Liverpool are targeting Villarreal’s Mario Gaspar as they look to fill the void that will be left after Glen Johnson leaves the club at the end of the season.
The Liverpool right back is out of contract in the summer and despite there being reports of the club wanting to extend it, he is now expected to leave Anfield having already confirmed he has spoken to clubs in Europe about a possible move.
Serie A outfit Roma have been heavily linked with Johnson, and there have been reports that the former Chelsea and Portsmouth defender will join compatriot Ashley Cole in Italy’s capital, but his agent Jonathan Barnett insists no deal is in place with the Italian side.
He told Roma Press: “I can’t really say if he is considering Roma – we’ve had no contact with Roma, although Roma would be a lovely place for him.”
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is looking for a replacement for the departing England international and the Mirror believe Mario Gaspar of La Liga side Villarreal is a target.
The Reds are already tracking Villarreal’s 21-year-old striker Luciano Vietto, and there have been a lot of reports of Vietto who is valued at around A?16million, being Brendan Rodgers’ number one target for the summer. It is reported now that the Liverpool boss hopes to land the duo in a A?23million deal.
Gaspar has spent his entire career with a The Yellow Submarinea and joined the club in 2007 as a youth prospect. Making his way up the youth ranks, he made his full debut in 2010 as a 20 year old. He has so far played 129 games for the club, and has scored five goals for the side. Three of his five goals have come for the Spanish side this season (he also has an assist).
Gaspar is solid in defence and like a modern day full-back is potent in attack, regularly running up and down the flank. His biggest strength is his ability to prevent opponents from bullying him and outdoing him with their pace and strength. He has been very impressive since Villarreal’s return to top flight in 2013. He has been considered by many as La Liga’s most impressive full-back this season, and has been an instrumental part of the impressive sixth placed side.
El Mundo Deportivo reported that Barcelona are also keeping close tabs on Villarreal full-back Mario Gaspar while there were also reports of Real Madrid’s scouts watching him closely. But with Los Blancos reportedly already sealing the deal for right-back Danilo Luiz da Silva, Real are not likely to follow up their interest in him. Danilo Luiz da Silva.
With Johnson departing and Manquillo’s contract likely to be cut short, Liverpool will definitely need the arrival of a right back in the summer. In the current 3-4-2-1 system being operated by Brendan Rodgers, the need for an attack minded full back is even more and currently Lazar Markovic is playing the right wing-back role. Being a traditional winger, Markovic naturally cannot do a good job in the defence department. Gaspar has impressed in La Liga this season and would for a fine addition to the Liverpool squad. If Rodgers and co. can land Vietto and Gaspar for a combined sum of A?23million, it would seemingly be a major coup. But, the Spaniard has a contract until June 2019 with Villarreal and the Anfield outfit might have to pay a lot more to land his services.