Yossi Benayoun officially became a Liverpool player Thursday after passing a medical and signing a four-year contract worth 46,000 pounds sterling a week.

The Israel captain will wear the No. 11 shirt and will be presented by manager Rafa Benitez today.

Benayoun is expected to debut for his new team, which paid West Ham 5 million pounds for his services, in a friendly against Werder Bremen on Tuesday next week.

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"Yossi wanted to play for Liverpool from the start and agreed immediately to Liverpool's offer," said Benayoun's agent, Ronen Katsav.

"The negotiations with West Ham were tough and protracted, but I'm happy that in the end everything worked out for the best," the agent said.

Meanwhile, Liverpool Thursday also completed the 11.5million pound transfer of Ajax Amsterdam's Holland Under-21 international forward Ryan Babel.

The 20-year-old, a product of the Amsterdam club's youth system, made his debut for Ajax aged 17 in February 2004 and has scored 24 goals in 111 matches.