This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.
Andrea Dossena has agreed a return to Italy with Serie A side Napoli, according to reports in Italy this evening.
The left-back has been widely expected to leave Liverpool during the transfer window, with talks having taken place with Atletico Madrid also.
Napoli's sporting director is reported to have flown to Merseyside on Monday to agree the deal, at the third time of asking having previously attempted to sign the defender in the summer. Previously Atletico looked the more likely destination having held talks over a loan move linked to Maxi Rodriguez's imminent move in the opposite direction.
Dossena never settled in English football but will always have a place in Liverpool fan's hearts after scoring, incredibly, the final goal in both the 4-0 win over Real Madrid and the 4-1 win at Old Trafford in a famous week last March.
Rafa Benitez will now be free to complete the signing of Rodriguez and move on to other transfer window targets.
One of those targets for Benitez is to offload Ukranian forward Andriy Voronin, who has spent the last week sunning himself in Miami. The Mirror reports this morning that a £1.5m move to Dynamo Moscow is poised to be completed.
UPDATE: Dossena's agent confirmed on Tuesday, "The player will arrive on a permanent basis with a contract for four-and-a-half years. I believe the player will arrive in Napoli tomorrow [Wednesday]. At the moment there are logistical problems, that is to say he can't leave Liverpool because of the snow."
This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily reflect the position of Liverpool Football Club.
This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.
Tagged: Andrea Dossena , Dossena