Key Takeaways
- Daniel Agger's loyalty to Liverpool will forever stand the test of time, but his path after football remains peculiar.
- He ventured into tatooing and sewage systems following his retirement.
- The former Danish international has since spoke about how he regrets leaving Liverpool when he did.
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"It was as though I belonged," Daniel Agger reminisced about his time at Anfield, and in those simple words lay the heart of a rare and beautiful connection. In today’s game, it takes a truly special player to capture the love of supporters on both sides of the white line. Yet Agger, with his fierce loyalty and quiet strength, managed to do just that at Liverpool.
Signed from Brondby for £6 million, he was, at the time, Liverpool’s most expensive defender—a price that spoke volumes about Rafael Benítez's faith in him. Though that figure has since been eclipsed by the likes of Virgil van Dijk’s £75 million transfer, it remains a testament to how highly Agger was regarded that he can be put just outside the conversation of the Premier League's greatest centre-backs.
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Over eight and a half years and 232 appearances, injuries may have plagued Agger’s time at Liverpool, but his devotion to the club, the city, and its people forged a bond that went far beyond the pitch. More than just a defender, he became a symbol of resilience and passion in a period that challenged the very soul of the Reds. That unbreakable connection with the Kop remains forever etched in the hearts of those who watched him. Yet, long after his Anfield journey ended, many would be surprised to see where life beyond football has led him.
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Daniel Agger's Loyalty to Liverpool
He rejected the chance to play for Manchester City in 2012
In 2012, it seemed almost certain that Agger would join Manchester City. At the time, the Etihad club were laying the groundwork for the dominant success they enjoy today. After Liverpool initially rejected a £20 million bid for their Danish centre-back, few realised that Roberto Mancini’s relatively unproven side had the financial power to meet the Reds' demands for the 6ft 3in defender.
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Fenway Sports Group valued the 27-year-old at around £27m, while manager Brendan Rodgers, despite insisting he wanted to cling on to Martin Skrtel's partner in crime, had conceded he could be sold for a "ridiculous offer". Speaking in Denmark, where he was preparing for a friendly international against Slovakia, the Liverpool defender claimed he had no wish to leave Anfield. "I'd rather stay," he said. "I can't imagine playing for any other club in England but you never know if the club think it's better to sell me."
Agger added: "I know there has been interest from Manchester City, but I don't know what Liverpool are responding to it. I am fine with my situation. The club will have to find out what they want to do. I've heard nothing from them. I'd rather stay, but that decision is not up to me at the moment.
"Yes, Liverpool can do a deal even though I have two years on my contract. But no, I haven't changed my mind on the subject. Sometimes you can end up in a position where it's not your decision. I don't want to be somewhere I am not wanted but I would prefer if they want me to stay. That is my first priority."
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What Agger Does Now
He's now a tattooist who owns a sewage system
The Danish defender, who was coaching HB Koge in his homeland’s second division until very recently, pursued a career as a tattoo artist and became affiliated with one of the world’s leading studios, Tattoodo, after he called it a day in football. However, Agger’s ventures outside the game didn’t end there, as he also turned his attention to the sewage industry.
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Now 39, the former international with 75 caps launched a company in 2013 called KloAgger, investing £450,000 in a business that manages sewage systems in Denmark. The name “KloAgger” is a clever play on words, as it translates to “Agger toilet.” Agger remains actively involved in his company, though the daily operations are managed by his younger brother Marco and their close friend Rune Ruasmussen. While his business ventures continue to grow, Agger's passion lies more in the world of tattoos. Covered in intricate ink, the former footballer has a deep-rooted connection to body art. His journey into tattoos began during his early years at Danish club Brondby, where he started and finished his career. It was at the age of 15, on a school trip to Paris, that Agger first experienced the needle.
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Recalling the moment in an interview with Tattoodo, Agger shared, "I was about 15, and it happened during a school trip to Paris. It wasn't something I'd thought about before. Me and a friend went into the shop and said that's what we're going to have, and we got it. I still have it today." Since then, his body has become a canvas, with nearly every inch covered in ink.
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Among his many tattoos are a Viking graveyard across his back, love hearts on his calves, Latin proverbs scattered across his skin, and the names of his family members etched into his body. "I see it as one piece," the qualified tattoo artist explained. "When I speak to people, I talk about my tattoo as one piece, but obviously every tattoo has a story, some better than others."
One of his more recent additions is 'YNWA,' boldly tattooed across his knuckles—the famous Liverpool acronym for their anthem, You'll Never Walk Alone. "The timing was quite good," Agger shared, pointing towards his rumoured move to Manchester.
"[There were] a lot of rumours sending me to another club for a lot of money, but I knew I was staying. Somehow, I wanted to show that to the footballing world, and this was a way I wanted to do it."
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Daniel Agger's Liverpool Career
The Great Dane was an Anfield cult hero in its fullest sense
Daniel Agger holds a special place in the hearts of Liverpool fans, revered as a cult hero whose passion and dedication left an indelible mark on the club’s rich history. The Denmark international was a key player in one of the most unforgettable centre-back partnerships for The Reds in recent years, teaming up with Skrtel.
The duo formed the backbone of Anfield for several years, appearing in 112 matches together during their time at the club. One of their notable accomplishments was being the first partnership to see Jamie Carragher benched in his 15-year career. Notably, too, within their first 15 games together, Liverpool managed to keep eight clean sheets, so the impact was immediate.
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Unfortunately, injuries did eventually catch up with him during his time on Merseyside, as the Great Dane rarely played out a season where he remained long-term injury-free. This resulted in the defender losing his starting place and being pushed to the bench. This was the leading reason why, in August 2014, Agger was relieved of his duties and moved back to boyhood club, Brondby. This move came as quite a shock to both fans and pundits as the defender was just 29 years old when he left Liverpool.
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However, the Dane has since spoken about his choice to return to his boyhood club and admitted that the “timing was all wrong“. “I only did it because I was pi***d (off),” Agger told The Athletic (as per Daveockop). “I’d gone from being made vice-captain to being fourth or fifth choice centre-back at times. I can see now I should have been calmer. I wish I had stayed here for another six months and maybe things would have changed. But at the time, I felt like I had reached my edge and took my career into my own hands.”
“I always wanted to finish at Brondby because the fans are unbelievable, but the timing was all wrong. The year before, they had nearly been relegated and almost went bankrupt. I went there at a bad time.“
Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 21-10-24.