Mark Gonzales given permission to play in
EPL
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has completed a hat-trick of South
American signings this week with the club finally winning their
battle to claim a work permit for Chilean winger Mark
Gonzalez.
On Monday 20-year-old Argentinian defender Gabriel Paletta signed a
four-year contract after moving from Banfield.
And while Liverpool were attending the work permit hearing to allow
Gonzalez to start his Anfield career, they were also completing the
paperwork to secure the services of Valencia's Brazilian full-back
Fabio Aurelio on a free transfer.
But the key signing for Benitez has been the arrival of Gonzalez,
who has been training at the club this week, after more than a year
of wrangling.
The club were finally given the green light to allow the
23-year-old to start his Liverpool career, delayed after the player
had an initial application last summer rejected and then an appeal
later in the year turned down.
Gonzalez has spent the past six months on loan to Real Sociedad,
where he helped them win a relegation battle in La Liga. Benitez,
determined to bring him to Anfield, was forced into such a drastic
action to keep Gonzalez fit and in match practice ahead of this
summer's second application to the Department of Employment to
allow Gonzalez to play in the UK.
Benitez said: 'This is very good news for us and I am absolutely
delighted to welcome Mark to Liverpool as he is a player the
supporters will like to see.
'Mark is an exciting left winger who can cross good balls and beat
defenders and he is a very good signing for us. He has a very good
mentality as when I was talking with him he told me, 'I want to
play for Liverpool'.'
Benitez tried to sign Gonzalez last summer and a fee of around
£4million was agreed with Albacete.
But the player was injured at the time with a serious knee problem,
and the deal Liverpool proposed was only a loan move because of
that injury uncertainty.
Because of Chile's low FIFA ranking and the clear fact that the
player could not go straight into the first team, Liverpool's
original work permit application was rejected.
Gonzalez was not able to play again until mid-season, and an appeal
to the Home Office was also turned down, which left Benitez with
the only option of sending the player out on loan to another
Spanish club.
Gonzalez's arrival will give Benitez the pace on the left he has
needed, and it could well cast a doubt over Harry Kewell's future
at the club.
The Australian is currently recovering from the foot injury that
ended his World Cup campaign, but he will find Gonzalez a serious
threat to his first team place considering how much faith Benitez
has put in the player.
It will also allow Benitez to concentrate on the acquisition of
another new striker - Feyenoord's Dirk Kuyt is still high on the
Liverpool manager's hit list - and a right winger, with Jermaine
Pennant a target.
Benitez could also have rekindled his interest in Real Betis star
Joaquin.
Benitez has been chasing Sevilla's Daniel Alves, but he has refused
to meet the £12million asking price, and that deal looks
dead.
So he has retrained his sights on Joaquin, having been linked with
the player last season.
The wide man has just returned from World Cup duty and has made it
clear that he intends to leave Betis for a new challenge this
summer.
Betis' new president Pepe Leon admits he will cash in if the right
offer comes along.
He said: 'Betis would be equally happy to keep Joaquin or to have
their coffers full. There have always been a lot of teams after the
player, but nobody has yet decided to make the final move.'
Spanish sources suggest Liverpool will offer £10million plus
Antonio Barragan, Jerzy Dudek and Bolo Zenden to land their
man.
Benitez, though, will be just delighted tonight to have finally
landed Gonzalez, having heavily criticised the Home Office for
their previous refusals to let the player start his career at
Anfield.
The arrival of Brazilian wing-back Aurelio, on a free transfer, has
been completed now he has put pen to paper on a four-year
deal.
He won a Spanish title under Benitez at Valencia and becomes the
first Brazilian to play for Liverpool.
Aurelio has also been training with Liverpool this week having seen
his Valencia contract run out last Friday, but the fine points of
the move have only just been completed.
Benitez said: 'Fabio is a player with a lot of quality and he is a
really good signing for us.
'His technical ability is fantastic and he has a great left foot
and provides the team with a lot of options. He has a really good
mentality and he is a winner.'
