Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has expressed his satisfaction at building a balanced squad before the transfer deadline closed.

Having lost Javier Mascherano to Barcelona and allowed Alberto Aquilani to join Juventus on loan, the Liverpool manager admits it was important to strengthen in midfield.

Hodgson was therefore delighted to land versatile Portugal international Raul Meireles, who will bolster this area along with fellow new recruit Christian Poulsen.

Meireles has never played club football outside his homeland before but Hodgson is confident he will be successful in the Premier League once he adjusts to his new surroundings.

“It was important to sign a quality midfielder when we lost Javier,” Hodgson told the club’s official website.

“We had half prepared for his departure by jumping in to sign Christian Poulsen when he became available, but it was important for us to keep strong in that area.

“We loaned out Alberto Aquilani and so we are pleased to have been able to bring in Meireles. He is experienced in the Champions League, in international football and has had proven success at Porto.

“He is an all-round midfielder who is capable of playing in all three of the central midfield positions.

“He has a pedigree which we researched, followed and studied. I followed him at my previous club so it was good when I heard he could be available and that we could do the business quickly.

“He has played a lot of international football so settling into the English game won’t be a major problem.

“Our public are sensible people and they realise that having played all of his career in Portugal, it may take a bit of time.

“He will adjust, but whether it’s from the first moment we’ll have to wait and see.”

Paul Konchesky was another player to arrive late in the window after the Reds struck a deal with Hodgson’s former club Fulham for the left-back.

The experienced manager believes the addition of the 29-year-old is a major coup for Liverpool.

“It was difficult because Fulham were anxious to keep him and were against letting him go,” he said.

“Our good fortune was he was in the last year of his contract and he made it clear that if they didn’t let him go he wouldn’t sign a new contract. That was useful for us because otherwise it would have been very difficult to get him.

“There aren’t many quality left-backs around in the world, never mind in England – so to find an English one who can go straight into the team without any adjustment problems is a big advantage.

“He is a player I know, a player I have worked with and he knows the way we try to play and the things we try to do.

“That’s another little advantage, but the main reason for bringing him here is because we think he’s a good player and he’s the right man for the job.”

Hodgson is pleased with the options now at his disposal and has saluted managing director Christian Purslow and chief scout Eduardo Macia for their help at a busy time.

“We should be very happy,” he said. “A lot of hard work has gone in and you have to mention Christian Purslow and Eduardo Macia, who both worked really hard during the transfer window to do the deals I wanted to happen but also to do deals for quite a few players to leave the club.

“We were unbelievably overstaffed when I came to the club and, if the truth be known, we still are overstaffed.

“It was just as big a job making sure some of the players who never feature for the first team move on and that we limit our squad to players who are either in the frame to play first-team football or who have a bright future who are still anxious to play academy and reserve team football.

“We don’t want that middle group who are too old for reserve football but are not serving any purpose for the first team because they never feature.”

Former Hoffenheim goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand has signed a contract with Portuguese giants Sporting until June 2013.

The seven-time Germany international has moved to Portugal on a Bosman transfer after he had cancelled his contract with Hoffenheim in the summer.

Hildebrand, 31, is excited by the challenge of playing for Europa League participants Sporting.

He told Kicker: “I am extremely pleased to see this finally being agreed. I am now aware of my future.

“I am looking forward to representing Sporting. It is a really big club in a good league.”

Hildebrand had joined Hoffenheim on a free transfer from Primera Liga outfit Valencia in January 2009.

Former Ajax boss Ronald Koeman has revealed he is interested in taking over at Aston Villa after claiming the club contacted his agent last week.

Villa are yet to name Martin O’Neill’s replacement with Kevin MacDonald currently occupying the role on a caretaker basis.

There have been several names linked with the job and Koeman has thrown his hat into the ring.

Koeman is currently 15.00 to be appointed as Aston Villa’s next permanent manager while Kevin MacDonald remains fancied at 1.66.

“Yes, of course I am interested to listen to everybody. The Premier League is a very strong competition and I’m interested in that, yes,” he said.

“There was a contact with my agent but nothing more than that, about one week ago or something.

“Until now I didn’t know anything about that. If they are interested they can call me.”

Asked whether his lack of experience in England could be a factor, the Dutchman told Five Live Sport: “If they think they are looking for a manager with Premier League experience then of course I cannot come, because I have not worked in England before.

“I have enough experience but not in English football.

“I think I would do a good job, I think I have enough experience in the last 10 years after working in Holland, where I was league champion, and working in Portugal, Spain…in that case my experience is enough.”

Villa owner Randy Lerner has announced the new manager will be in place in time for the Premier League trip to Stoke on the 13th of September.

Full Time Result betting for the clash has Villa at 2.87 to get the win, Stoke, who have been one of the busiest clubs in the transfer window, can be backed at 2.30 to pick up their first win of the season while the draw is on offer at 3.25.

Don’t forget, all Premier League matches are covered by the bet365 100% Euro Soccer Bonus, where you could earn a bonus of up to 100% on your returns on pre-match accumulator bets.

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Former Ajax boss Ronald Koeman is interested in taking over at Aston Villa after claiming the club contacted his agent last week.

Villa are yet to name Martin O’Neill’s successor with Kevin MacDonald currently occupying the role on a caretaker basis.

Various names have been linked with the job and Koeman has thrown his hat into the ring.

“Yes, of course I am interested to listen to everybody. The Premier League is a very strong competition and I’m interested in that, yes,” he said.

“There was a contact with my agent but nothing more than that, about one week ago or something.

“Until now, I didn’t know anything about that. If they are interested, they can call me.”

Asked whether his lack of experience in England could be a factor, the Dutchman told Five Live Sport: “If they think they are looking for a manager with Premier League experience then of course I cannot come, because I have not worked in England before.

“I have enough experience but not in English football.

“I think I would do a good job, I think I have enough experience in the last 10 years after working in Holland, where I was league champion, and working in Portugal, Spain… in that case my experience is enough.”

Liverpool have completed the signing of former FC Porto midfielder Raul Meireles.

The 27-year-old has joined Roy Hodgson’s side for 14million euros (£11.5million) on a four-year contract.

Meireles will bolster Liverpool’s midfield which was looking worryingly short on numbers following the departures of Javier Mascherano and Alberto Aquilani.

The Portugal international insists he is not just a replacement for Javier Mascherano and, quoted in the Sunday Express, he said: “Roy Hodgson was key to me coming here because he worked so hard to sign me.

“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 have endured a poor start to he season, last time out they lost 3-0 to a rampant Man City side but they will look to improve on that in today’s home clash against West Brom.

Full Time Result betting has Liverpool at 1.25 to get the win, West Brom, who beat Sunderland last weekend can be backed at 13.00 while the draw is 5.75.

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