Liverpool have signed Covenrty City’s Chris Kirkland and Jerzy Dudek in an astonishingly swift double swoop despite the initial complications in the attempted signing of Dudek from Feyenoord.
The fee for the Coventry youngster is thought to be a new British transfer record for a goalkeeper, meaning that a figure in excess of Arsenal's stg6million purchase of Richard Wright from Ipswich will be announced.
Meanwhile the Polish international has signed for the stg£4.85million fee agreed with Feyenoord earlier in the week.
The news casts doubt over the immediate future of Dutch number two Sander Westerweld, who's blunder on Saturday sparked off the search for a new man between the Anfield posts.
Talking to the official Coventry website, City's chairman Bryan Richardson was understandably disappointed at the 20 year old’s departure but maintained that it was a financial necessity.
"Very reluctantly Coventry City have agreed to accept an offer from Liverpool FC for our 20 year-old goalkeeper Chris Kirkland," Richardson told the website.
"The offer, which breaks the British transfer fee record for a goalkeeper, was accepted as a consequence of relegation from the FA Premier League.
"Chris Kirkland has come all the way through our youth/academy system and it is particularly sad that we are compelled to sell someone in this way, but financial circumstances have forced this action.
"We all wish Chris huge success at Liverpool and for England, he added."
Liverpool have been long term admirers of Kirkland and this was not their first attempt to lure him away from Highfield Road.
