The 27-year-old midfielder, who joins from West Ham for a reported fee of £5 million, put pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at Anfield until 2011.
By ALLON SINAIbenayoun soccer 298.88(photo credit: AP)
Yossi Benayoun completed his move to Liverpool on Thursday evening after successfully passing a medical and signing a four-year contract.
The 27-year-old midfielder, who joins from West Ham for a reported fee of £5 million, put pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at Anfield until 2011.
The Israel captain was given the number 11 shirt and will make a weekly salary believed to be in the region of £45,000.
Also on Thursday, Liverpool signed Ajax forward Ryan Babel for $23m. "Liverpool has agreed terms with Ajax and Ryan Babel himself and the player will sign a five-year-deal on Friday," said Liverpool spokesman Ian Cotton on Thursday afternoon.
Babel, who has scored four goals in 14 appearances for the Netherlands, including one in his debut against Romania in 2005, was under contract at Ajax until July 2010. He was also a member of the Dutch team that won the under-21 European Championship last month.
Speaking to Ajax TV, Babel said he had "made a choice with my heart" after visiting Liverpool. Babel joined Ajax as a youth player and progressed through its training academy.
Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks spoke on Thursday of how impressed he is with the transfer dealings of manager Rafa Benitez.
"Rafa has done a great job," Hicks told Sky Sports News. "We talked to him about a plan and it has gone pretty much how we agreed it would go. The first was to get existing core players on our team to sign extensions.
"Then we started with the process of getting new players in. I wouldn't rule Rafa out for one more [transfer]. I know we're going to be a better team."
Liverpool finished third in the Premier League last season and lost in the Champions League final to AC Milan. The reds play their first pre-season friendly against Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.
AP contributed to this report
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