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Liverpool’s delight at finally securing the signing of Albert Riera from Espanyol yesterday was tempered by the news that the Spain winger’s compatriot, Fernando Torres, will be out for up to three weeks with a torn hamstring.

Torres suffered the injury during the goalless draw away to Aston Villa on Sunday and is almost certain to miss the Barclays Premier League game against Manchester United at Anfield a week on Saturday and Liverpool’s opening Champions League group D match away to Marseilles on September 16. The striker will also miss Spain’s World Cup qualifying matches at home to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday and Armenia four days later.

With Steven Gerrard, who underwent two minor groin operations last week, also a doubt for both Liverpool games, Rafael Benítez, the manager, faces the prospect of being without his two most influential players for a crucial run of fixtures. “A scan has confirmed a hamstring tear in Fernando’s right leg,” a club spokesman said. “He is expected to be out for between two and three weeks.”

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There was better news regarding Riera, with the highly-rated winger moving to Anfield on a four-year deal as part of an £8 million package in which Steve Finnan, the Ireland right back, joined Espanyol. Finnan, who has signed until 2009, is expected to make his debut for the Spanish club against Getafe on September 21. Andriy Voronin has also been ushered out of Anfield, the Ukraine striker agreeing to join Hertha Berlin on a one-year loan with a view to a permanent move.

Having identified 26-year-old Riera, who showed indifferent form during a period on loan at Manchester City in 2006, as his principal target in the wake of the collapse of the Gareth Barry deal, Benítez believes that the Spaniard will provide the quality out wide that Liverpool have been lacking.

“He’s the kind of player we have been talking about,” Benítez said. “He can beat players and get good deliveries into the area for our strikers. We’ve known about him for a long time, since he was at Mallorca and then through his career at Bordeaux, Manchester City and Espanyol. He can speak English and he knows the Premier League, which is a big bonus. Usually, foreign players need time when they go to a new country, but Riera already knows the style of football.”

Liverpool have also signed Vitor Flora, an 18-year-old Brazilian striker, from Botafogo, and Peter Gulacsi, a goalkeeper who spent last season on loan from MTK Hungaria. Flora joins countrymen Lucas Leiva and Fábio Aurélio at Anfield.