Iago Aspas: I Want to Leave Liverpool on Permanent Transfer

Liverpool forward Iago Aspas has revealed that he wants a permanent transfer away from Anfield in the summer.

The 26-year-old joined the Merseyside club on a £7.7m transfer fee from Celta Vigo before the start of the season. Things have not gone as planned as the Spaniard has seen his first team chances being limited.

Brendan Rodgers has deployed Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling to lead the Reds's attack. With the trio impressing for Liverpool this campaign, Aspas has got only five starts to his name in his debut season for the Merseyside club.

The former Swansea boss expressed his sympathy for Aspas for not featuring regularly. He admitted Aspas and his compatriot Luis Alberto were signed keeping the club's long-term interests in mind.

However, Aspas has expressed his frustration at not getting enough games under his belt and has confirmed that he will leave the club at the end of the season in search of regular football.

"I'm not 20 years old anymore, I can't go on loan and explode. I think the best would be to transfer to another club that I find the best fit for myself and the club," the Daily Mail quoted Aspas as saying.

"This is the hardest part. I used to play almost all the matches and I arrived here - playing much less. This is the tough side of football," the Spaniard stressed.

Meanwhile, former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie has urged Rodgers's side to maintain cool and take one game at a time to win the Premier League title this season. The Reds are top of the table with 71 points from 32 games, leading second place Chelsea by two points.

"Managing expectation levels is difficult and though everybody must be sick of hearing it, the only way Liverpool can approach the run-in is by taking it game by game," said Gillespie, who played 214 times for the club," Gillespie told the Liverpool Echo.

"The next game is the biggest game. I know the media don't like to hear that, but if you are going to win the Premier League title then that is the attitude and mentality you must have. Listen to Brendan Rodgers and all the time he talks about focusing on the next match."