Former England midfielder Joe Cole will get a fresh chance to prove himself at Liverpool after spending a season on loan in France, new manager Brendan Rodgers said on Friday.
The 30-year-old Cole joined Liverpool from Chelsea in 2010 but after an indifferent first season was sent out on loan to Ligue 1 club Lille.
He enjoyed a much better campaign across the English Channel, scoring nine goals in 42 appearances as Lille finished third in the table.
“I certainly know he's looking to come back,” Rodgers told the club's website (www.liverpoolfc.tv). “I've got to assess all the players.
“With the likes of Joe - he's a very talented player. He's obviously gone to Lille and done very well and he has the opportunity to come back here and show his qualities.
“Going forward and over the course of pre-season I just need to decide the types of players who are going to fit into the function and the philosophy and the structure of the team,” added Rodgers who joined Liverpool from Swansea City this month.
Cole moved to Anfield at a difficult time. The club were struggling on the pitch under then-manager Roy Hodgson and were in the middle of a takeover struggle that led to them being bought by the Fenway Sports Group.
He was sent off in his first Premier League game against Arsenal and found himself gradually marginalised as the season went on. – Reuters