Football not money for Cole

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson insists new signing Joe Cole chose the club for football rather than financial reasons.

The 28-year-old was a free agent after failing to agree a new contract with Chelsea and much was made of the England international's reported wage demands of 90,000 pound a week.

Although that was obviously a consideration for Liverpool, Hodgson said the player was keen to join the Merseysiders.

"I'm very pleased because any concern that it was going to turn into an auction all about money quickly disappeared after myself and [managing director] Christian Purslow had a long conversation with Joe," said the Reds boss.

"Obviously he is going to be a high wage earner because he is a free transfer - he was at his previous club - and he would be worth a lot of money on the transfer market.

"We wanted to make it clear that we wanted him for football reasons and only if he fitted in with our wage structure.

"I'm pleased to say that Joe has chosen Liverpool to come and play football - and not because of the money.

"That's a very satisfying thing for me as a manager and for the club itself."