Liverpool’s French defender Gregory Vignal has moved to Portsmouth on a permanent deal. Vignal was signed by Liverpool from Montpelier in 2000 for £500,000, but rarely got the chance to play. His most promising spell in the side ended with a broken foot and he never really returned from that.
Sources within Anfield have previously claimed that Vignal’s attitude had left him unpopular with other players at the club. He spent the whole of last season on loan at Glasgow Rangers, and despite some noteable performances, was still not wanted back at Anfield.
He was wanted at Rangers though, and they Scottish champions offered him a permanent deal. He turned it down, allegedly because he felt the Scottish league was not good enough to match his ambitions.
Pompey’s manager is Vignal’s compatriate Alain Perrin, who also signed another Frenchman in Laurent Robert earlier in the summer. Vignal’s deal was confirmed after passing a medical yesterday, and he has signed for two years.
Vignal’s most memorable performance in a Red shirt saw him combining well on the left with John Arne Riise in a derby match. Like Riise, Vignal is able to play at left-back or further up the field.
Pompey’s chairman Milan Mandaric said of the 23-year-old: "We are very pleased that another quality signing is set to join the club and who can be an asset to us in a number of positions. He has shown his worth at Rangers last season and the competition for places at Pompey will be that much healthier."
Also delighted with the signing was Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie, who said: "Gregory is a versatile player who can play in a number of positions. When his chance came at Rangers he showed what a fine all round player he is and though he is a defender he likes to get forward. He is the sort of player who will fit in well."