[lfc-news] Reds take impressive teenage defender on trial - Echo

Liverpool Echo, 1 July 2005
Reds take impressive teenage defender on trial
By David Prentice, Liverpool Echo

TEENAGE trialist Jack Hobbs has one week to prove himself worthy of a
place in Rafael Benitez's Anfield revolution.

The 16-year-old Lincoln defender will spend a week at Anfield from
Monday, before signing a permanent deal if the trial proves successful.

Liverpool beat off competition from Arsenal and Bolton to bring the 6ft
3in centre-half to Anfield after a proposed switch to Highbury broke
down when the Gunners were believed to have refused to include a sell-on
clause in the compensation package.

Lincoln executive director Keith Rowe said: "Arsenal started moving the
goal-posts and wanted one or two points taken out of the contract that
we had verbally agreed.

"Liverpool made their interest known 10 days ago and have conducted
themselves superbly.

"Jack will spend a week in Liverpool from Monday with academy coach
Frank McParland and we are then expecting to complete the full transfer
at the end of next week."

It is understood the package Arsenal had previously agreed included the
Gunners paying a fee of around £100,000 to the Imps to compensate them
for Hobbs' seven-year upbringing at their centre of excellence.

But the potential deal with Liverpool, according to Rowe, is far more
lucrative for Lincoln.

The Sincil Bank chief added: "I am not prepared to reveal the figures
yet, but it is well in excess of the figure mentioned with Arsenal.
Significantly, it includes the sell-on clause that we couldn't agree
with Arsenal."

The deal will be subject to Hobbs suitably impressing Liverpool enough
to convince them that he has the potential to become a Barclays
Premiership player.

Lincoln manager Keith Alexander believes Anfield represents the ideal
destination for Hobbs, who has just three minutes of first team action
under his belt.

He said: "I don't think he could be going to a better club. He has been
with us since the age of nine and I believe he has the talent to go all
the way to the top.

"Liverpool will look after him and can offer him some of the best
facilities around."

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