development by playing week-in, week-out at a good level. Liverpool are already well stocked in the goalkeeping department , having already signed former Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Adam Bogdan on a free earlier this summer as an understudy to the first choice keeper Simon Mignolet.
Opportunities at the Anfield club would have definitely been few and far between for Ward , who has failed to make a competitive appearance for the Reds since joining them in 2012 from Wrexham.
The move was confirmed via a statement on Liverpool’s official website which read :
“Liverpool have confirmed Danny Ward has joined Aberdeen on a season-long loan.Earlier this week, Ward penned a new long-term contract with the Reds. The Welshman has been a regular fixture between the sticks for the club’s U21 team since making the switch to Merseyside in January 2012 from Wrexham. Ward was named on the bench for Liverpool’s first team 23 times last season.”
Brendan Rodgers is hopeful that Ward can gain valuable experience by playing regularly in a demanding environment, which ought to stand him in good stead when he eventually returns to his parent club to challenge for the No. 1 jersey.The keeper is expected to make his debut for his new club in Sunday’s friendly with St Johnstone in Brechin.
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes is apparently overjoyed with the young goalkeeper’s capture. Speaking to his club’s official website , he was quoted as :
“I am delighted to get Danny on board. He is a young goalkeeper we have been aware of for some time. We are thankful to Liverpool and Brendan in particular for allowing this to happen.”
He further added :
“He is someone who is highly regarded at his club and they see the importance of getting him out on loan. Danny now has the task and challenge of playing football at a good level with us.We have real competition for places in all areas of the team, and we certainly now have that in the goalkeeping position.”
Ward will be competing with Englishman Scott Brown, 30, and Scotsman Jamie Langfield, 35, for the position of first choice keeper at Aberdeen.
Many at Anfield believe he has a bright career ahead of him, and his new manager echoed those thoughts by stating :
“We believe Danny is going to have a good career as he goes forward and we are looking forward to the opportunity of working with him as part of his development. He can also help us to be successful.”
What remains to be seen is how Ward takes his opportunity and whether he is able to carve out a career for himself at one of the giants of European Football.