Raul Meireles (Porto)

Liverpool move fast to sign Raul Meireles from Porto for £10.7m

Liverpool move fast to sign Raul Meireles from Porto for £10.7m

• Roy Hodgson acts quickly to sign 27-year-old midfielder
• Portuguese seen as ideal replacement for Javier Mascherano

Raul Meireles Liverpool's new signing Raul Meireles in action for Portugal during the World Cup. Photograph: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Liverpool have moved quickly to replace Javier Mascherano by agreeing a £10.7m package with Porto tonight for the Portugal international Raul Meireles.

Meireles, one of Portugal's more impressive players in the World Cup, is understood to have agreed personal terms and, if everything goes according to plan, the deal will be completed over the weekend, dependent on the 27-year-old passing a medical examination.

The transfer was rushed through this evening after Mascherano finally got his wish to leave Anfield, joining Barcelona in a £20m deal that freed up the money for Liverpool to bring in a cheaper replacement.

Meireles is available for a low fee because he is in the final year of his contract and Porto have been trying to sell him rather than risk losing him on a free transfer next summer.

The player has been prominently linked with Manchester United over the past month but does not fit into the club's policy under the Glazer family of not signing players for big money if they are aged 26 or above, Dimitar Berbatov being the exception to the rule.

Liverpool do not operate with such restrictions and the manager Roy Hodgson will hope Meireles can make his debut in the league game at Birmingham City tomorrow week.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/aug/27/liverpool-sign-raul-meireles-porto

If this is true, f**k me. Just hope it's real.

Yep, apparently it was done today, so I've heard. Thought it was bullshit though.

I've just seen this on the Guardian website. It is breaking news but no further story.

If this is true then I will be well pleased. I rate him very highly and was one stand out players in the World Cup.

Will also over shadow the fact we have also signed Paul Konchesky!

Saw this on twitter as soon as it came in

I RT it and think quality if true, he was best Portugal Midfielder at World cup

http://www.portugoal.net/index.php/more-fc-porto-news/14989-meirieles-to-join-liverpool-report

F***ing quality if true.

Hes a very good player
a perfect replacement for mascherano
lets just hope its true

Agreed, this would be the dogs bollocks if its true.  Definitely one of the better players we've been linked with all summer.

Boss if it happens. Not getting hopes up until i see an offal release, im sick of having my hopes dashed lately.

Agreed, this would be the dogs bollocks if its true.  Definitely one of the better players we've been linked with all summer.

I commented to a few mates when I saw him during the World Cup that I would like to see him at Liverpool. He has really stood out for me any time I've seen him play and is a more all round midfield player than Mascherano as he has much more ability going forward.

Well this would be the mutts nuts if it were to happen!

Niiiiice, hope it's true.

PLEASE BE TRUE!!! PLEASE.

Exactly the kind of midfielder I'd love to see at the club.

And he has some good tats on his arms.

Interesting someone posted, and Tomkins retweeted

Does Meireles put an end to "Joe Cole in the hole" experiment for Liverpool? (SG behind Torres, Poulsen and Meireles behind..)

What type of midfielder is he? Attacking or defensive?

What type of midfielder is he? Attacking or defensive?

Box to box. Can do both. Useful in attack, aware on defense.

Poulsen or Lucas would take over the pure defensive role.

Woah.

I'd F***ing take this in a heartbeat.

Very good player.

What type of midfielder is he? Attacking or defensive?

He's a central midfielder, can defend but also attack, exactly the type of player I expected us to replace Masch with. We had enough 'destroyers', Meireles is the kind of player who'll mostly help us create and I'm very excited that he could come. Please, it has to be true.

Hahaha F***ing quality!

My mood's been turned right round!!

Wow I'm excited, hopefully Roy pulls this off.

This thread will be getting locked soon I think.

Brilliant news. More of a Xabi Alonso type player rather than a Masch.