"Obviously I am a friend of Riise's and he's spoken a lot about Liverpool to me. I've spoken to him about the Kop and the great fans and I can't wait to start," said Aquilani.
"I have never played at Anfield but I have heard a lot about the unique atmosphere you breathe there.
"Rafa Benitez was very important in me coming here. Riise spoke very well of him and said he could help me grow as a player.
"I was already aware and appreciated his work even before the opportunity arose to come here. I like the way the team plays and certainly it was a deciding factor.
"I'm very proud Rafa chose me. I also want to thank [chief scout] Eduardo Macia, who was very important."