Agger committed to Liverpool

Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has insisted he has never been tempted to leave Anfield this summer despite being linked with a possible move to Barcelona. The Danish international has established himself as a firm fan favourite since his arrival from Brondby in 2006, racking up over 200 appearances for the Reds during that time.
 
There had been various reports in the football betting news linking the centre back with a move to Barcelona this summer, but both the club and player have been quick to play down any talk of a transfer before the end of this current transfer window.

While the club have never entertained the idea of selling Agger, the defender has made it clear he is settled at the club and privileged to have been made vice-captain this season following the retirement of Jamie Carragher.

"I've said it so many times; I like it here and my family like it here. Not only the football but also living here, we fit in here and that's important for me," Agger admitted.

"Not many people have the success to become a professional footballer and not many people get the vice-captaincy so that's a big thing for me. It's so difficult to describe.”

After such a turbulent summer for the club with the whole Luis Suarez saga, Brendan Rodgers will now be hoping he can now just put his full focus into matters on the pitch. Agger committing himself to the club will be a huge boost to the team, and the Liverpool manager will now be hoping he can begin to start looking at players he can bring in rather than players who he might lose.

 

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Moore Back to Boost Tampa Bay

The Tampa Bay Rays have been handed a boost following the news that left-hander, Matt Moore, is closing in on a return to the team in time to help mount a challenge for the AL East title.

 

The All-Star starter has been sidelined since last month with an elbow problem but could now be in line to rejoin the rotation on September 3 for the trip to the Los Angeles Angels.

 

Moore was 14-3 with a 3.41 ERA before Tampa Bay were forced to place him on the disabled list at the end of July for what was hoped would be a two- or three-week stay, only to be kept out for an extra couple of weeks due to the elbow injury taking longer to heal.

 

Now back in full training, Moore is looking at getting his arm back 100% in order to get himself back on the mound as soon as possible. The Betfair baseball pages notes that Moore has had an excellent season so far, going 14-3 with a 3.41 ERA.

 

Tampa Bay currently find themselves with a 74-54 record, one game behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East. The Rays are tied with the Athletics for first place in the AL Wild Card, but the Indians, Orioles, and Yankees are all within touching distance of the Rays, with shortening odds in the MLB betting.

 

After getting back to pitching in training, Moore admitted that he had felt the normal soreness he would after pitching in a regular game and would try to talk the management into letting him rejoin the rotation for the trip to Los Angeles.

 

"Whatever gets me back in the rotation," he said, according to the Tampa newspaper. "That's the ultimate goal."

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