Liverpool have officially completed the signing of Luis Suarez from Ajax for a fee of around €27 (£23) million.
After a transfer deadline day which saw the headlines stolen by the moves involving Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll, the lack of confirmation over Suarez’s switch fell under the radar.
However, the deal has now been confirmed late on Monday, with the 24-year-old signing a five-and-a-half-year deal after agreeing personal terms, passing a medical and being granted a work permit.
A statement on the club’s website read: "The club agreed a fee of up to 26.5million Euros with Ajax for the transfer of the Uruguayan international on Friday.
"The deal was subject to the completion of a medical, which the player has now passed.
"Luis Suarez will wear the No.7 shirt for Liverpool."
The Uruguay forward is set to partner £35m British transfer record signing Andy Carroll in a new-look strike-force under Kenny Dalglish.
Suarez rose to global prominence by sensationally scoring 49 goals in all competitions for Ajax during the 2009-10 season – 35 of which arrived in the Eredivisie from just 33 league matches.
He built on that during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, netting three times for his country as they embarked on a surprise run to the semi-finals.
However, he will be best remembered for his deliberate goal-line handball in the quarter-final against Ghana, which denied the Africans a last-minute winning goal and saw him sent off.
Asamoah Gyan went on to miss the resulting penalty to allow the South Americans to subsequently progress on penalties. At the time, his action and subsequent celebration saw the incident billed as ‘the hand of the devil’.
Since then, the player has continued his fine form in the Netherlands, with the prolific front-man netting 111 goals in 159 official matches for the club overall since joining in 2007.
Liverpool fans will be hoping his proven goalscoring can help compensate for the loss of Fernando Torres to Chelsea.
Suarez has been handed the No.7 shirt at Anfield, which has been vacant since the departure of Robbie Keane back to Tottenham in 2009.
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