Free agent Joe Cole finally ended speculation about his future today, penning a 4-year deal at Liverpool worth around
Joe Cole, of the Europa League
£90,000 per week. The deal seems a gamble given Cole’s questionable injury record, but his quality and experience could make him a risk worth taking. Cole won three Premier League titles with Chelsea, but his new club’s primary objective will be recovering their relinquished Champions League status. Cole becomes Roy Hodgson’s first signing as Liverpool manager, and the former Fulham boss is now expected to make signing a left-back a priority in view of the imminent departure of Emiliano Insua to Fiorentina.
It’s an expensive outlay for Liverpool, but given that an under-contract Cole would probably fetch around £10m, it could still prove to be a shrewd bit of business. Liverpool needed a replacement for the departed Yossi Benayoun, and got a man two years his junior for no immediate outlay. I think it’s a good move for Liverpool, who could surprise a few critics in the coming season.
Piquionne: This was a goal
Meanwhile, West Ham United have continued their squad restructuring by securing the transfers of Frédéric Piquionne and Pablo Barrera, with Tal Ben Haim expected to join later this week.
31-year-old Piquionne has signed from Lyon for a fee understood to be in the region of £1m. The Frenchman spent last season on loan at Portsmouth, and rejoins Avram Grant at Upton Park having scored five Premier League goals for the south coast outfit.
The speedy Barrera has a different kind of pedigree, impressing for Mexico in this summer’s World Cup as he came off the bench to shine in three games. The hammers have paid £4m for the winger, and Barrera signed a four-year deal at Upton Park yesterday.
