The England striker thanked the Saints fans for helping him to complete a move back to Liverpool after a fine career at St Mary’s, and believes the south coast club can prosper

Rickie Lambert has penned a farewell letter to Southampton fans for helping him to realise a “lifelong ambition” of returning to his boyhood club Liverpool.

The striker completed a move to Anfield for an undisclosed fee on Monday, returning to the club he left as a trainee 17 years ago.

Lambert scored 115 goals in 229 games for the Saints after signing from Bristol Rovers in 2009, propelling the club to the Premier League and himself into the England squad for the World Cup.

In an open letter to the south-coast club’s fans after his move was confirmed, Lambert expressed huge gratitude, claiming Southampton will remain in his heart forever.

“What can I say…? Southampton has been my life for the past five years, in which we have achieved all of our dreams and more,” he wrote.

“First I have to thank Markus Liebherr for saving Southampton then Alan Pardew for bringing me to the club.

“Thank you to all the staff involved in making me the player I am today. Without your knowledge and commitment I would not be here right now at a World Cup with England.   

“Thank you to all the players, past and present, who I have had nothing but good times and success with driven by our club captain, Kelvin Davis. I love every last one of you.

“Thank you to the managers I have worked with – Alan [Pardew], Nigel [Adkins] and Mauricio [Pochettino] – and their teams for helping me and Southampton step up and adapt to every challenge that has come our way the past five years.

“When I grew up there was only one club I loved. I can honestly say now I have two clubs which will always be in my heart and that is thanks to the Saints fans.

“The people who support this club have been nothing short of amazing towards me and, when I look back in years to come, it will be the relationship I had with the fans here which will stand out the most.

“Southampton have allowed me to realise a lifelong ambition by joining Liverpool FC and taking my family home. The five-year plan when I arrived was to get this club from League 1 to the top half of the Premier League. Against all the odds we have achieved that.

“Now, under Katharina Liebherr’s leadership, the club has the chance for new plan, a new chapter, and I wish them all the success in the world.”

Brendan Rodgers has moved to strengthen his forward line by signing the Kirkby-born England international, who was released by the Reds as a schoolboy back in 1997

Liverpool have confirmed the signing of England international Rickie Lambert from Southampton for an undisclosed fee.

As reported by Goal on Thursday, the Anfield outfit made a shock move for the 32-year-old forward as they looked to supplement their first-choice attacking line of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge with proven Premier League quality.

The initial deal for Lambert is around £4.5 million but could rise to as much as £9m and Southampton, though reluctant to lose their star striker, did not wish to stand in the way of their captain’s dream move back to Merseyside.

The surprising transfer was prompted after Liverpool baulked at Swansea City’s £20m pricetag for Wilfried Bony, and Lambert could yet be joined by Saints team-mate Adam Lallana, the subject of a ‘take it or leave it’ final offer of £25m from the Reds.

Lambert was released by Liverpool as a 15-year-old back in 1997, but has since risen up from the fourth tier of English football to seal a fairy-tale return to his boyhood club, who will be playing Champions League football once again next season.

“I can’t believe it,” he told the club’s official website. “I’ve loved this club all my life. I left here 17 years ago – and I haven’t stopped loving it since.

“I have always dreamt of playing for Liverpool, but I did kind of think the chance of playing for them had gone. I didn’t think the chance would come.

“I know how big Liverpool are – and it means everything to me – but I know what is important; I know it’s what I do on the pitch and the minutes I play. I know that’s what matters, and that’s what I’ll be focused on.”

The transfer represents a significant profit on the £1m the Saints paid to Bristol Rovers to sign Lambert in 2009, a fee he quickly repaid by guiding the south coast club back to the Premier League.

Last season was the first campaign in which Lambert was not the club’s topscorer since he joined, having topped Southampton’s scoring charts in each of the four previous seasons.

Lambert netted 106 goals in 207 league games during his time at St Mary’s Stadium, and easily made the step up to the Premier League, scoring 15 times in his maiden campaign – a tally which made him the joint topscoring Englishman.

His performances led to international recognition and, after scoring against Scotland in his debut back in August, has gone on to earn a place in Roy Hodgson’s World Cup squad, with the move to Liverpool sealing an incredible year for Lambert.

The former England winger, who once scored a stunning goal against Brazil at the Maracana, insists the Liverpool youngster should be allowed to develop at his own pace

One-time England prodigy John Barnes says Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling should not be put under too much pressure heading into this summer’s World Cup.

Sterling is set to be deployed on the wing by coach Roy Hodgson for his country’s Group D campaign against Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica.

The 19-year-old Liverpool starlet has the hopes of a nation resting on his shoulders, after a brilliant Premier League campaign at Anfield.

But Barnes, who played at the 1986 and 1990 World Cups for England and scored a stunning solo goal against Brazil at the Maracana, insists that the teenager should not overburdened.

“I still don’t want to put so much pressure on him, now that he has shown so much quality in the last few months of the season,” Barnes said.

“Maybe he is going to be inconsistent because he is young. But in terms of what he did in the last few months of the season, he was probably the best player in England.

“Not the best English player; the best player in England, the best attacking player in England.”

Sterling scored nine goals and provided seven assists for Liverpool in the Premier League in 2013-14.