PLAYER PROFILE

Jari Litmanen

Position: Midfield

Height: 6'0

Weight: 12st 2lbs

Date of Birth: 1971-02-20 Lahti, Finland

Jari Litmanen

When Jari Litmanen expressed his 'misery' at the lack of first team football coming his way at Anfield, it seemed only a matter of time before the Finnish forward would be on his way.

It was Turkish giants Galatasaray that first came in for Litmanen, only for him to fail to agree personal terms - something that had scuppered an earlier move back to Ajax.

Nevertheless, as the transfer deadline approached the Amsterdam giants had a change of heart and moved back in for him - and Litmanen completed a swift move back to the club where he made his name.

Jari Litmanen arrived on Merseyside from Barcelona with a reputation as a proven international goalscorer, despite being largely sidelined in the Nou Camp.

The playmaker joined Liverpool on yet another free transfer (he didn't cost Barcelona anything either), but Gerard Houllier was convinced that the Finnish forward would add an extra dimension to the squad, and fill the void left by the departing Titi Camara and Eric Meijer.

Litmanen began his career at unheralded Finnish clubs Reipas Lahti, HJK Helsinki and MyPa before joining Ajax for 200,000 in 1992. He rose to prominence with the Dutch giants as part of the side that lifted the European Cup in 1995. He scored 91 goals in just 159 appearances for Ajax before following his mentor, Louis Van Gaal, to Barcelona in 1999.

But Litmanen's first season at the Nou Camp under Van Gaal was blighted by injury, and when Lorenzo Serra Ferrer replaced the Dutchman it became clear that he would be a long way down the pecking order.

The Catalan club agreed to release Litmanen from his contract and although clubs such as Anderlecht and Fenerbahce could offer him guaranteed first team football, he opted to join Liverpool - a club he had followed since a young age.

A wrist injury sustained during a Finland World Cup qualifier against England forced him out of the tail end of his first season at Anfield and he didn't play a part in the side that lifted the FA Cup and Uefa Cup.

But long absences from the first team proved to be all too common, and after describing his deep unhappiness at the situation, Litmanen moved back to Ajax just ahead of transfer deadline day in August 2002.

His first season in Holland was a raring success, but he spent much of the following campaign on the sidelines and at the end of 2003-04 he moved to to Finland.

A brief stint in his homeland was followed by an unsuccessful stay in Germany with Hansa Rostock, after which he moved back to Finland with Malmo.

He struggled here and eventually had his contract cancelled due to injury.

However, after a trial, he joined Fulham in January 2008, and he will hope to help the Cottagers avoid relegation.