JAVIER MASCHERANO

Midfield enforcer Javier Mascherano signed from West Ham in February 2007.

Since then his dynamic style has established him as a Kop favourite and one of the first names on Rafa Benitez's teamsheet.

The Argentina captain has quite a pedigree having come through the ranks at South American giants River Plate.

Such was his potential, he earned a first international call-up before kicking a ball for his club. Mascherano made his Argentina debut against Uruguay in July 2003. The following summer brought Olympic glory in Athens, a trick he'd repeat in Beijing four years later to become the first Argentinean to win two gold medals.

Back on the domestic front, Mascherano joined Brazilian club Corinthians in July 2005, helping them to win the Campeonato Brasileiro in his first season.

From there he travelled to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where his performances led to links with several of Europe's top clubs.

It was West Ham who eventually clinched Mascherano's signature alongside compatriot Carlos Tevez in August 2006, though his time in east London was troubled at best.

After featuring just seven times in six months, he jumped at the opportunity to try his luck on Merseyside.

Despite the presence of Momo Sissoko, Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, the new boy quickly established himself as a regular in the Liverpool midfield.

Mascherano made his debut against Sheffield United on February 24, 2007 and three months later won fans' man of the match for his performance in the Champions League final.

While goals are not his forte, he did bag two in the summer of 2007 to help Argentina win the Copa America. A first for Liverpool arrived against Reading in March 2008.

Eight months later Mascherano was handed the captain's armband for his country by new boss Diego Maradona, who once described the midfielder as a 'monster' of a player.

What he lacks in height, he makes up for in power, and the sight of our number 20 thundering across the field to recover possession is as familiar to the Kop as a Fernando Torres goal or a last-ditch tackle from Jamie Carragher.

RYAN BABEL

Explosive winger Ryan Babel joined the Reds in July 2007 in a deal worth more than £10million.

The Dutch international is a product of the famous Ajax youth academy, which he joined aged 11.

By the time he was 17 he was deemed ready for first-team action, resulting in a debut against ADO Den Haag in February 2004.

Just over a year later Babel won his first international cap against Romania when he came on as a substitute for former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben. Holland won the game 2-0, with the new boy bagging himself a goal. At just 18 years and 97 days, the strike made him his country's youngest scorer in 68 years.

Despite featuring at senior level, Babel was still eligible for the Under 20s' World Cup in June 2005, at which he scored two goals.

From there, he was part of Marco van Basten's 23-man squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, though made only one substitute appearance against Argentina in the group stages.

In June 2007, the winger was one of the stars as Holland Under-21s won the European Championships on home soil. His two goals included one in the final against Serbia, helping him scoop man of the match.

Babel, who can play on either wing or up front, left Ajax with a record of 14 goals in 73 Eredivisie outings.

His Reds debut came on August 11, 2007 when he appeared as a second-half substitute against Aston Villa.

It wasn't long before our new number 19 was hitting the back of the net, making two Derby County defenders look silly before lashing home at the Anfield Road end on September 1.

Another nine goals followed in a satisfying first year including an audacious flick in an 8-0 Champions League drubbing of Besiktas.

Sadly, just as he was poised to set Euro 2008 alight with Holland, Babel was forced into the treatment room. An ankle ligament injury sustained in training brought with it the heartache of missing Austria and Switzerland.

ALVARO ARBELOA

Versatile defender Alvaro Arbeloa was brought to Anfield in January 2007.

The Spaniard started out at Real Zaragoza before being lured by Real Madrid aged 16.

The Spanish capital was where he first worked with Rafa Benitez, who was then youth team coach at the Bernabeu.

Arbeloa made his full debut for Madrid against Real Betis in October 2004, but managed just one further appearance in the next two years.

By July 2006, the time had come to move on. His destination was northern Spain and Deportivo La Coruna.

Little did he know, however, that within six months he'd be on his way to the Premiership.

It took just 21 appearances at Depor to convince Benitez that Arbeloa was the man to challenge Steve Finnan for the right-back slot at Anfield.

The defender, who represented Spain at every youth level, made his Reds debut as a substitute against Newcastle on February 10.

This was followed by a first start in the Nou Camp, where Arbeloa was deployed as a left-back. It proved a tactical masterstroke on the part of Benitez as the new boy excelled, thwarting Barca starlet Lionel Messi and helping the Reds return home with an unlikely 2-1 lead. The trick was repeated two weeks later and Liverpool were through to the quarter-finals of the European Cup.

The full-back featured 14 times in his first six months on Merseyside, scoring once against Reading and coming on as a late sub in the Champions League final.

Arbeloa's club form finally brought international recognition in March 2008 when he came on with 15 minutes to go as Spain recorded a friendly victory over world champions Italy. Three months later he was part of the squad which triumphed in Euro 2008, though started just one game.

FABIO AURELIO

Left-back Fabio Aurelio became the first Brazilian to sign for Liverpool in July 2006.

The number 12 has immense technical ability but his Anfield career has so far been blighted by injury.

Aurelio came through the ranks at Sao Paulo, making his first-team debut in 1997.

He represented Brazil at under-17, under-20 and under-21 level, as well as at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

The defender moved to Spanish side Valencia in 2000, working under manager Hector Cuper for a year until Rafa Benitez took the reins.

The 2001-02 season saw Aurelio help Valencia win their first title in 31 years.

From there he established himself as one of La Liga's best left-backs, bagging 10 goals during the 2002-03 campaign.

