Barcelona will open talks with Liverpool over the January transfer of left back Alberto Moreno in the coming days, according to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo.
The newspaper claims that the two clubs will discuss a low-cost deal for the defender, who’s contract at Anfield is set to expire at the end of the season.
Barca want to bring the former Sevilla man, on a reported £40,000-per-week on Merseyside [Source: Spotrac], back to his native Spain this winter, with a deal worth around £5million set to be offered.
The 26-year-old has lost his place in the Liverpool starting eleven to Andy Robertson. The Spanish champions see him as the ideal man to provide competition to first choice Jordi Alba at the Nou Camp.
OPINION
This is a potential deal that will surprise some, but the truth is Moreno would only be returning to Spain to serve as back up behind Alba. There’s no way he’s getting in the first choice eleven ahead of the Spain international, but he would represent a low-cost reserve option for Ernesto Valverde’s side. It’s disappointing the way Moreno’s Reds career has ended because he arrived at the club with a big reputation and great things were expected of him. He’s not a bad player, and he’s certainly useful going forward down that left hand side, but he simply doesn’t have the defensive chops to cut it at the elite level. Robertson has taken his place in the Liverpool team primarily because his defending is so much better than the Spaniard’s. Both men are capable going forward but the Scotland captain is a far superior defender to Moreno. His emergence has spelled the end for the former Sevilla man at Anfield and it’s time for him to move on. If Liverpool can get £5million for him in January rather than nothing in the summer then that’s a bonus.
