A few weeks ago, it looked like Sevilla fullback Alberto Moreno was Liverpool bound with the media convinced that not only had the two sides settled on a price, but that the 21-year old had already agreed to personal terms with the Merseyside outfit. It’s now pretty obvious that’s not exactly the case.
With a move yet to be completed, Liverpool are thought to have been spending some time exploring other options. While few will dispute that the youngster shows not only promise, but real talent as well, a price-tag in the region of £20mil is looking like a bridge too far for Reds boss Brendan Rodgers with the Northern Irishman refusing to be held ransom over Moreno — and, apparently, the hierarchy at the La Liga side are fine with that.
“It’s true that there is interest from a number of clubs, above all Liverpool, in him, but we haven’t had proper conversations about selling him,” confirmed Sevilla president Jose Castro yesterday. “Signing any player from this club has a price and we will decide that price. If Alberto Moreno has to stay at the club he will stay but if a club pays the amount we think is big enough for him to leave, he will leave. But there is no pressure.”
With the Spanish side pulling in a cool wad of cash by flogging another suspected Liverpool target — Ivan Rakitic — to FC Barcelona, they’re hardly hurting for cash, and with Castro insinuating all along that they’re prefer to hang on to Moreno, it looks like the Reds will have to find some common ground between their valuation of £16mil and the over the top price Sevilla are asking.
“We haven’t reached an agreement, but talks haven’t broken down” he continued. “We’ll wait and see what happens. If Liverpool are interested in the player and pay the right amount, he will be sold.”
