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The search for Steve Finnan is over – after the ECHO tracked down Liverpool’s Champions League winner in London.

It emerged earlier this week that organisers of next Monday’s Istanbul Reunion at the Echo Arena had been unable to contact the former Reds right-back.

He’s the only member of Rafa Benitez’s triumphant squad they hadn’t located ahead of the 10th anniversary celebrations.

A hashtag of #FindSteveFinnan was even created on Twitter but the mystery has been solved after the ECHO caught up with the bemused 39-year-old in the capital.

“I can confirm that I’m safe and well,” Finnan told the ECHO.

“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.

“The organisers of the Istanbul Reunion have now been in touch and apologised they weren’t able to contact me sooner.”

GALLERY: Steve Finnan's Liverpool career

Finnan, who made 217 appearances for Liverpool between 2003 and 2008, retired from playing when his contract expired at Portsmouth five years ago.

Since then he has been busy running London-based property company Finnan Developments with his brother Sean, a lead which several ECHO readers pointed us towards yesterday.

Staying in football never appealed to Finnan, who also stays clear of social media. He has never been one to crave the limelight.

“I think one of the reasons why people think I’ve disappeared is because I’m not involved in football any more,” Finnan said.

“I loved training and playing, and I was privileged to play for a great club like Liverpool and win some big trophies, but I never wanted to stay in football once I had retired.

“Being a coach or a pundit never interested me.

“When you don’t stay involved, people forget about you. They go from seeing you most weeks to never seeing you.

“I’ve never been one to crave attention and I like my life the way it is now.

“I’m also not on social media. I don’t feel the need to tell someone what I’ve just had for my breakfast.

“I have a property business with my brother Sean which we started 12 years ago. We started off with small refurbs and it has got bigger and bigger.

“A lot of our work is around Wimbledon Village and I’m back living close to where I grew up. I didn’t grow up anywhere as nice as Wimbledon Village but on an estate nearby.

“The business has become relatively successful and that takes up a lot of my time and takes most of my focus. I enjoy it.

“I still get recognised every so often in London. I come across a lot of people in the building trade and a fair few Liverpool fans who want to chat about my time there.”

GALLERY: Liverpool fans' pictures on that incredible night

Unfortunately, the invite to Monday’s sell-out Istanbul Reunion has arrived too late for Finnan to make it.

“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.

“I hope they all have an amazing night. Being part of what happened in Istanbul was the greatest achievement of my career.”

Finnan will be able to follow the night of nostalgia from afar after organisers revealed plans to live stream the event online around the world from 8pm.

For full details go to: www.5times.co.uk/stream

The 10,000 sell-out event will help to raise funds for a number of charities including the 23 Foundation.