Steve Finnan: Search over for 'missing' Liverpool defender

Finnan (bottom left) was a regular in Liverpool's 2005 Champions League campaign

Call off the search. Steve Finnan has been found.

The former Liverpool right-back was the only player of the Reds' victorious 2005 Champions League final squad who organisers of next Monday's 10-year anniversary event could not locate.

But after thorough investigative work and with the help of hashtag #FindSteveFinnan on Twitter, the 39-year-old ex-Republic of Ireland international has been found... living in London.

"I can confirm that I'm safe and well," Finnan, who works in property development, told the Liverpool Echo, who led the search.

"Someone forwarded the Echo article on to me yesterday. I thought it was funny as I normally think I'm pretty easy to get hold of.

"There are people at the club who have got my number but obviously this isn't a club event so there was a bit of a mix-up."

Finnan (third from left on the top row) celebrates Liverpool's 2005 Champions League win

Finnan was a regular in helping Liverpool to the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan and he played the first half against the Italian side before going off injured at the break with Liverpool 3-0 down.

The Reds then staged a comeback to level at 3-3 before winning the match after extra-time and penalties.

However, the invite to the sell-out Istanbul Reunion has arrived too late for Finnan.

"I'm leaving on Friday to go travelling around Europe so I'll be away," he said. "Everything has been booked for weeks and it's too late to cancel now.

"It's a shame. If I'd known a few months ago I'd have been there as I would have loved to meet up with all my team-mates and see the fans again."

Finnan made 217 appearances in all for Liverpool, while he also earned 52 caps for the Republic of Ireland. After a brief spell at Espanyol, he ended his career at Portsmouth in 2010.

His last appearance for Pompey was in the 2010 FA Cup final against Chelsea.

Finnan (right) chats with then Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez before the 2005 Champions League final