Craig Bellamy to leave Liverpool FC for Cardiff City 'within 24 hours'

Craig Bellamy is poised to leave Liverpool for hometown club Cardiff City within the next 24 hours, according to reports.

There has been speculation all summer that Bellamy would join his hometown club but the Daily Post newspaper reported this morning that he will join on a free transfer after his participation with Team GB in the Olympics ended at the quarter-final stage over the weekend.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers had been keen to hold on to the 33-year-old, who was an inspirational presence for the Anfield outfit last season having arrived from Manchester City.

But Rodgers is reported to be reluctantly allowing Bellamy to leave on personal grounds, with the striker keen to move nearer to his family in South Wales.

Bellamy had also been a target for Queens Park Rangers until it became clear Cardiff would be his only destination. Liverpool are unwilling to sell the player to another Premier League club.

The Wales international, who skippered Stuart Pearce’s Team GB side in their penalty shoot-out defeat to South Korea at the Millennium Stadium, spent a season on loan at Cardiff in 2010-11.

Bellamy’s transfer would signal the end of his second spell at Liverpool, having scored nine times in 42 appearances during his initial stay in the 2006-07 campaign.

However, he made a greater impact last season, netting nine times in 37 appearances and scoring the goal that took Liverpool into the Carling Cup final against Cardiff City and also creating Andy Carroll’s match-winner in the FA Cup semi-final against Everton at Wembley.
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http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2012/08/07/craig-bellamy-to-leave-liverpool-fc-for-cardiff-city-within-24-hours-91466-31566411/#ixzz22qcWu74e
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Fantastic news welcome home Craig

walesonline now say via FB that its unlikely to be 24hrs but 48hrs... makes sense as stadium reopening/kit on sale etc etc...

It'll happen officially on Friday. It may be finalised behind doors before that but it makes the most marketing sense to do it at the reopening. What better way to release the shirt to the public than by having Craig Bellamy outside wearing it?