Meireles scored for Portugal against North Korea at the World Cup (UK only)

Liverpool have signed Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles on a four-year deal from Porto.

The Reds have paid 14m euros (£11.5m) for the 27-year-old who has 38 caps.

The Portuguese is a combative player and is seen as a natural replacement for Javier Mascherano, who is poised to complete a move to Barcelona.

"Liverpool are a historic club and I am happy for the move. Roy Hodgson was key because he worked so hard to get me," Meireles told the Liverpool website.

"It has been a long time coming but finally I have achieved my dream of playing in England."

Meireles has joined Milan Jovanovic, Joe Cole, Christian Poulsen, Jonjo Shelvey and Danny Wilson in moving to Anfield this summer.

606: DEBATE Is Meireles a good signing for Liverpool?

He played in all four of his country's games at the 2010 World Cup finals - Portugal succumbed to eventual winners Spain in the last 16 in South Africa.

In six years at Porto, the former Boavista and Aves player won four Portuguese league titles.

Reds boss Roy Hodgson has swooped for Meireles after the Anfield club agreed a fee, believed to £17.25m, with Barca for Argentina captain Javier Mascherano.

Hodgson's midfield options have been further depleted by the departure of Italian Alberto Aquilani to Juventus on a year-long loan deal.

Meanwhile, Hodgson is also believed to be on the verge of taking left-back Paul Konchesky from his previous club Fulham, and has been strongly linked with PSV Eindhoven's Swedish striker Ola Toivonen.

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