Liverpool seal loan deal for Cissokho

13:06 04/12/2013
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  • Liverpool may be set to lose out to Tottenham in the race to sign Willian, but there was at least some good news for the club's fans on Tuesday night as Aly Cissokho joined on a season-long loan.

    The French left-back, capped once by his country, arrives at Anfield from Valencia to become Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers' fifth new addition of a busy summer.

    He joins Belgian goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, Ivorian centre-back Kolo Toure and Spanish forwards Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas at Anfield as Rodgers eyes a sustained push for a Champions League spot this season.

    Cissokho, who made his name at Porto before joining Lyon and then Valencia last year, could make his debut against Aston Villa this coming weekend. And the Frenchman, who will wear the No20 shirt, can't wait to get started.

    "I feel extremely proud to be here and I'm proud of all the hard work I've put in so far throughout my career. I've always dreamt of one day signing for a really legendary club. I've been lucky enough to play for a few top sides and so to now get the chance to play for a club like Liverpool, it's just fantastic.

    "I've always said, along with a lot of other French players, that I really love the English league, and although I've been fortunate enough to have played at some big clubs, in the back of my mind, I've always wanted to play in England.

    "It's really pleasing when a club like Liverpool shows interest in you, and when that interest becomes more serious, you really can't wait for the move to go through. Now that the transfer has been completed, I'm really happy.

    "I hope to feature in as many games as possible, I know it's going to be quite tough and I need to get to work as soon as possible as pre-season is over and we are into the league programme."

    Cissokho has fond memories of the last time he played at Anfield as he was a member of the Lyon side that won 2-1 win in the Champions League group stage in 2009.

    He added: "I was fortunate enough to play at Anfield and it was a really special occasion for me. I have some great memories of that night. Although it was us that grabbed the win, it still remains a good memory.

    "We'd been preparing for that game for four or five days before, on the outskirts of Liverpool at a golf hotel in Formby and, of course, a game against Liverpool at Anfield was something special for myself and the whole team.

    "Although we knew it was going to be tough, we managed to win, and so that made it an even bigger occasion for us, as did the special atmosphere of the crowd – so typical of England and especially Liverpool.

    "The Champions League is a competition that you dream of taking part in and I think that a club like Liverpool richly deserves to be involved in it because of the quality of its players and the atmosphere and quality of its stadium.

    "Champions League nights at Liverpool are the kind of games that are really special for the players in any away team coming to Anfield, and that's why Liverpool very much deserve to be a part of that competition."

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