Liverpool move fast to sign Raul Meireles from Porto

Liverpool have moved quickly to replace Javier Mascherano by agreeing a £10.7m package with Porto tonight for the Portugal international Raul Meireles.

Meireles, one of Portugal's more impressive players at the World Cup, is understood to have agreed personal terms and, if everything goes to plan, the deal will be completed over the weekend, dependent on the 27-year-old passing a medical examination.

The transfer was rushed through this evening after Mascherano finally got his wish to leave Anfield, joining Barcelona in a £20m deal that freed up the money for Liverpool to bring in a cheaper replacement.

Meireles is available for a low fee because he only has two years of his contract left and Porto have been trying to sell him rather than risk losing him on a free transfer in the future.

The player has been prominently linked with Manchester United over the past month but does not fit into the club's policy under the Glazer family of not signing players for big money if they are aged 26 or above, Dimitar Berbatov being the exception to the rule.

Liverpool do not operate with such restrictions and the manager Roy Hodgson will hope Meireles can make his debut in the league game at Birmingham City on 12 September.

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