Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has once again defended himself in regards to the £20million summer purchase of Alberto Aquilani from AS Roma.
The 25-year old has hardly played since arriving at Anfield at the start of the season but Benitez says the risk the club took in signing him would soon be vindicated when he reaches full fitness and shows what he is capable of.
Benitez also believes he picked up the Italy international for a good price due to the fact he was injured.
"If he had been fully fit maybe he could have cost £25-30million, so we were bringing in a good player for a good price and trying to do our best with the medical staff," the Spanish coach said.
"The player is fit and training, but match fitness is something you can improve by playing games. So why have I not been playing him? Because the games are so close that if you put a player on the pitch who is not physically ready, maybe he cannot settle down in time."
Benitez added that the plan was to replace the departing Xabi Alonso and that it was with a long-term vision that they brought in Aquilani.
"The problem we had with him was that the surgeon who did the operation said in August he could be available," Benitez explained.
"When we were doing our own exams, we decided it could be more time, maybe two months instead of just one. In the end he had some problems during this time and it was three months.
"But that's part of the situation when a player is injured, it happens to a lot. But we signed him for five years, we were bringing in a player with quality for five years. We knew about the Alonso situation already, so we were planning to bring in a player with quality to replace him in the long term and Aquilani was this player."