Sky - Moro may make United debut

by Mark Buckingham - created on 12 Jan 2005

Rafa Benitez is hoping Fernando Morientes can make his Liverpool debut in Saturday's clash with arch-rivals Manchester United.

Liverpool have concurred on a £6 million deal with Real Madrid to bring the Spain international to Anfield.

Morientes has been Benitez's prime transfer window target as he looks to strengthen an attack which lost Michael Owen and Emile Heskey last summer and Djibril Cisse to a season-ending injury.

The Reds have been haggling over a fee with Real for several weeks and it now appears a figure of £6 million has been agreed.

Benitez admitted earlier this week that he was becoming frustrated at Liverpool's failure to reach an accord with Real and was ready to shift targets.

But, speaking after Liverpool's 1-0 win over Watford on Tuesday night, Benitez confirmed a deal with Morientes is almost complete.

Morientes is thought to have accepted a four-and-a-half year contract, with Benitez aiming to have the paperwork signed and sealed to enable the forward to make his Reds bow at Anfield against United this weekend.

"At this very moment in time, I can not say that Morientes is a Liverpool player but I believe we are very close to a deal and it could happen in a couple of hours' time," Benitez told the club's official website.

"We have spoken about him for two weeks now and the player wants to join Liverpool which is a good thing.

"We are ready for his arrival as soon as a deal can be completed.

"I'm not sure how player registration works in England but we are hopeful that he could be ready for the weekend.

"We will use the player as soon as possible.

"The important thing is he wants to come to Liverpool and play for us."

Lyon had been late suitors for Morientes, who spent last season on loan at Monaco, but it seems Liverpool have finally snared their man.