Norwich sign Liverpool defender Daniel Ayala

Ayala has made five appearances in the Liverpool first-team

Norwich City have signed Liverpool defender Daniel Ayala in a reported £800,000 deal.

The 20-year-old joined from Sevilla in 2007 but the Spain Under-21 international failed to establish himself in the Liverpool first team.

He impressed during loan spells at Hull City and Derby County last season.

"He played against us for Hull and Derby and I thought he was strong," Norwich manager Paul Lambert said.

"You've got to have a lot of cover throughout the coming games and a long hard season. He was somebody we thought could benefit the football club."

Norwich did not disclose the fee but said Ayala had signed a four-year contract.

Ayala had recently extended his Liverpool contract until the summer of 2012.

He played 12 times on-loan for Hull in the Championship last season, followed by 17 games for Derby.

Ayala had been linked with fellow newly-promoted side Swansea.

Lambert has already signed midfielders Bradley Johnson and Anthony Pilkington, winger Elliott Bennett, and frontmen James Vaughan and Steve Morison.