Raul Meireles has insisted he is not a Javier Mascherano clone
after completing his move to Liverpool from Porto in a deal worth
£11.5million.
The 27-year-old Portugal international has signed a four-year
contract and will add weight to a Reds midfield which was looking
short on numbers following the departures of Mascherano and Alberto
Aquilani.
'Roy Hodgson was key to me coming here because he worked so hard
to sign me,' Meireles said in the Sunday Express.
International class: Raul Meireles starred in
Portugal's World Cup campaign
'I am Meireles and not Mascherano and that will be clear to the
fans. I hope one day the Liverpool fans will remember me for being
successful.'
Meireles has won four titles with Porto and been capped 38 times
by Portugal, playing in all four of his country's games at this
summer's World Cup.
Red devil: Javier Mascherano has left Liverpool for
Spanish giants Barcelona
Liverpool on Friday agreed a deal to send Mascherano to
Barcelona after the midfielder, whose family could not settle on
Merseyside, was reportedly unprepared to play for the club.
Aquilani also departed for Juventus in a loan deal which brought
to an end, at least temporarily, an underwhelming and injury-hit
spell in the city in which he failed adequately to replace Xabi
Alonso.
With Liverpool financially constrained as owners George Gillett
and Tom Hicks attempt to sell the club, fans have had to make do
with limited arrivals this summer - Christian Poulsen from Juventus
and Joe Cole on a free transfer from Chelsea being the headline
names.
On the pitch Liverpool have started the season in uninspiring
fashion under new boss Roy Hodgson, with last week's 3-0 defeat by
Manchester City particularly dispiriting.
They at least have a Europa League campaign to look forward to
after overcoming Trabzonspor this week.
Meireles, at home in the centre of midfield, scored in
Portugal's 7-0 win over South Korea in South Africa this
summer.