20 year old Atletico Madrid full back Javier Manquillo has completed a loan move to Premier League runners-up Liverpool for a 2 year spell.
With Atletico storming to their first league championship since 1996 and reaching the final of the Champions League, Manquillo made seven appearances in total - including three in La Liga. Liverpool's latest recruit is also an experienced youth international, having played at U18, U19 and U20 level, winning the U19 European Championship in 2012 alongside new Anfield teammate Suso.
Born in the Spanish capital, Madrid, on May 5, 1994, Javier Manquillo Gaitán, to give him his full name, actually started life as a footballer with Real Madrid as part of the youth set-up alongside his twin brother Victor. When the European heavyweights chose to release the latter in 2007, the young Javier made the noble and loyal decision to follow suit, despite the club's wishes to retain his services. Fewer than 48 hours later, Atletico - Real's local rivals and the side Manquillo supports - offered the defender an opportunity to join up with their own esteemed academy.
The pacey full back, who is fearless and comfortable on either flank, has become Liverpool's seventh signing of the season, and is delighted to have made the switch. "I'm very happy to have signed for a club like Liverpool. I think it's one of the biggest in Europe. Any footballer would want to come and play here. When they tell you Liverpool want to sign you, like any player, you are going to be absolutely amazed and you don't think of anything else other than going straight there."
The young man learned a lot from former team mate Juanfran "Juanfran is a top player and he's been showing that for a number of years now. I learned a lot from him. For example, he used to play further forward out wide and he found easy to adapt when they switched him to full back. He learned a lot himself in such a short time and did a great job."
Manquillo may well soon be followed by fellow Spanish defender Alberto Moreno.
