Liverpool Football Club

• Nickname:Reds
• Founded:1892
• Manager:Brendan Rodgers

• Ground:Anfield
• Capacity:45362

Reds complete Skrtel deal

11 Jan 2008 - 12:40:32

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Liverpool have completed the signing of Slovakia international defender Martin Skrtel from Zenit St Petersberg.

The 23-year-old centre-half has joined the Reds for a fee believed to be around the £6million mark and has penned a four-and-a-half year contract at Anfield.

Reds boss Rafael Benitez has been on the look-out for a new central defender after seeing a move for former Manchester United stopper Gabriel Heinze fall through in the summer.

Skrtel has won 15 international caps for his country and will provide competition for Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Daniel Agger at the heart of the defence.

"I think he's a player maybe not many people know about, but he played against Everton for Zenit St Petersberg (in the UEFA Cup last month) and is a centre-half that knows the English style," Benitez told the club's official website.

"He is aggressive, quick, is good in the air and I think he's a very good player for the future and also for the present. He is very competitive, but his mentality for me is very good.

"Watching him in some games his mentality is similar to Carra (Jamie Carragher) so I think it's very positive for the team.

"He has experience and enough quality for playing as soon as possible."