Cole's arrival pleases Carra

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher says the club's signing of Joe Cole delivers a statement of intent.

The Reds beat Tottenham to the free transfer of the 28-year-old attacking midfielder, who left Chelsea in June.

"It's great news and it is a message that Liverpool mean business," Carragher told the club website.

And Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson told TalkSport: "Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard did a good job in selling the club to Joe at the World Cup."

The trio all featured in England's poor World Cup campaign in South Africa, with Cole playing 18 minutes against Slovenia and 27 minutes in the 4-1 last-16 defeat by Germany.

And Hodgson added: "He was undecided about what he wanted to do and to be fair it takes a bit more selling to persuade a Londoner who has played all his life in London to move up to Liverpool.

"The simple solution would have been to stay in the London area."

But Cole was convinced Liverpool would be the best destination for his talents by Reds captain Gerrard and Carragher.

And the former West Ham man has travelled to Switzerland to undergo a medical at Liverpool's pre-season training camp after agreeing terms on a four-year deal with the Anfield club.

Carragher is sure Cole will bring an added element of creativity to the Reds squad and praised new Liverpool manager Hodgson and the club's hierarchy in persuading Cole to join them.

"We have signed a top international player who has been really important for Chelsea," added Carragher.

"A lot of clubs wanted to sign him but it is a real coup that he has chosen to come here and you have got to give the manager and the board a pat on the back for convincing him to come here.

"Every supporter that I have spoken to is absolutely delighted and all the players are the same - it's given everyone a boost, just at the right time."

Carragher, along with Gerrard and Glen Johnson, returned to Liverpool's Melwood training ground on Monday to start their pre-season preparations after three weeks off following England's exit from the World Cup.

And centre-back Carragher believes Cole's arrival is the kind of fillip the club needed after disappointingly finishing seventh in the Premier League last season and failing to qualify for the Champions League.

"It has been a long summer and we have been in a transitional period but now the World Cup is out of the way, we can start to look forward again," stated Carragher.

"Joe is a player who has the ability to get supporters off their seats and I've no doubt he will do that here.

"It's good news again and, hopefully, there will be more to come. It's the kind of signing that we needed to make.

"Joe is someone I have known for a long time from playing with England. He is a great lad to have around the squad, he mixes well and is a lively character - he's also an outstanding footballer.

"In the modern game, you need forwards that can function in two or three different positions and Joe will do that, no problem at all. He can play on the right, through the middle or on the left."

Meanwhile, Hodgson hopes Cole's impact will buoy the club's fans as well as players.

"I am pleased to get the player because it is very important to try to improve our squad as much as we can in order to reach the high goals we have set ourselves," said Hodgson.

"It is also pleasing the reaction of the fans has been as positive as our reaction, so at the moment that is perfect.

"Now it is up to Joe to show on the field he is the right man."

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.