LIVERPOOL legend Alan Hansen believes boss Roy Hodgson has pulled off a major coup with the signing of Raul Meireles.

The Portugal midfielder made the switch from Porto in a £11.5million deal last month and could make his debut against Birmingham City at St Andrew’s on Sunday.

Hansen is confident the new signing can provide Liverpool with the same kind of attacking spark that Terry McDermott produced in the 1970s.

Kop favourite McDermott netted 81 goals in 329 appearances for the club between 1974 and 1982.

“They can’t be compared directly, but the closest thing we had to Meireles when I was at Liverpool would have been Terry McDermott,” Hansen said.

“Terry Mac was probably better technically, but he was the same type of energetic box to box midfielder who would start the build-up on the edge of our box and 10 seconds later would be at the other end of the pitch putting the ball in the net.

“I’d be stood there thinking ‘Christ, where has he come from?’

“That’s the sort of thing we’ve been looking for – someone who can go from being in a defensive position to ghosting into the other penalty area as a move builds up – and I believe Meireles can do that job.”