All you need to know about Reds' latest recruit

Liverpool - Jose Enrique is following in the footsteps of Didi Hamann

By Emdad Rahman

Original article - José Enrique Sánchez Díaz looks set to finally bring to an end one of the longest running stories of the transfer window by joining Liverpool from Newcastle.

Enrique thus becomes the latest Kop hero as Kenny Dalglish slots him into his jigsaw to fill the role covered by Glen Johnson and left void by the sale of Paul Konchesky to Leicester City.

Here's a few interesting sound bites regarding Liverpool's newest star...

-Liverpool's new purchase hasn't taken the picturesque route. Although a star athlete, he wasn't a football prodigy and had to grind down and fashion a career from the lower doldrums of the Spanish league.

-Enrique's nickname is El Toro (The Bull).

-Enrique's athletic prowess, body strength and rocket pace singled him out for sports stardom from a very young age, representing the Benimaclet running club in his native Valencia.

-Aged 16, Enrique turned down a sprinting career with Spain at the Olympics to join third division Levante.

-Scarce first team chances at Levante led to a showdown with the coach Jose Luis Oltra, who said the young full back would get his chance only when the regular left back was red carded. The moment arrived days later and Enrique sprinted to grab his chance tight - he hasn't looked back since.

-At Valencia Enrique's relationship with Quique Sanchez Florez was not the best, and he made no appearances at the Mestalla before being loaned out to Celta Vigo.

-Diego Placete was in pole position with Los Celestes, so once again Enrique was farmed out to Villarreal where he joined Joan Capdevila. It was his form at El Madrigal that led to European scouts beating a path to Villarreal.

-Sam Allardyce beat off stiff competition from Manchester City and Liverpool to bring the Spaniard to England for Newcastle.

-Despite being an attacking wing back, Enrique is hardly prolific, netting one goal in England against Nottingham Forest in the Championship last year.

-Liverpool's newest recruit has represented Spain at Under 16, 20, and 21 levels.

-Enrique is seen as a successor to Joan Capdevila in Vicente Del Bosque's Spain set up. Last year Pep Guardiola considered taking Enrique to the Nou Camp as cover for Eric Abidal.

- Enrique is as yet to play for the full Spanish national team.

If the Spaniard makes half the impact as Dietmar Hamann did after his move from Newcastle to Liverpool he will have been a resounding success at Anfield Road.