Who’d have ever imagined that footballing beanpole Peter Crouch, who once honed his silky skills as a towering QPR striker who received service even worse than sort offered at Portbello Road’s Electric Brasserie, would one day be the main man upfront for the reigning champions of Europe? From Wednesday’s Guardian :

Liverpool have completed the signing of striker Peter Crouch from Southampton, on a four-year deal.

The 6ft 7in striker has successfully completed his medical to become Rafael Benítez’s sixth summer signing and will join his new team-mates at their training camp in Switzerland ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Olympiakos in Liechtenstein.

He said: “I am thrilled to be joining a club as prestigious and successful as Liverpool.

“Once I heard of their interest in me it was hard not to think about what it would be like to pull on the famous red shirt and play in front of the Kop.”

Crouch scored 16 goals last season and although Southampton lost their Premiership status, he was rewarded for his efforts with a call-up to England’s end-of-season tour to the US, making his debut in the game against Colombia in New York.

Reds manager Benítez said: “I know Crouch is very good in the air, he can keep the ball and always knows what to do with it. For us, having lost 11 away games in the Premier League you have to change things. With Crouch we will have other options.”