Djimi Traore has left Liverpool today after signing for Charlton Athletic in a £2m deal. The extra funds may prove enough to help Rafa Benitez in his push to finally sign Dirk Kuyt and complete his summer dealings.
Charlton boss Iain Dowie also signed Amdy Faye today taking his day’s spending to £4m. Dowie became Charlton boss this summer after a well-publicised departure from Simon Jordan’s Crystal Palace.
Speaking to the official Charlton website, Dowie spoke of his joy at the new faces: “We’re delighted to have made two quality signings, and they will both improve our first-team squad. We’re also working very hard on several other signings and we hope to be able to make further announcements soon.”
Charlton’s site says that Traore was also being chased by Everton and Newcastle, but he chose to move to the London side instead. 26-year-old Traore was in the squad for tomorrow night’s Champions League qualifier at Anfield but travelled to London to complete his deal.
Traore was signed as a teenager by former manager Gerard Houllier for £550,000 in February 1999 and was sent out on loan shortly after as often seemed to be the case with Gerard Houllier’s signings from France. In the end Traore did start to get some appearances under his belt for Liverpool, with the 2004-05 season probably being his most memorable. He deservedly won a Champions League winners medal in Istanbul, quite a contrast to his infamous own-goal against Burnley that sent Liverpool crashing straight out of that season’s FA Cup competition. His performances were good enough for him to earn a new contract that summer, but for whatever reason the second season under Rafa Benitez saw Traore rarely used, and he will be glad to now have a chance of first team football.