Roy Hodgson: Joe Cole chose Liverpool for footballing reasons, not economics

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson claims midfielder Joe Cole has chosen Liverpool over other top sides due to football related reasons and not the singular factor of economics.

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Cole, who has passed a medical examination at Liverpool’s Switzerland training camp, moved to Liverpool on a free transfer having concluded his contract at Chelsea, and Hodgson is adamant that Liverpool have signed ‘one of the best attacking midfield players in England’.

"I'm very pleased because any concern that it was going to turn into an auction all about money quickly disappeared after myself and Christian Purslow had a long conversation with Joe," Hodgson told Liverpool's club website.

"Obviously he is going to be a high wage earner because he is a free transfer and he would be worth a lot of money on the transfer market.

"We wanted to make it clear that we wanted him for football reasons and only if he fitted in with our wage structure.

"I'm pleased to say that Joe has chosen Liverpool to come and play football and not because of the money. That's a very satisfying thing for me as a manager and for the club itself.

"He's one of the best attacking midfield players in England. His appearances for Chelsea and England over the years have shown that.

"He's a player that can play in a number of attacking positions, which is very useful. He's a quality player.

"People will talk about qualities in different ways, but for me he has an all-round quality that makes him a good player and one we hope we can get a lot of use out of this year."

Cole made just 25 Premier League appearances for Chelsea last season, scoring twice, and may make his Liverpool debut against Grasshoppers on Wednesday night.

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