Liverpool fans have been left shocked after pictures of the Anfield Road Stand under construction emerged online.
Reds supporters may already be concerned at the club's lack of transfer business this summer, with Jurgen Klopp in dire need of midfield reinforcements.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner all left Merseyside following the expiration of their contracts. While midfield duo Jordan Henderson and Fabinho have packed their bags for Saudi Arabia.
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But alongside their midfield rebuild, Liverpool's construction of the Anfield Road Stand looks a way off from being finished. You can see images of the restoration below.
Liverpool travel to Stamford Bridge for their opening game of the Premier League season, before hosting Bournemouth at Anfield in 10 days' time.
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For that match, the iconic ground will operate at a reduced capacity due to the ongoing redevelopment of the Anfield Road Stand.
Following that, Buckingham Group, the main contractor of the new Anfield Road Stand, plans to increase the capacity, using the upper tier as part of the phased opening process which it expects to be completed in October 2023.
League fixtures against Bournemouth, Aston Villa and West Ham are therefore expected to take place at a reduced capacity, while their Europa League clash, which is scheduled for September 21 or October 5, also looks set to host less than than the 61,000 people the stadium will eventually hold.
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Fans were quick to react to the images posted by Twitter account Anything Liverpool, and they are not happy with the progress.
One fan wrote: "Can fsg do anything right?"
"What is happening at the club? Seriously, everything is a mess," another exclaimed.
"Looks like fsg haven’t sent the last payment to the builders", a third joked.
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"A bit like our squad…half finished", another added.
Once complete, the new stand will reportedly create 400 additional jobs, growing the average matchday workforce to 2,800 people, with 95 per cent of those employed locally.
The club's managing director, Andy Hughes, thanked fans for their patience, providing an update on the situation late last month.
“This has been a hugely ambitious and complex construction project right from the start and I would like to thank everyone who has played a part," he told the Liverpool website.
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“Unfortunately, the upper tier of the Anfield Road Stand is not quite ready for the Bournemouth game. The main contractor, Buckingham, will therefore work with Liverpool City Council’s licensing team to deliver a phased opening process.
“As with any complex major construction project of this scale, there are always so many variables and challenges along the way.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding while we work through the next few weeks with Buckingham to complete this programme and we can’t wait to have this great new Anfield Road Stand fully open for supporters.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty & Twitter @AnythingLFC_Topics: Football, Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool, Premier League, Fan Reactions
