"Daniel is a
player we have been following for a long time," Benitez told the
Liverpool Echo.
"We first spoke to Brondby about the player when we were in Monaco
playing the Super Cup final. At that time, their chairman said he
wasn't for sale.
"We scouted Daniel for a long time but then he picked up an injury.
When he returned to fitness we watched his first game back and we
knew he was at the kind of level we require, even though he played
only 25 minutes.
"We've been told he's one of the best centre-halves in Denmark for
20 years. A lot of scouts have spoken highly of him and there has
been lots of interest from other clubs.
"People will remember he played particularly well in an
international against England earlier this season. We'd already
watched and asked about the player before then.
"That match surprised a lot of people, but it confirmed to us he
could play at a particularly high level, which is why we've
continued to follow him."
Benitez added: "I wouldn't say he was a particularly aggressive
style of player.
"I think he is a very clever type of defender. His positional sense
is very good, for example, and he reads the game well. Of course,
there are areas he needs to improve, but he is young and we will
help him.
"He will be an option for the first team within a short space of
time. First he will need to improve his physical condition but then
he will put both Sami (Hyypia) and Carra (Jamie Carragher) under
pressure for their place. This is an area where we've had no
competition until now.
"He can't play in the Champions League, but when you sign a player
who's only 21 years old, he is for the future of the club, not for
a competition in which we have a maximum of seven games left.
"If we have to play seven more games in Europe without players who
are cup-tied, it will be a welcome problem."
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Sounds like as good as ours oready!
