Transfer news: Liverpool complete season-long loan of Valencia defender Aly Cissokho

Frenchman will provide competition for Jose Enrique and will bring significant Champions League experience to Brendan Rodgers squad

Aly Cissokho has signed a season-long loan deal with Liverpool (GETTY IMAGES)

Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Valencia defender Aly Cissoko on a season-long loan-deal, once all the correct paperwork has been completed.

The 25-year-old Frenchman has been training with the club after he underwent a medical earlier this week, and he brings Champions League experience having playing in the premier European tournament with Porto, Lyon and Valencia.

Reds’ manager Brendan Rodgers was keen to bring in a left-back to compete with current defender Jose Enrique, while Glen Johnson has also appeared there on occasion.

Cissokho spoke to the club’s official club website of his delight at completing a move to what he feels is a “legendary club”.

"I feel extremely proud to be here and I'm proud of all the hard work I've put in so far throughout my career," he said.

"I've always dreamt of one day signing for a really legendary club. I've been lucky enough to play for a few top sides and so to now get the chance to play for a club like Liverpool, it's just fantastic.

"I've always said, along with a lot of other French players, that I really love the English league, and although I've been fortunate enough to have played at some big clubs, in the back of my mind, I've always wanted to play in England.

"It's really pleasing when a club like Liverpool shows interest in you, and when that interest becomes more serious, you really can't wait for the move to go through. Now that the transfer has been completed, I'm really happy.

"I hope to feature in as many games as possible. I know it's going to be quite tough and I need to get to work as soon as possible as pre-season is over and we are into the league programme."

Cissokho actually played against Liverpool back in October 2009 when he was part of a Lyon side that triumphed over the Reds with a late goal securing a 2-1 victory in the Champions League group stages.

The one-cap France international has echoed Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard’s comments that the club need to return to Europe’s elite having failed to qualify for the tournament since the 2009-10 season.

"I was fortunate enough to play at Anfield and it was a really special occasion for me,” admitted Cissokho. “I have some great memories of that night. Although it was us that grabbed the win, it still remains a good memory.

"We'd been preparing for that game for four or five days before, on the outskirts of Liverpool at a golf hotel in Formby and, of course, a game against Liverpool at Anfield was something special for myself and the whole team.

"Although we knew it was going to be tough, we managed to win, and so that made it an even bigger occasion for us, as did the special atmosphere of the crowd - so typical of England and especially Liverpool.

"The Champions League is a competition that you dream of taking part in and I think that a club like Liverpool richly deserves to be involved in it because of the quality of its players and the atmosphere and quality of its stadium.

"Champions League nights at Liverpool are the kind of games that are really special for the players in any away team coming to Anfield, and that's why Liverpool very much deserve to be a part of that competition."