Liverpool sign Roma goalkeeper Doni

Posted Saturday, July 16, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

LONDON (AFP) - Liverpool signed Brazilian goalkeeper Alexander Doni from Roma on a free transfer on Friday.

Doni completed his move to Anfield after agreeing personal terms with the Premier League club and passing a medical.

The 31-year-old will act as understudy to the Reds' Spanish custodian Jose Reina.

Director of football Damien Comolli admitted it was essential to sign a more experienced deputy for Reina.

"We are delighted to sign Doni," Comolli told Liverpool's website. "We are getting a very experienced goalkeeper who is used to handling the pressure of big games and international matches with Brazil.

"He had a very good end of last season with Roma, so we are very pleased.

"When you come here and know you will be a number two behind Pepe, what's important for us is the attitude and mentality off the pitch and in the changing room.

"He's got to be supportive of the number one but also be aggressive enough to push the number one on a daily basis, and I think Doni represents all that.

"When we approached him the first time, obviously he wanted to be a number one somewhere, but he said Liverpool Football Club is such a big club that if he wanted to come as a number two then he would come."

Doni, who has 10 caps for his country, made 179 appearances for Roma in six seasons in Italy during which time he won the Italian Cup twice.

He is Liverpool's third close-season signing after the captures of Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson and Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam.

Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing should be the next major arrival after Liverpool's £20 million offer for the England international was accepted earlier this week.