That may sound like a headline that could be nominated for an award at next week's Donald Trump's 'Fake News Awards", but it isn't. It's real life. Let that sink in for a second before I repeat it. The Mayor of Liverpool called the Police over the transfer of a player from his favourite football team to another football team.
It came to light last week that Mayor Joe Anderson will be writing a letter to the FA and the Premier League about suspected foul play in the transfer of Ross Barkley from his beloved Everton to Chelsea.
I will be writing to .@premierleague & .@FA calling for investigation into the circumstances around the transfer of Ross Barkley between Everton and Chelsea. Agent pulls transfer on deadline day of £35 million doesn’t play again transfer 4 months later £20 million
— Joe Anderson (@joeando58) January 5, 2018
However in the full details of his "explosive" letter it has been revealed that he has contacted the police over the transfer where he believes there has been "serious foul play". The letter has now been made public (surely in the name of entertainment?) and in perhaps the most startling revelation in the whole thing he seems to admit contacting the police:
I am so concerned about the circumstances surrounding this transfer that I am asking the appropriate police authorities to consider whether any fraud has taken place.
You would think that the Mayor of Liverpool would have more to concern him with than the transfer business of Everton Football Club and not only would you be 100% correct but the people of Liverpool would apparently very much agree with you as well.
@mayor_anderson Mr Mayor, there are people living on your streets, the roads are downright dangerous, gun and knife crime is out of control, but you make sure Ross Barkley's transfer fee is good and proper, congrats https://t.co/NaYcrdPlPr
— Jack William (@Jack21B) January 9, 2018
More jobs and economy taken away from Liverpool. How’s that letter to the premier league about Ross Barkley’s transfer going @mayor_anderson? https://t.co/MH76XF4q7R
— Dan Morgan (@dan_morgan3) January 8, 2018
Nearly as questionable as some of your dealings with property developers, Joseph. A smack in the face of the musicians, artists, fans and all kinds across the creative spectrum.
— James Feltham (@Feltham4) January 5, 2018
But if, like me, you want to continue following the comedy that is this situation, the full letter that Joe Anderson has written the FA has been made public and you can and should read it below:
Dear Sirs,
Ross Barkley transfer
I write to you as a lifelong supporter of Everton Football Club - and as someone with a broader interest in the future of the game. The matter at hand is the recent transfer of Ross Barkley from Everton FC to Chelsea FC.
It was widely reported and confirmed by Mr Farhad Moshiri, a Director of EFC - in an interview on August 31 with Sky Sports News - that a deal had been reached with Chelsea for a fee of £35 million.
The fee was believed by many, including myself, to be a good deal and was based on him having just a year left of his contract.
However with less than an hour remaining on deadline day it was revealed that the deal had been rejected by Ross Barkley. At the time, it was stated by his agent that Ross had a hamstring injury and had decided to regain his fitness and then consider his options in January.
No word yet on if Anderson will be writing any letters complaining about Virgil Van Dijk's injury time winner in last week's FA Cup derby, the colour of Santa's suit in St John's Market in Liverpool this year or ex-red Sammy Lee being Sam Allardyce's assistant manager.
