Liverpool striker Iago Aspas has revealed that he will complete a permanent transfer to Sevilla upon the end of his loan there, leaving Liverpool after just one full season at the club.
Aspas played just 15 times for the Reds last season after joining from Celta Vigo in a deal worth around £7million pounds in 2013, and only found the net once.
He has fared better at Sevilla this season, managing 11 goals in 19 appearances, and that has led to the La Liga outfit exercising their option to buy him at the end of the loan.
"I came here on a loan deal with an obligatory option to buy," Aspas told ESPN. "I am a Sevilla player for next season. I will sit down and talk to the club in the coming days, or when the season ends. It is an open secret that everyone knew. The transfer [fee] is to be paid this summer. I am very happy at Sevilla, they received me with open arms, and I hope to keep paying them back for many years."
Aspas struggled to get into the Liverpool team that scored over 100 goals in the 2013-14 season, with the strike partnership of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suárez proving a tough one to get into. This led to talk that the Spaniard was unhappy with manager Brendan Rodgers, but the striker denied those reports.
"Since I left Liverpool I have not spoken with [Rodgers] again," he added. "But the time I was at Liverpool, he behaved very well towards me. I did not have the playing time that I wanted. Which is why I made the move here to Sevilla. At the moment [a return to Liverpool] is difficult, I am going to stay here for some years at Sevilla. But I do have unfinished business as I felt I could bring much more things to the team, if I had been given more playing time.
It is true there was a lot of competition for places, with Luis Suárez and Daniel Sturridge, and playing for the league title. It was one of the best years of Liverpool in recent times and it was difficult to get playing time, for sure."