Kirkland To Join On Loan

Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland will join Wigan Athletic on a season-long loan in the next few days according to reports.

The deal had been rumoured for a few weeks, and it looked like it was going to flounder because Liverpool were looking to sell Kirkland rather than loan him out for another season after his last year at West Bromwich Albion where he only made 10 appearances due to persistent injury. Liverpool already have three goalkeepers in Jose Reina, Jerzy Dudek and Scott Carson and were ready to sell 25-year-old Kirkland.

The deal will be completed in the next few days when Liverpool Chief Executive Rick Parry comes back from holiday.

Kirkland will join the squad on the 19th of June for fitness training ahead of pre-season training which starts on the 6th of July.

An extra keeper had been one of Paul Jewell`s priorities following the injuries sustained by Mike Pollitt and John Filan during last season which left the Latics without goalkeeping cover for a number of matches.

Marton Fulop from Tottenham Hotspur, who was on loan at Coventry last season, was one possible target with Spurs possibly offering him as part of a Pascal Chimbonda deal. Scott Flinders from Barnsley was taken on trial at the end of last season, and Boaz Myhill from Hull was also rumoured to be of interest.

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