Liverpool have signed Greek international defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos from AEK Athens for around £2m. The 30-year-old former Rangers player has agreed a two-year deal with the option of a further year at Anfield.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said: “He is a player with experience who can hopefully help us in defence. He’s a good player in the air, strong and aggressive. We were looking for a player with experience.”
He added: “We knew the player when he was with Rangers and we’ve been watching videos of him at Frankfurt and the national team. Our scout department had a lot of information. We have talked about the things he has done before and the things he will have to do for us. It was good. He knows what we want and he’s ready to work.”
Benitez also believed that the move would help the club’s young centre-backs such as Martin Kelly and Daniel Ayala, with Kyrgiakos’ experience being seen as a vital tool in their development.
Kyrgiakos has passed a medical, and will be able to play for the Reds in Monday’s home clash with Aston Villa. The Greek player’s arrival is a timely one as Liverpool defenders Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel are out with a back problem and a jaw injury respectively.
Kyrgiakos had previously been contracted to Panathinaikos, Rangers, Eintracht Frankfurt, and AEK Athens. The Greek defender has been capped 50 times by his country, and played in Euro 2008. He would have also been in the famous 2004 squad, but a knee injury prevented him from doing so. The move will also make him the first Greek player to represent Liverpool.
Related Articles
No user responded in this post