Soccer:Raul Meireles has insisted he is not a Javier Mascherano clone after completing his move to Liverpool. The 27-year-old has joined Roy Hodgson's side for €14 million from Porto.
Portugal international Meireles 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. “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.
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.