Kyrgiakos lined up by Liverpool

Liverpool FC have agreed a fee, believed to be in the region of €2m, for AEK Athens FC defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos, with the 30-year-old expected to undergo medical tests in Merseyside before the weekend.

Injured defenders
Manager Rafael Benítez said: "We have nearly done the deal subject to a medical. He is a player with experience who can hopefully help us." Liverpool are eager to sign a central defender before their Premier League game against Aston Villa FC on Monday, with both Daniel Agger and Martin Škrtel injured.

Rangers experience
Kyrgiakos started his career at Panathinaikos FC before moving to Scotland in 2005 and spending 18 months at Rangers FC. Two seasons with Eintracht Frankfurt followed, but the 50-times capped international returned to Greece to join AEK in the summer of 2008.The Reds will play in the UEFA Champions League group stage this season, possibly giving Kyrgiakos the chance to play in Europe's top club competition for the first time since reaching the first knockout round with Rangers in 2005/06.