Liverpool agrees to join Chelsea in May tournament as event revived

Liverpool legends, including Jermaine Pennant, are expected to compete at the Masters Football tournament at the OVO Arena Wembley on May 31, with Chelsea, Ajax and Real Madrid also involved

Liverpool and Chelsea will play in a new legends tournament(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool and Chelsea are set to feature at this spring's Masters Football tournament, which sees legendary players return to the field.

The competition will unfold at the OVO Arena in Wembley, London, on May 31. Club greats from Chelsea, Liverpool, Ajax and Real Madrid will compete before a capacity crowd and television viewers across the United Kingdom.

The event's promotional material has offered clues about potential participants for each team. Premier League champion Loic Remy appears in a Chelsea kit on the poster. The French soccer player hung up his boots in 2023 following his departure from Brest. Also shown on the poster is Jermaine Pennant, who looks set to wear Liverpool's colors.

The ex-winger didn't lift major silverware at Anfield but featured in the Reds' squad that suffered defeat to AC Milan in the 2007 Champions League final.

Additional figures on the poster, suggesting their involvement, include Ivan Campo, who became a Premier League icon while at Bolton. The Spanish defender is anticipated to play for Real Madrid, with whom he claimed the 2000 Champions League trophy.

Meanwhile, Jari Litmanen, who enjoyed a stint with Liverpool, may line up against his former employers when he dons an Ajax jersey again.

Jermaine Pennant will play for Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

Previous winners of the competition include Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Leicester.

Scottish outfit Rangers was the most recent team to claim the trophy after its commanding 8-3 triumph over Leeds in the 2011 final.

Each six-a-side match will run for 14 minutes and allow rolling substitutions, with numerous high-profile names expected to be announced for each squad in the coming months.

The tournament will follow a round-robin structure, with the top two teams progressing to the final.

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has previously told the event's official website why it remains so popular amongst former players.

He said: "The lads always have a great time with the Masters. The fans always come out in numbers and the matches are as intense as ever!"

"You only need to see the quality of the teams nowadays to see how keen the players are to get involved"

Tickets went on presale at 10am local time on Thursday. They will then go on general sale 24 hours later.