Daniel Agger: Liverpool confirm departure of centre-back to former club Brondby

Danish centre-back returns to his former club

Daniel Agger (Getty Images)

Defender Daniel Agger has brought an end to his eight-and-a-half-year stay at Liverpool by moving back to Brondby.

Agger moved to Anfield in January 2006 from the Danish club for a £6million fee and has gone on to make over 200 appearances for the Reds since then, but will now return to the club where he began his career.

"Liverpool have been such a big part of my life and my family's lives for so long, that leaving is extremely difficult," Agger told Liverpoolfc.com.

While he was often a first choice centre-back during much of his time on Merseyside, several injuries have stalled his career and he had slipped down the pecking order in the last couple of seasons under Brendan Rodgers.

He made just 20 Premier League appearances last season, despite being club vice-captain, and has not featured at all in this campaign as Rodgers appears to have settled on a first-choice partnership of Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren in the centre of defence.

Despite reports linking him with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid or Barcelona over the summer, Agger was adamant that he would only leave Liverpool for a return to the club where he made his name.

"The opportunity arose for me to return home to Brondby and at this stage of my career it felt like the right decision for me," Agger added.

"I wouldn't leave here to go anywhere else and that has been proven by my actions in recent seasons - I have turned down many offers to move to other Premier League and European clubs."

The 29-year-old, who has 64 caps for Denmark, played a significant part in Liverpool's run to the Champions League final in the 2006/07 season, while he helped them to lift the League Cup five years later.

Rodgers added: "We've been discussing Daniel's future with him during the close season and I know this is a decision he has reached after much soul searching and deliberation."