Free agent Alberto Moreno joins Villarreal

The former Liverpool number 18 joins the Yellow Submarine on a five-year deal.

After a mixed five-year spell at Anfield, most believe it is the correct choice by Alberto Moreno to return to his Spanish homeland.

Moreno started his career with Sevilla and progressed through the youth ranks in Andalusia. Making his first team debut in 2012, Moreno would go on to make 62 appearances for them, and won a Europa League under Unai Emery in 2014.

The roving full back joined the Reds later that year, looking to be Liverpool’s solution to the problem position of left-back. Having not really replaced Jon Arne Riise since his 2008 departure, Moreno, a young, hungry and adventurous full-back looked the perfect fit for the Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool way.

He began his Liverpool career off extremely brightly with many likening his darting runs and attacking play to Alan Kennedy and the aforementioned Riise. He bagged a goal at White Hart Lane in a 3-0 thrashing of Spurs, which began with a run from inside his own half.

But after the arrival of Jurgen Klopp, Moreno was more found out in his lack of defensive ability, being liable in the 2016 Europa League final and being replaced firstly by James Milner, and eventually by the now prosperous Andrew Robertson.

Moreno joins a Villarreal side who underachieved in finishing 14th last season, with the saving grace of Santi Cazorla being one of the main reasons why they avoided the drop. However, Javier Calleja’s side will look to finish in the upper echelons of the league next season, maybe breaking into the Europa League places if successful.