With first-team regulars Diego Costa, Filipe, David Villa, and Adrian already gone, Liverpool has pilfered Atletico Madrid’s youth pile.
20-year-old right-back and Atletico academy product Javier Manquillo has joined the Reds on a two-year loan with The Guardian reporting the deal has an option to buy for about $8.4 million.
Manquillo has made regular appearances for the Spanish U-21 side recently, but could only muster three La Liga appearances and one in the Champions League for Atletico.
Part of that was due to an ugly spinal injury he suffered as a result of an aerial challenge with Cristiano Ronaldo in which he landed on his head and bent his neck backwards.
“From a personal point of view it was a disappointing year for me,” Manquillo told Liverpool’s official website following the transfer. “I was unlucky with injury, but for the group as a whole it was a brilliant year. We managed to achieve things that from the outset appeared almost impossible, so let’s hope that I find something similar here; a team that has the highest aspirations and can win as much as possible.”
Liverpool has been a major player in the transfer market, with Manquillo their seventh signing of the summer following acquisitions such as Rickie Lambert, Emre Can, and Dejan Lovren.
“When they tell you Liverpool want to sign you, I think like any player, you are going to be absolutely amazed and you don’t think of anything else than going straight there,” Manquillo said.
Glen Johnson currently mans the right-back position and Liverpool also has young Englishman Jon Flanagan, but at just 20 years of age, Manquillo has time to make an impact at Anfield.
The youngster began his youth career at Real Madrid before moving across town to Atletico at the age of 13.
#LFC are pleased to announce the signing of Spanish youth international Javier Manquillo from @Atleti #ManquilloLFC pic.twitter.com/gwDJ4k0TJr
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 6, 2014