LIVERPOOL will complete the signing of Craig Bellamy today, as Jamie Carragher backed another Anfield striker Peter Crouch to fill the void left by Michael Owen's knee injury.
Welsh international forward Bellamy cut short his holiday in Greece to speak with Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez yesterday.
The clubs had agreed a fee in the region of £6.5million Rovers and the Welshman, a boyhood Liverpool supporter, is thought to have taken a pay cut in order to complete his dream move to Anfield.
Everything has now been agreed and the formalities of the transfer are expected to be completed today.
Meanwhile Liverpool defender Carragher believes his team-mate can make up for Owen's absence and insisted: "His current goal record matches any striker in the world."
Crouch found himself thrust into action after barely 60 seconds of Tuesday night's 2-2 draw with Sweden in Cologne after Owen collapsed in agony by the touch-line before being carried off.
Sven-Goran Eriksson has made it clear he regards Owen and Wayne Rooney as his first-choice strike partnership, with Crouch most effective as a substitute in the final phases of a game as demonstrated against Argentina last season.
But Carragher has no doubts his Liverpool team-mate can step into the breach alongside Rooney if Eriksson decides to play with two strikers in Sunday's second-round match with Ecuador in Stuttgart.
Crouch has scored six goals in his last six internationals and had enough clear opportunities to have possibly doubled that tally.
Carragher said: "I am devastated for Michael. He is a good friend of mine and he thinks it might be a long-term injury but Crouchy is up to the task of stepping in.
"His record for England proves that over the last six or seven games. He has got a goal a game in that time. His record stands up with any striker in the world over the last few games.
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