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Victor Moses insists he has joined Liverpool to save his career.

The Nigeria winger surprised many when he chose to switch to the Anfield giants on a season-long loan, just a year after making what he called his "dream move" from Wigan to Chelsea.

Moses was told by Stamford Bridge boss Jose Mourinho he would be part of the squad this season and get some opportunities should he choose to stay and fight for a place.

But, the former Crystal Palace attacker explained that his approach to life is to grasp the moment...

Moses stated bluntly that the prospect of being largely a spectator with the west Londoners could irreparably harm his career prospects.

He has been promised a prominent role at Liverpool and, after signing for the Reds on deadline day, he explained: "Not playing games can really damage your career.

"The move to Chelsea was a massive step for me. I just wanted to go there, express myself and enjoy my football. It was a dream for me - but I want to keep strong and keep working hard at what I do.

"As a young footballer coming up, I just want to play games.

"Liverpool is a massive club and I just want to enjoy my football out on the pitch and try to help my team-mates.

"It is the right opportunity for me. It's definitely the right move - this is a massive club, with all the history."

Moses can be forgiven for wanting to seize every opportunity he can, and refuse to be sidelined from pursing his life goals, given his devastating history.

As a child in the central Nigerian city of Kaduna, he suffered the most devastating tragedy imaginable.

His family got caught up in religious conflict because his father Austin was a Christian pastor in a city with a Muslim majority.

Both his father and mother Josephine were killed in their home when thousands were murdered in rioting in 2002.

Moses, then just 11 years old, had to be smuggled out of the country to England, where he settled with foster parents in South Norwood, a south London suburb.

The quietly-spoken 22-year-old has shown incredible determination in his young life to recover from such tragedy, and his single-mindedness is evident in his decision to move to Liverpool when he could have picked up honours as a fringe player at Chelsea.

He did so, he explained, because Rodgers sold him a vision of how the Reds would develop, and how he would fit perfectly in it.

"Coming to Liverpool is another step for me. Brendan Rodgers is a great manager and he's done fantastically well here helping the lads," he explained.

"When I spoke to him, he told me what I'm going to be doing here. I was really pleased with that and I'm looking forward to working with him.

"The manager has done very well and the formation and players here will help me and I just want to gel in, get to know the players and play with them.

"I am excited to be working in this system with a lot of quality players here."

Moses was part of the England set-up but, after being left out by then-U21s manager Stuart Pearce, he declared for Nigeria as he wanted to grasp his international chance.

And he displayed similar ambition as he insisted he has arrived at Anfield determined to help the club keep improving and press for honours this season:

"The most important thing is for me to be professional about it and I'm here to do a job for the club. The target is to get into the top four and for the club to compete in the Champions League - that's why I am here.

"The club has come a long way and it's great to be here and to be playing for Liverpool. I spoke to Daniel Sturridge and he wanted me to come here.

"He said I'd love it here, but he didn't need to say much.

"The club is doing well, so I wanted to come here and enjoy my football. It's been great - I've been here since yesterday and everyone has been looking after me."