JOE COLE will pocket a whopping £19MILLION at Liverpool.

The England midfielder has signed a four-year deal worth £90,000 a week.

Cole, 28, gets the No 7 shirt - the same as Reds icon Kenny Dalglish - after leaving Chelsea as a free agent this summer.

Anfield skipper Steven Gerrard is a massive fan.

He said: "Joe's as good as Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo on the ball and he'll give any player a run for their money when it comes to tricks."

Kop legend Ian Rush added: "It's fantastic news for the club.

"Skill-wise, Joe is the best in England - there is no one better."

Cole becomes new boss Roy Hodgson's first signing and is due to undergo a medical this morning in Switzerland.

Hodgson has promised he will make signing more English players a priority as part of his Liverpool masterplan.

Schemer Cole, who is desperate to play in a more central role, snubbed an offer from Champions League rookies Tottenham and interest from Arsenal to plump for the Reds following weekend talks with Hodgson.

Liverpool finished just seventh in the league last season but Hodgson lured Cole to Anfield with his vision for the future.

Chelsea withdrew their offer of a new contract for Cole some months ago and he was officially released before flying out to the World Cup with England.

Ironically, Liverpool's £5.5m sale of playmaker Yossi Benayoun to Chelsea cleared the way for his free-transfer move.

Source: The Sun