Kromkamp set to join Liverpool

Dutch defender Jan Kromkamp is on the brink of completing his move to Liverpool having agreed personal terms at Anfield.

Reds boss Rafael Benitez had agreed a deal with Villarreal which would see Josemi move in the opposite direction, but it required both players being in favour.

Josemi has agreed personal terms on a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Spanish club, and the transfers are now subject to both players passing their medicals in the early part of next week

Liverpool club spokesman Ian Cotton confirmed on club website www.liverpoolfc.tv: “In principle we have reached an agreement and hope the transfer can be concluded next week.”

Kromkamp now looks almost certain to become Benitez’s first signing of 2006, and he will provide added competition for Steve Finnan at right-back.

Josemi, 26, did not push Finnan for his place as much as Benitez might have liked, with injury partly the cause, and considers himself ready for a fresh start in the Primera Liga, 18 months since leaving Malaga for Merseyside.

Earlier Benitez revealed how language problems have prompted the surprise transaction.

Kromkamp, 25, has struggled to settle with the Spanish club since his summer move from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.

Benitez said: “We have an agreement with Villarreal, and if we can get an agreement with both the players then we will swap them.

“Josemi is a right-back with some problems here with English, and Kromkamp has problems with Spanish at his new club.

“Maybe this swap will be good for both of them. Josemi is happy here, he is a good professional, but he sometimes prefers to talk in Spanish and to do that when he is with the Spanish players here.

“Kromkamp has the same problem at Villarreal with the Spanish language.

“He is a strong full-back, aggressive and offensive. He can play as a full-back or a wing-back.”

Kromkamp has played in the Champions League this season, and will be remembered in Manchester for the incident when United defender Gabriel Heinze was injured playing in a group match earlier this season.

Benitez said of Kromkamp: “It is very difficult to play in another country and he has had trouble learning Spanish.

“He is maybe too offensive for a defender there because they need to strengthen at the back.

“Josemi has improved his English, but for him and his family it has been difficult. Kromkamp has the same problems because I think 100% of the team at Villarreal only talk Spanish, no English, and that has been really difficult for him.”

Liverpool’s former Valencia boss conceded he is still searching for a centre-back to strengthen his squad.

“I still need to strengthen in the centre of defence, we have four or five options we are considering,” said Benitez.

“It is always difficult in the transfer window, but in January more so. Teams are settled and playing and if you want someone who is doing well for his team it is very difficult to buy them.

“Good players are at big clubs and that is hard. You can only look for players at smaller clubs.”