The captures of Nunez and Alonso will take the number of Spanish players at Anfield to three – Malaga’s Josemi joined last month – and leaves onlookers in little doubt as to how highly Benitez rates his compatriots.

“I’m very happy because we have signed a good player that balances the team,” Benitez said of Nunez. “He is a winger or right midfielder, and can go on the right side of defence, so it gives us more possibilities.”

The 25-year-old, rated at £3m (€4.5m), comes to Liverpool as part of the deal which took Michael Owen to the Bernabau last week, but Benitez insists he was keen to secure Nunez’s services regardless.

“When I was at Valencia I was looking for a man like this,” he added. “My idea was the same here and we had this opportunity to sign him.

“Michael Owen has gone now and we can’t do anything more than sign a good player.”

Alonso, who held discussions with Liverpool officials after the draw with Tottenham last weekend, may join Nunez in the squad for Saturday’s home match against Manchester City if everything goes according to plan.

Liverpool are reported to have had a bid in the region of £10.7million accepted by Sociedad, and the manner in which Benitez spoke suggested there should be few hitches.

“We hope to finish our conversations before the weekend,” he said. “It gives us more possibilities to play with (Dietmar) Hamann, to play with (Steven) Gerrard, to play with (Salif) Diou, and it is good for the team because we have a lot of matches.”

According to Benitez, the signings of Nunez and Alonso represent something of a tonic for the fans, who have seen Owen follow Emile Heskey and Danny Murphy out of Anfield this summer.

“I’m happy because signing players is good for the squad and good for the supporters,” said Benitez, who remains on the look-out for fresh talent. “If we can do something more we will try.”

Although Nunez admitted it was a wrench to leave Real, the team he has supported since childhood, he expressed his joy at joining “one of the best teams in the world”.

“It was difficult leaving Real because I was happy there, but this is my team now and this is the only thing to think about. I’m very happy to be here and everyone has been very nice to me,” he said.

“I’ve watched the Premiership and I know the Liverpool players. I’ve been talking to the manager and he’s been explaining what he thinks and what he is expecting of me.”

If Liverpool fans were not familiar with Nunez’s name before this week, they can have few complaints about Alonso’s pedigree.

At just 22, the central midfielder has represented his country 11 times – he played twice in Euro 2004 – scoring one goal.

Unlike Nunez, whose 10 first-team appearances during his three years at Real came from the bench, Alonso played 52 games for Sociedad last season alone.

“He’s a great player, a great midfielder,” said Nunez. “He’s one of the best players we have in Spain.”