Luis Suarez is set to become a Liverpool player in the coming hours once the paperwork involved has been completed, Kenny Dalglish has revealed.
The manager started his pre-Stoke press conference with a statement about potential transfers on deadline day.
Regarding Suarez, he said: "We'll be able to tell you more once the paperwork is completed and also once he gets his work permit, which will hopefully be today. It should be a formality. It's not a financial discussion, it's just clerical.
"I think he is a top player. He is a fantastic goalscorer. He's a good leader and he was captain of Ajax, which is unusual for a forward to be captain. That tells us something really positive about the lad.
"He will come here and we'll try and get him playing the way he played at Ajax. If he got 35 goals at Ajax, surely he has a chance of scoring some goals here as well."
Meanwhile, Dalglish explained how the club had nothing to add to a statement issued on this website on Friday that Fernando Torres had submitted a written transfer request which was rejected by the club.
He said: "With regards to Fernando, it's the same as what the club statement was two or three days ago. We will stick to that and we won't be adding to that.
"Our supporters deserve to be told. But I think our supporters deserve to be told definitive news rather than speculative stuff."
Though he wouldn't be pressed on specifics regarding Torres, Dalglish was adamant when he talked in general terms that no player was more important than Liverpool Football Club.
He said: "Movement is part and parcel of football. I wouldn't be here if there were no transfers. I started off at Celtic. There are many people who've started off at clubs and moved on. And certainly if Kevin (Keegan) hadn't gone I wouldn't have come here.
"Throughout the history of football people have moved on. But the most important thing that we all must remember is that this football club is much more important and bigger than anybody."
Dalglish added: "I don't think we've done too badly. Rushie went in 87/88 and there was a train of thought after that that we had the greatest ever Liverpool team and one of the most attractive to watch.
"Rushie enjoyed Italy that much he came back a year later!
"There are players who have gone but there are an awful lot of players who've come in and been fantastic for this football club.
"The most important people at Liverpool Football Club are the people who want to be here."
Dalglish was also eager for speculation surrounding Torres's future not to overshadow the deal to bring Luis Suarez to Anfield.
He said: "We have to make sure that Luis Suarez, who is a fantastic footballer, is given due credit for coming in and the owners are given due credit for putting their hand in their pocket. Don't let that be lost with everything else that has gone on.
"He's someone who's been on our radar for a while and someone who can only add to this club. I am sure he's someone who can excite many, many supporters.
"The owners have been absolutely fantastic in their support during the transfer window. Our reassurance for the supporters out there is that they are really determined to get the club moving forward and I think a great indication of that is the signing of Luis Suarez."
In other news, Dalglish explained how Daniel Ayala and Paul Konchesky had left on loan deals.
He said: "Paul Konchesky has gone on loan to Nottingham Forest. It's an emergency loan and will also allow the lad to get some games in, and that will be to everybody's benefit - to Paul and ourselves.
"Daniel Ayala will be going to Derby on loan, which will be fantastic for him - a great experience and he will get him some games as well after his recent injury.
"There is as good a chance of us getting someone else in as there is someone going out. The owners have been fantastically supportive.
"There is money available if we want to bring someone else in. The money is there. Their support has been unbelievable.
"It's not a PR exercise either, it's a real determination from them to step forward and move Liverpool Football Club forwards and upwards.
"We're going to look after ourselves first and foremost. Is that not the same in any business? If someone's going to go you've got to have a replacement."
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