BRENDAN RODGERS welcomed Joe Allen to Liverpool last night and said: “He’s so
good you’d think he was Spanish.”

The midfielder moved from Swansea in a £15million deal that will see his wages
treble to £45,000 a week.

And new boss Rodgers insisted: “This boy, when you see him play you’d think he
was Spanish, a real European player. I would have paid many more millions
for this kid.

“He’s unique in that he is a British player who just does not give the ball
away. You will see the difference he can make.

“He’s incredible on the ball, his body work is very intelligent, for a
22-year-old it’s frightening.

“Joe’s game understanding is very, very good and he is in love with the
football, he loves it, he wants it all the time.

“He has so much courage to get on the ball and play and I think he will fit in
really, really well with all the other players.”

Allen was at Anfield on Thursday night to see the Reds cruise past Belarus
minnows FC Gomel.

Liverpool now face a Europa League play-off against Hearts.

Reds new-boy Allen has no doubts Rodgers — his boss at Swansea last term — is
the ideal man to bring the glory days back to the club.

Allen insisted: “That’s one of the reasons I’m here. I wanted to be part of
this project, his project.

“I’ve really got a good feeling — as I’m sure all the players have — that this
club is going to go from strength to strength in the coming seasons.”

Rodgers is already planning to open the chequebook again.

Fulham’s Clint Dempsey remains on the radar, while he plans to bring in either
Manchester City winger Adam Johnson or Arsenal’s Theo Walcott.

Rodgers added: “We’ve work to do in the market.”