Steven Gerrard commits his future to Liverpool after hailing the arrival of Joe Cole

 Steven Gerrard has revealed that he is ready to stay at Liverpool after hailing the arrival of Joe Cole.

Cole was confirmed as their big summer arrival on a free transfer from Chelsea

as they attempt to bounce back from their failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Last season's woes have left the futures of Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano in serious doubt.

 Happy chappy: Steven Gerrard on the on exercise bike on his first day back

But one-club legend Gerrard, who returned to pre-season training at Melwood on Tuesday away from the club's tour of Switzerland, has now indicated that he is ready to commit his future to Liverpool.

He said: 'I made it clear that I simply needed to concentrate on the World Cup and then have a decent holiday with my family.

'I wanted the chance to meet Roy Hodgson privately and having done so I'm very impressed with his plans for the future of the team.

      Wheely good signing: Joe Cole spends his first full day in the Liverpool camp

On Cole, he said: 'It's a great signing for us. I know Joe well through the England set-up and have seen first hand just how good a player he is.

'He's proved his ability over many years in the Premier League, sometimes against us - so it will be fantastic to play alongside him in a red shirt for Liverpool.

'I've told him what a great club this is and I'm sure Joe's the sort of exciting talent our fans will love to see.'

Manager Roy Hodgson welcomed Gerrard's commitment, saying: 'It's a great piece of news. There won't be anyone in Liverpool today who isn't delighted to hear that.

'I'm really pleased about it because I've got great respect for Steven Gerrard. He's a player who I was really looking forward to working with when I came to Liverpool.

'It seems now with that commitment that this will happen. It gives everyone a boost without question.

          Fresh challenge: Hodgson welcomes Cole to Liverpool's training camp

'It will be a tough season, with a lot of matches and the disappointment of

last season is going to take a while to dissipate, but it is very good that our best player is still going to be playing at this club.

'Hopefully with the signing of Joe Cole - and if we are lucky one or two others, to boost the squad - we will be going into this season's competition, maybe stronger on paper than we were last season.'

Meanwhile, Hodgson has revealed that Fernando Torres is on course to be fit for the opening weeks of the season despite rupturing his thigh muscle in the World Cup final.

        Spark: Carragher expects Cole to open up defences with his creativity

He said: 'I think it's quite good. I saw him now almost a week ago, last Wednesday. I went to Ibiza and met him, albeit briefly, and we had a little talk there.

'He was telling me he didn't think the groin problem was anything to worry about at all and it was something that just a rest on holiday was going to clear up.

'We're hoping when he comes back on August 2 he'll be fit and well.'