Fabio Aurelio to leave Liverpool FC
Brazilian defender Fabio Aurelio will bring his four-year stint at Liverpool to an end next week after failing to agree a new contract at the club.
The left-sided 30-year-old has turned down the offer of a pay-as-you-play deal with the Reds, and will leave on a free transfer when his contract expires on June 1st.
Although frequently hampered with injuries, Aurelio was a popular member of the squad, largely due to his ability to play all along the left side of the pitch and in central midfield.
Rafael Benitez, his manager, will miss him.
“We had been trying to work something out but it was a pity that we couldn't,” he said.
“He has given us absolutely fantastic service. The one problem we had with Fabio was that he suffered too many injuries and it was such a pity because he has great quality. It has been a pleasure having him here and we really will miss him. You are talking about an amazing person who gave 100% all the time. We wish him all the best.”
Aurelio became the first Brazilian to play for Liverpool when he signed for the club on a free transfer from Valencia – where he had played under Benitez – in 2006.
Impressive in his first season, his injury jinx struck in a Champions League quarter final tie against PSV Eindhoven in April 2007, when a ruptured Achilles tendon saw him miss the rest of the season, including the final, at a time when he was playing the best football of his Reds career.
A freak knee injury he sustained while playing with his children last summer saw the beginning of his 2009/10 campaign ruined, and a thigh problem in February’s 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers ended his season, and ultimately his time at Liverpool.
All in all, he featured 110 times for the Reds, scoring four goals, including free kicks in the memorable 4-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in March 2009, and the remarkable 4-4 Champions League draw with Chelsea a month later.
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