It’s been a hell of a summer at Liverpool.
As expected, Jurgen Klopp has brought in plenty of new faces ahead of his first full season at Anfield. As well as spending big to bring in the likes of Sadio Mane from Southampton, there’s also been the odd surprise name brought into the club too.
The arrival of Alex Manninger, who most on these shores remember for his stint as backup goalkeeper at Arsenal between 1997 and 2002, came completely out of the blue. Many thought the Austrian had long since retired.
But it’s not just Liverpool’s playing staff that have been bolstered with a completely unexpected new name. On Thursday morning, it was announced that former Real Madrid legend defender Jonathan Woodgate had joined the club as a scout.
Liverpool sign Jonathan Woodgate… as a scout https://t.co/BZah4PfbGX #LFC
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) August 11, 2016
Woodgate, who also represented Leeds and Newcastle, was released by Middlesbrough after his contract ended at the end of last season. As well as picking up plenty of injuries during his two years in Madrid, he also picked up the language. The Liverpool Echo report that he’s likely to be working for the club in Spain as a result.
Naturally, the news was quite a surprise, but it didn’t take long for football fans up and down the land to start cracking the same highly predictable jokes…
Breaking News
Jonathan Woodgate injured on his 1st scouting mission for Liverpool.
Set to miss the remainder of the season— VaughanyLFC ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (@74pdv) August 11, 2016
Jonathan Woodgate has signed for Liverpool as a scout! Wonder if he will get injured using a pen and paper?!
— Daniel Jenks (@DanielJenks89) August 11, 2016
https://twitter.com/s90rny/status/763673229550612484
Didn't think Liverpool would appoint Jonathan Woodgate as a scout a bit random probably get injured
— Dom Martin (@DomMartin1991) August 11, 2016
https://twitter.com/MrT_AJ/status/763665012510625792
https://twitter.com/mattlfc6/status/763661336903639040
