Liverpool complete Pennant swoop

Liverpool complete Pennant swoop

LIVERPOOL, England, (AFP) - Liverpool completed the signing of Birmingham winger Jermaine Pennant for a reported six million pounds (11.1million dollars) on Wednesday.

Pennant, 23, agreed a four-year contract and will link-up with his new team-mates on the English Premiership club's pre-season tour to Switzerland.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez moved for Pennant after having several offers rejected for Sevilla's Brazilian star Daniel Alves.

The former Arsenal player becomes Benitez's fifth summer signing following the arrivals of Craig Bellamy, Fabio Aurelio, Gabriel Paletta and Mark Gonzalez.

Pennant, who became the most expensive teenager in British football when he joined Arsenal from Notts County for two million pounds in 1999, believes the move to his boyhood idols can help him break into the England team.

He told Liverpool's website: "I've dreamt about this since I was a little boy so to actually be here and to be able to wear a Liverpool shirt and play at Anfield is a dream come true.

"This is the only club I would have wanted to sign for. There's always a doubt in your mind as to whether or not it will happen because you don't know if the clubs will agree a transfer fee but I just stayed positive and believed it would happen for me.

"Moving to Liverpool will only help me (with his England ambitions). Playing with players of the quality at this club can only be good for my career. I couldn't be more excited."

Benitez is also reported to be making another attempt to sign Holland striker Dirk Kuyt.

Feyenoord have already turned down two Liverpool offers for Kuyt, believed to have involved cash plus defender Jan Kromkamp and goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, but Benitez is ready to make an improved bid.

Greek striker Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, 20, is also set to sign from PAOK Salonika after impressing during a trial at Anfield, according to reports in Greece.