Liverpool will soon sign Birmingham City winger Jermaine Pennant after Liverpool and Seville could not agree a deal for Brazilian winger Daniel Alves.

The 23-year old was once a target for former reds manager Gérard Houllier and was set to sign before Gérard left the club.

Rumours of a move to Anfield have been circulating all summer and Birmingham City placed a fee in the region of £5m on his head in the hope of warning off possible suitors. However Birmingham City are believed to owe Liverpool between £1 and £2m from the fee they agreed when Emile Heskey left Anfield to join the Midlands club.

Jermaine has had a rather chequered past and during his days on loan at Birmingham City from Arsenal he was jailed for 3 months after being found guilty of drink driving. He was released after 30 days and played his first few games with an electronic tag attached to his ankle, including an eye-catching performance in a 2-0 win against Liverpool at St. Andrews.

He started his career for Notts County but was soon on his way to London as Arsenal paid £2m for him as soon as he turned 16. He only made a handful of appearances for the Gunners and found himself on loan at Watford ? twice, Leeds United and Birmingham City, before the Blues signed him on a permanent basis.

His move to Anfield will give us our second pacy signing in a matter of weeks after Craig Bellamy joined from Blackburn Rovers. Pennant is also a boyhood fan of Liverpool Football Club and will relish the opportunity to wear the Liver Bird.

He has yet to win a full England cap but has 24 Under-21 appearances to his name, only 3 behind the joint record holders Jamie Carragher and Gareth Barry.

The signing is expected to go through very smoothly as Pennant is very keen to join Rafa Benítez at Anfield, so unless there is a massive change of heart from Spain and Seville, Pennant will soon be a Liverpool player.