The following year brought another league title as well as the UEFA Cup, though a broken leg meant the Brazilian defender managed just two games.

Having fulfilled his six-year contract at the Mestalla, Aurelio joined Liverpool on a Bosman free in July 2006.

He made his debut as a substitute in the Community Shield victory over Chelsea on August 13, though a series of injuries would restrict him to 25 games in his first year on Merseyside.

The full-back's season was ended prematurely when he ruptured his Achilles' tendon during a Champions League quarter-final victory over PSV.

After five frustrating months on the sidelines, Aurelio made his comeback as a second-half substitute when Liverpool opened their 2007-08 European campaign in Porto.

A string of impressive performances followed until injury once again meant he saw out the campaign in the treatment room.

ALBERT RIERA

Spanish winger Albert Riera arrived from Espanyol in September 2008.

The left sider had a point to prove in English football following an unspectacular loan spell at Man City in 2005-06 - and he wasted no time convincing the Kop.

An impressive debut in a 2-1 victory over Man Utd on September 13 was followed a few weeks later with a first goal against Wigan Athletic.

Riera began his career with Real Mallorca before trying his luck in France with Bordeaux for two years.

He returned to Spain with Espanyol in 2005 where, after his City loan, he wowed fans with his traditional brand of wingplay.

Like teammate Steven Gerrard, Riera can boast a goal in a UEFA Cup final. However, unlike Stevie, it was a bitter-sweet occasion for the winger, with Espanyol losing on penalties to Seville in 2007.

Riera marked his international debut with a goal against Denmark in October 2007.

ROBBIE KEANE

Irish striker Robbie Keane has been tearing Premier League defences apart for years - now he's doing so with a Liverbird on his chest.

The boyhood Red arrived at Anfield in July 2008 in what was his sixth major move since starting out with South Dublin side Crumlin United as a schoolboy.

Fourteen years before joining the Rafalution, Keane chose Wolverhampton Wanderers over Liverpool in order to gain first-team experience. The decision seemed justified when, in 1997 and aged just 17, he burst onto the scene with a raft of spectacular goals which were usually followed by a trademark cartwheel celebration.

It was no surprise when Premiership side Coventry City agreed to fork out £6million in 1999 - then a British record for a teenager. A tally of 12 goals in 34 games for the Highfield Road club soon made Keane one of the hottest properties in football; someone with the ability to turn a game with a sublime touch of brilliance.

Even so, one or two eyebrows were raised when Marcelo Lippi, manager of Italian giants Inter Milan, offered £13million for his services in 2000. The Republic of Ireland skipper would team up with Ronaldo and Christian Vieri in Serie A, though the move was to turn sour when Lippi was sacked.

A loan to Leeds United was arranged in December 2000, where nine goals in 14 games persuaded David O'Leary to write a cheque for £12million. Unfortunately, Keane's arrival at Elland Road coincided with a growing financial crisis, and he was to join the exodus of stars in 2002 with a £7million transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.

Over the next few years the prodigious talent finally settled, tallying an impressive 107 goals in 253 appearances and becoming a firm fans' favourite. So good was his form in February 2006 that Inter president Massimo Moratti admitted his regret at letting Keane go.

Three months before departing for Merseyside he won his first senior honour as a player after helping Spurs beat Chelsea in the League Cup final.

Keane made his competitive debut for Liverpool in a Champions League qualifier against Standard Liege on August 13, 2008.

He had to wait 11 games for his first goal, which came at Anfield against PSV on October 1.

As well as excelling on the club stage, our new number seven also has an impressive international CV.

The frontman was part of the Irish side which triumphed in the 1998 European U18 Championships just months after making his senior bow against the Czech Republic.

A first international goal came against Malta in October 1998 and he famously scored a last-minute equaliser against Germany in the 2002 World Cup, one of three in the tournament.

Keane, who was handed the captain's armband in 2006, is now the Republic's all-time record scorer ahead of Niall Quinn.

Daniel Agger

Daniel Agger is a cultured centre-back who arrived from Brondby IF for a fee of approximately £5million in January 2006.

The Denmark international is now firmly established in Rafa Benitez's first team, with his ability on the ball allowing Liverpool to build from the back.

Agger made his professional breakthrough for Brondby in 2004 and, under the guidance of club captain Per Nielsen, quickly developed into a classy defender with a maturity beyond his years.

In December 2004 he won the Spillerforeningen Talent of the Year award (the Danish equivalent of PFA Young Player of the Year), which he retained in 2005.

By the end of his debut season he was clutching Danish Cup and Superliga medals, and it was no surprise when, in June 2005, Agger won his first cap in a friendly with Finland. A few months later he excelled against Wayne Rooney and England before scoring his first international goal in a World Cup qualifier against Georgia.

A move abroad seemed inevitable, with the north-west of England his chosen destination in January 2006.

Denmark's most expensive export made his Reds debut against Birmingham on February 1, though injury meant his first few months on Merseyside were spent largely on the sidelines.

The 2006-07 campaign saw Agger force his way into the starting XI, and he even won PFA Player of the Month for September.

A 35-yard belter against West Ham did his kudos no harm, with the strike winning Liverpoolfc.tv's Goal of the Season.

The highlight of his first full campaign came in the Champions League semi-final second leg versus Chelsea, when his left-foot strike took the game to penalties. Agger went on to play 90 minutes in the final against AC Milan.

A metatarsal break left the popular defender on the sidelines for a large chunk of 2007-08 but there was some joy when Denmark's top players and managers voted him Player of the Year for the first time.