Teenage starlet Hobbs close to Anfield dream
Jul 30 2005
By Ross Heppenstall , Daily Post
TEENAGE Lincoln prospect Jack Hobbs is on the verge of completing a dream move to European champions Liverpool.
The 16-year-old has undergone a medical and the two clubs have agreed a deal for the player which is expected to net Lincoln up to £750,000.
Hobbs is currently on work experience with Liverpool following a successful two-week trial and is set to officially sign on his 17th birthday on August 18.
Liverpool beat off competition from Barclays Premier League rivals Arsenal, Tottenham and Bolton to bring the 6ft 3in centre-half to Anfield.
A proposed switch to High-bury broke down when the Gunners refused to include a sell-on clause in the compensation package.
Highbury vice-chairman David Dein made an improved offer to Lincoln 10 days ago, but by then the Imps had agreed a deal with Liverpool and Hobbs had decided on his choice of destination.
He said: "It's a dream come true for me and I'm really excited about becoming a Liverpool player. I just need my agent to sort out personal terms for me and then I'll sign
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as soon I turn 17. "It looks like it will be a three-year contract. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and I'll be an official Liverpool player sometime next month. It's all looking good at the moment.
"I met Rafael Benitez properly for the first time at Melwood this morning; he shook my hand and wished me all the best. It's been hard work since I've been here - training twice a day - but I couldn't be happier."
Both clubs have so far refused to reveal the size of the fee for Hobbs, who has one year remaining on his scholar-ship at Sincil Bank.
But Imps executive director Keith Rowe revealed that apart from the compensation fee that Liverpool will pay Lincoln for Hobbs, a sell-on clause is also included in the deal along with payments related to appearances.
Liverpool will also travel to Sincil Bank next July to play the Imps in a friendly.
"That will guarantee us a full house of over 10,000 and between £60-£80,000 in gate receipts," said Rowe..
"Maybe Jack will come back and lead Liverpool out as captain! But seriously, we are confident that Jack can develop into a top player at Liverpool and I don't think he could be going to a better club to be honest.
"All the paperwork has been drawn up and it's just a case of myself and Rick Parry signing it on Monday, and then Jack will be free to sign when he turns 17."
Hobbs, who has been with Lincoln since he was nine, has only three minutes of first-team action with the Imps under his belt.
But Rowe backed him to make rapid progress at Anfield, adding: "The rate of his development will double at Liverpool and I think he will looking to push into the reserves before the end of the coming season."
