Liverpool sign defender Skrtel
Rafael Benitez says Liverpool owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks are backing him
Also In The News
|
Directed by Ethan and Joel Coen, out January 18th, in cinemas, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson and Kelly Macdonald, running time 122mins. |  |
Friday, 11, Jan 2008 09:16
Liverpool have completed the signing of Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel for £6.5 million from Zenit St Petersburg.
The 23-year-old, who has agreed a four-and-a-half-year contract, becomes Liverpool's most expensive ever defender.
The Reds have been short of cover in central defence due to the long-term injury Daniel Agger suffered early in the season. Manager Rafael Benitez said he was delighted to add Skrtel to his squad.
"He is aggressive, quick and good in the air," Benitez said. "I think he's a very good player for the future and also for the present.
"I think he is a player maybe not many people know about but he played against Everton for Zenit St Petersburg, and he is a centre-half that knows the English style.
"He is very competitive, but his mentality for me is very good. He has experience and enough quality for playing as soon as possible," added the Liverpool manager.
Benitez added that the signing of Skrtel shows club owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks are fully behind him. The Spaniard was thought to be under pressure after he criticised the lack of transfer funds that had been made available to him.
But Benitez insisted that he and the club owners are "working together to improve the squad for the future".
The Liverpool manager will now hope to tie up the long-term future of midfielder Javier Mascherano, whose contract runs out at the end of the season.