Kenny signs three-year deal (Anfield legend confirmed as permanent Liverpool manager)

Kenny Dalglish has signed a three-year contract with Liverpool.

The Anfield legend has been rewarded for his efforts after stepping into the breach on a temporary basis following the departure of Roy Hodgson in January.

Dalglish and assistant manager Steve Clarke, who has also been handed a three-year deal, have lifted the club from the lower reaches of the table to their current position in fifth.

The Scot has long been tipped to take the role on a permanent basis with the revival under his stewardship clearly impressing club owner John W Henry and chairman Tom Werner.
Negotiations have been ongoing for a number of weeks and the news which is sure to delight Reds fans around the globe was confirmed on Thursday afternoon.
Dalglish told the club's official website: "I said when I took the job on in January that I was just happy to help the club out for the remainder of the season.

Wisdom

"Now the owners have decided in their wisdom that they want me to stay a little longer and it's fantastic news for both myself and Steve Clarke that we have signed these contracts.
"Both John and Tom have taken their time to assess what was best for the football club and bring in the people they wanted to take the club forward. They are both winners, but understand what the supporters want from a Liverpool side and the way that we should go about things.
"This is a unique football club and I'm delighted to have the opportunity to help build something special here again.
"I want to salute the efforts of all the players as they have been fantastic and thank everyone at the club for the welcome they have given me since I returned in January.
"I also want to pay tribute to Steve Clarke's input since we started working together as he has brought great experience and knowledge to the role. The players enjoy the training sessions, understand their relevance to our actual football games and have responded brilliantly."

Glittering

Dalglish enjoyed a glittering career as a player with the Reds, claiming five league titles and three European Cups, while his stint as player-manager brought a further three top-flight crowns to Anfield.
Club owner Henry said: "Kenny is a legendary Liverpool figure both as a supremely gifted footballer and successful manager. Since returning in January he has shown extraordinary leadership and the ability to bring the best out of so many people associated with the club.
"It was obvious to us very early on that the atmosphere surrounding the club had been transformed by his presence. No one else could have produced such a response. Therefore, I'm delighted we have agreed to a new contract. We didn't need nor want to look elsewhere for the right man to manage the team."
Chairman Werner added: "It was extremely important that we enjoyed a period of stability after some difficult times and Kenny has done a tremendous job over the last three months in bringing the whole club back together.
"It's clear how much the players have responded to his leadership, his man management skills and knowledge of the game and that sense of optimism now runs throughout the club.
"We have a clear vision of the way a Liverpool team should play and the way the club should be run and Kenny's inspirational effect on the senior squad and his keenness to involve and feature the younger players from our Academy set-up sits perfectly with that way of thinking."