Liverpool have launched an investigation after the pay details of Norwegian defender John Arne Riise appeared on the internet.

Photographs of a wages slip showing his monthly salary of £139,634 were sent to email addresses around the web and were shown on internet forums.

"We are taking it very seriously and we are investigating," said a club spokesman.

The payslip also revealed the player's home address and national insurance number. A Merseyside Police spokesman said the force had yet to receive a complaint about the matter.