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Football

17th Aug 2018

The inimitable Ragnar Klavan is leaving Anfield

Wayne Farry

Ragnar Klavan

Goodbye Ragnar Klavan, you were too pure for this world

Ragnar Klavan is on the verge of an exit from Liverpool Football Club and is expected to join Serie A side Cagliari in a deal worth £2 million.

The 32-year-old centre-back – the first Estonian to ever play a Champions League group game during his time with AZ Alkmaar – departs Anfield after two seasons with Liverpool, who he joined from Bundesliga side Augsburg in July 2016.

Klavan made his debut for the Reds in a 4-3 victory over Arsenal on 14 August 2016, and scored his first goal for the club – becoming he first Estonian to score in the process – against Burnley on New Year’s Day of 2018.

During his time at Anfield Klavan became something of a cult figure due to his level of commitment and commendable performances despite his obvious technical limitations.

Graced with the pace of a particularly heavy rock, Klavan nonetheless held his own throughout the vast majority of his Premier League career and proved an able deputy when others were injured or unavailable.