11. Yossi Benayoun

Position: Attacking midfielder
Squad number: 11
Date of birth: 5.5.80.
Birth place: Dimona, Israel
Former clubs: Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Ajax, Maccabi Haifa, Racing de Santander, West Ham United
Transfer fee: £5m

Israeli international Yossi Benayoun was unveiled as a Liverpool player alongside fellow midfielder Ryan Babel on the 13th of July 2007, joining the Reds from West Ham for a fee of £5m.

The attacking midfielder is noted for his flair and creativity but also has tremendous goal scoring ability, with over 100 career goals to his name- 12 of those at international level.

Benayoun was something of a child superstar in his home country, starting out at Hapoel Be’er Sheva and quickly gaining the attention of foreign suitors.

The player met with criticism at the age of just 16 when he turned down a career with Dutch giants Ajax after finding it difficult to adjust to life in Amsterdam, preferring to return to Israel.

Benayoun had joined the Ajax youth team at the age of 15, becoming the team’s top scorer but ultimately rejecting the four-year professional contract placed in front of him.

Following his Ajax exit, Benayoun spent a season at Israeli side Hapoel Be’er before moving to one of the country’s top teams, Maccabi Haifa.  The player spent four seasons at the club, scoring 55 goals and displaying the kind of creativity and flair which caught the attention of La Liga side Racing de Santander.

The Spanish side brought him to their club in 2003, where he would stay for three seasons, netting 21 goals in 101 appearances.

His solid performances for both Santander and his national side would generate a flurry of interest, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United all being touted as possible future employers of Benayoun for the 2005-2006 season.

It was West Ham who won the race to sign the midfielder, bringing him to Upton Park for a fee of £2.5m.  With a growing reputation as one of the best right-flankers in the Premiership, Banayoun helped the Hammers to a 9th place league finish and all the way to the FA Cup final against Liverpool, which the London side lost following an agonising penalty shootout.

Following West Ham’s controversial 2006-2007 campaign, which saw them fined more than £5m over the transfers of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano and narrowly escape relegation, Benayoun was once more linked to other clubs.

This time Liverpool emerged as the front runners to sign the player, bringing him to Anfield on a four-deal for a fee of £5m in July 2007.  He made his first start for Liverpool in a Champions League qualifier against French side Toulouse.

The midfielder has represented Israel since the 1996 European Under-16 championship and has risen to captain the national side, making over 50 appearances for his country.