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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Andy Hunter

Martin Skrtel set to end Liverpool career as Fenerbahce line up £5.5m deal

Martin Skrtel, left, has started only four games for Liverpool since the start of 2016 and accepts his future lies away from Anfield
Martin Skrtel, left, has started only four games for Liverpool since the start of 2016 and accepts his future lies away from Anfield. Photograph: Andrew Yates/Reuters

Liverpool’s long-serving defender Martin Skrtel is close to agreeing a £5.5m move to Fenerbahce. The Slovakia international signed a new three-year contract at Anfield last summer but has accepted his eight-year career on Merseyside is over having fallen out of favour under Jürgen Klopp.

The 31-year-old started only four games for Klopp after the turn of the year, with the Liverpool manager favouring Kolo Touré alongside Dejan Lovren when Mamadou Sakho was unavailable.

Skrtel has had offers from Germany and China this summer but has decided to relaunch his career in Turkey with Fenerbahce, who finished second in Super Lig last season.

Liverpool have accepted a £5.5m offer from the Istanbul club for a player they signed for £6.5m from Zenit Saint-Petersburg in January 2008 and has made 320 appearances. He will be the second central defender to leave Anfield this summer after Touré was released at the end of his contract.

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