SO, £17m for a full back?
And one from Portsmouth who is hardly a regular full international with 30+ international caps under his belt?
It seems a hell of a lot of money to pay.

SINCERE, sincere apologies for using such a monstrous image at the top of this posting.
Yet it seems to perfectly sum up the devil incarnate who has decided to leave this fair shores for sleazier times in Spain.
Yes, the Greasy One has departed for loadsamoney Real Madrid.

ALL IN ALL, it was a hugely productive season for Liverpool, but one which ultimately ended in frustration.
So near yet so far to that first title in 19 years.
Still, there are many reasons for optimism that will mean we march into the next campaign with hope in our hearts.
Here, Another Red Letter Day presents its End of Season awards.

I THOUGHT we would have a disinterested air for this game, the league title having been sown up the previous day by United drawing with Arsenal.
But all thoughts of any Liverpool apathy was dispelled by the sight of Carragher and Arbeloa coming to blows in front of baying Albion fans.

I HAD this game down as a tricky one in the title challenge run-in.
As it transpired, this was as pleasant a stroll as we've had in many a season down in East London.

WHAT a game.
Tuesday's match against Arsenal will surely go down as one of the greatest in recent Premiership history.
But for Liverpool it was a damaging result.

IT WAS almost the perfect weekend.
Three points at a tough Craven Cottage with a last-gasp winner and Man Utd being held at home by Villa.
Sadly, it wasn't to be.
Hard to complain when we ourselves dragged victory from the jaws of a stalemate, but Sunday's result in Manchester has left us all a little flat.
But there's surely got to be more twists and turns and points dropped by all in this heady title race.

What a difference a couple of weeks makes.
Last weekend's drubbing of Man Utd was seen by many as a sweet postscript to a league campaign of so many what-might-have-beens.
Fast forward seven days, a Fulham win over the Mancs here, a routing of Villa by a rampant Liverpool there, and suddenly the title race is back in the mix.

It's a song we could have hardly imagined we'd have been singing at Old Trafford.
But we were.
Man United were mauled in their own backyard.

You can be certain it's been a good night for Liverpool when much-maligned full back Andrea Dossena sprints 60 yards to get into the box, controls and fires into the net of the best keeper in the world with aplomb.