RIERA DESPERATE FOR ANFIELD BOW

Albert Riera has spoken of his excitement at the prospect of pulling on a red jersey at Anfield.

The Spain international will join up with his new teammates tomorrow and could get his Liverpool debut in one of domestic football's biggest fixtures when Manchester United visit Merseyside on September 13. The 26-year-old said: "I cannot wait to see Anfield and start there. Not only is it a club with a lot of history, but they have great players and a coach who everybody talks very highly of." Having started his career with Real Mallorca, Riera then joined French side Bordeaux for two years before signing for Espanyol in 2005, where apart from a stint on loan at Manchester City in 2006, he has largely been a first-team regular. Riera added: "When I arrived at Espanyol I was a kid and now I've progressed as a player at the same time the team has progressed. "Thanks to Espanyol I've become a full international and now an opportunity has opened itself for me to take a very big step. Liverpool are a club where you are always obliged to play to win. "I always said that if I left it would be for the best of both parties and to go to a great team. That is the case and I think everybody understands that my departure has been so I can continue growing."