Aquilani says happy to return to Liverpool

Posted Friday, July 01, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

ROME, June 30 (Reuters) - Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani is looking forward to returning to Anfield after Juventus failed to take up the option to convert his season-long loan into a permanent deal.

The Italian playmaker, bought by Liverpool from AS Roma two seasons ago for an estimated 17 million pounds ($27 million), enjoyed one of his most productive seasons, playing more than 30 matches in the heart of the Bianconeri midfield.

But the Serie A side, who finished a disappointing campaign in seventh spot and failed to qualify for Europe next season, baulked at the 13 million pounds asking price set at the start of the loan period.

“I’m more than happy to go back to Liverpool,” the 26-year-old Aquilani told Italian television’s SkySport24 on Thursday.

“I’m going back to England feeling exactly the same as the first time with the same ambition. I’ve read that I don’t want to go back, but that’s not true. I came back to Italy for family reasons and to try and get back into the Italy team.”

Juventus, who last week approved a 120 million euros ($170 million) capital increase, are instead likely to buy a striker to eventually replace Alessandro Del Piero, who will be pushing 38 when his new contract comes to an end next June.

In Thursday’s other Serie A transfer news, Parma handed 35-year-old striker Hernan Crespo a 12-month contract extension, the club said on its website (www.fcparma.com), while Lazio have signed French defender Abdoulay Konko from Genoa.

The club announced the transfer on their website (www.sslazio.it) with the 27-year old, who is due to have a medical on Friday, set to take over the right-back berth vacated by Stephan Liechsteiner who moved to Juve earlier this week. ($1 = 0.626 British Pounds) ($1 = 0.705 Euros)