Liverpool are looking to cut Javier Manquillo's loan spell short, the Guardian understand.

Manquillo signed for the Reds in the summer of last year on a two-year loan deal from Atletico Madrid, but the right-back, despite starting his Liverpool career well, struggled for playing time as the season went on and has not been in action since February.

Since the end of the campaign, the Merseysiders have renewed the contract of youth product Andre Wisdom, another right-back, as well as signing Nathaniel Clyne from Southampton, both moves which could have pushed young Manquillo further down the pecking order.

Manquillo has impressed in general this season and perhaps deserves more chances as a result. He was certainly Liverpool's best defensive option last season at right-back, ahead of the recently released Glen Johnson, but is yet to fully develop on the attack. Still, more minutes and game experience is how he will do this.

The 21-year-old has come across as a determined figure, stating that the lack of playing time he has seen recently "doesn't alter the fact [he] will work hard to get a game," as well as that he is up to the challenge of "fight[ing] for [his] place."

Rodgers seems to have faith in the Spaniard

Furthermore, just less than two months ago, Brendan Rodgers openly admitted that Manquillo would be a part of Liverpool's squad in the 2015-16 season, saying that it became "obviously a little more difficult for him" to get minutes "when the system changed" to one with three at the back and wing-backs.

Yet, Rodgers went on to say that the player's "first year was always going to be about adapting to the league" and that the second year would hopefully see him come "back in pre-season" and "work well" to "work his way into the team."

Other moves seem to be pushing Manquillo towards the exit

However, with the deals that have seen Wisdom extend his contract and Clyne sign for the club happening after those comments from Rodgers, it could be that summer business has simply changed his mind and made him realise that Manquillo simply does not fit into the team anymore.

Thus, it looks like Liverpool will continue to trim their squad further by cutting Manquillo loose, with several players having already being released and others looking likely to be sold.