Luis Alberto's proposed move to Sevilla has fallen through, although the Liverpool outcast could yet still move on this summer with a number of Championship clubs thought to be interested in him.

The Spaniard, signed from Sevilla for around £6.8 million back in 2013, failed to make a single start in his first season at the club despite making 12 appearances.

The attacking midfielder - who has spent time back in his homeland on loan at Malaga and Deportivo La Coruna in the last two seasons - had appeared to be nearing a return to Sevilla, having come through their youth Academy.

But the deal has collapsed with the La Liga outfit unwilling to meet the Reds' asking price of £6 million for the 23-year-old, who has no place in Jürgen Klopp's first-team squad for the 2016-17 campaign.

The Europa League winners, lifting the trophy a record third straight year back in May at the expense of Liverpool in Basel, have since made it known they will not be pursuing Alberto further after insisting they would only bid a measly £2 million.

It is a blow to Klopp, who is keen to trim his squad to a morelined size, but a number of Championship clubs - including Wolverhampton Wanderers, Queens Park Rangers and Aston Villa - are showing interest in the former Barcelona B forward.

Alberto nearing inevitable Anfield exit

Alberto in action for the Reds in pre-season three years ago. (Picture: Getty Images)
Alberto in action for the Reds in pre-season three years ago. (Picture: Getty Images)

With few other options on the table, Alberto could be forced to drop into England's second-tier having not played for Liverpool since January 2014, when he came off the bench in a 4-0 derby demolition of Everton.

He enjoyed a successful spell at Deportivo last term, scoring six goals and adding a further seven assists in 29 league appearances, but the Spain Under-23 international hasn't done enough to convince Klopp he should remain at Anfield.

Alberto failed to shine in pre-season training back at Melwood, with the Reds boss deciding to leave him out of four friendlies on home soil as well as the team's tour of the United States.

He still has two years remaining on the contract he signed when he first moved to the club, with Liverpool confident they can recoup a sizeable sum of the fee they paid to sign Alberto three years ago.

Any departure would cap off a forgettable spell at the club, having only a few months ago revealed his desire to work under Klopp on Merseyside, declaring that he wanted to "stay in the squad" to become "an important player for Liverpool." 

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About the author
Charlie Malam
Digital Sports Writer at the Daily Express. First-class Staffordshire University Sports Journalism graduate. Formerly VAVEL UK's Liverpool FC editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief. Contributor since June 2014.