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Just seen an interview with him on LFC TV and he was very impressive. Seemed like a really nice lad - good head on his shoulders and really positive about every aspect of playing for Liverpool. More importantly than that, he looks fucking ace on the pitch. I've heard a few people on here say good things about him, but I caught the U18s Stoke highlights and he was taking the piss. He looks top quality. Let's hope he keeps progressing (I believe he's been at Melwood with the ressies a few times recently).

Nabil El Zhar has signed an extension to his current Liverpool contract that will keep him at Anfield until 2012. The 22-year-old, who made 19 appearances for the Reds' first-team last season, follows Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun and Daniel Agger in committing his long-term future to the club. The Moroccan international joined Liverpool from Saint Etienne in October 2006. The youngster was born in France and played for Les Bleus at youth level before defecting to Morocco, where his parents were raised. He first caught the eye during the 2005 World Youth Championships when he helped his country reach the semi-final stage. Our No.31, who can play on either flank or behind the striker, made his Reds senior debut as a 71st minute substitute against Portsmouth on November 29, 2006. It was the first of three appearances in 2006-07. The following year saw El Zhar score a 25-yard stunner in front of the Kop during his first start of the campaign against Cardiff City in the Carling Cup. He found the net again during his senior bow for Morocco versus Belgium in March 2008 before helping Liverpool Reserves clinch the 2007-08 national title. Last season was El Zhar's most productive one yet at Anfield as he played a prominent role in some of the Reds' dramatic early season comebacks, leading manager Rafa Benitez to describe the winger as a 'lucky charm'. EL ZHAR SIGNS CONTRACT EXTENSION Interesting news. Be interesting to see what Benitez has planned for him next season. At 22 he should be making more than just appearances as a late substitute. Don't rate him myself but it seems like Benitez has some plans for him. Does anyone know if he qualifies for the UEFA home grown quota, as we signed him when he as quite young and we've been grooming - sorry force of habit, I mean training - him for a few years.

BRUNO CHEYROU 2002-06 by Phil Matthews Date of Birth - 10/05/78 Nationality - French Position - Midfield Games - 48 Goals - 5 Club Hons (Lpool) - None International Hons - 3 France Caps Other Clubs - Lens, Racing Club Paris, Lille, Marseille (loan), Bordeaux (loan), Rennes Gerard Houllier did and said a lot of stupid things in his tenure as Liverpool manager. However, proclaiming Bruno Cheyrou as “The next Zidane” was up there with the best (or worst) of them. Cheyrou was actually a fairly decent player, but in that one statement, Houllier had loaded him up with about as much fan expectation as he possibly could have. Signed as part of the summer of 2002’s appalling transfer debacle, Cheyrou looked fairly similar to Zidane, but that’s where the similarities ended. Cheyrou came to us with an impressive record in the French league, including a goal scoring appearance against Manchester United in the previous season’s Champions League. He had finished the previous season with a good goal tally, and impressed in a now legendary preseason friendly against Lazio. However, as the season progressed, it was quickly obvious that Houllier had no idea how to make best use of what ability Cheyrou had and played him mainly on the left of midfield, a position which he had neither the pace, nor the speed of thought to play effectively. Cheyrou put in several good performances for the Reds, but it was pretty obvious that he wasn’t up to the pace of the Premier League. Cheyrou had a decent record and reputation in France and has been called up to the French national squad three times. As a result, it was fairly easy for us to offload him back to France on loan, and he is now playing for Rennes as a holding midfielder. Unfortunately for him, most Liverpool fans remember Cheyrou as someone who clearly wasn’t “The new Zidane”, and being a part of one of the worst summer’s transfer dealings in the club’s history. The truth of the matter is that he wasn’t a bad player, he just wasn’t suited to the Premier League and we never should have signed him in the first place. More info on Bruno Cheyrou: ++ / LFChistory.net -- Past Present Future