After arriving with much expectation, former Sevilla midfielder Luis Alberto hasn’t quite made the splash many expected after arriving at Liverpool in a deal worth £6mil last summer.
While he always looked like one for the future, a handful of promising performances left many Kopites wondering why the Spaniard wasn’t given a bit more of a chance to impress when the Reds were running away with matches and results looked to be wrapped right up. In hindsight, when Brendan Rodgers watched his side surrender a three goal lead away to Crystal Palace as the season petered out it became apparent that no results are assured. So, if he’s not going to get a shot in the first team, it’s time to find somewhere that he can get some decent playing time.
There’s been a number of destinations mooted for young Alberto, but managerless Spanish side Malaga have emerged as the front-runnners — in the tabloid press anyway — to take the 21-year old on a season long loan deal. Last year we saw Suso, lent out to relegation battling Almeria, emerge as a key figure in the Andalucian side as he gained the kind of experience he never would have had he stuck around Merseyside for the year. If all goes to plan, we’ll see Alberto do the same.
The South coast side, who finished eleventh in the La Liga last season, have had a noticeable decline in fortunes this season after impressing under now Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini. With a number of key players sold off, the Spanish outfit is set for a shake-up in the coming months as the eye a number of targets. With Alberto thought to prefer a move back to his homeland if he’s unable to secure regular football at Liverpool, this could be the perfect option for all parties involved.
