Liverpool Agree Deal to Sign Atletico Madrid Defender Javier Manquillo

Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign right-back Javier Manquillo on loan from Spanish club Atletico Madrid.

According to Liverpool Echo, the Spanish defender will become the Reds' seventh signing as he is scheduled to fly in to Liverpool on Monday for his medical.

The Merseyside club have agreed a two-year loan deal for the defender, but have the option of making the transfer permanent as early as next year or cancel the loan agreement. The fee is claimed to be in the region of £5m, but it could rise depending on the number of appearances he makes for the Anfield club.

Manquillo was part of the Real Madrid academy but was released in 2007, and immediately signed up with the current La Liga champions. However, he has found it difficult to get regular game time, as Juanfran has established himself as the clear first choice for the Spanish capital club.

The 20-year-old defender will have his task cut out at Liverpool as he will be competing with the likes of Glen Johnson, Jon Flanagan and Martin Kelly for a starting role. But with Liverpool competing in four competitions, he should manage to get some games to stake his claim for the right-back position.

Arsenal were keen to sign the defender and were initially leading the race. However, the Reds have marched ahead and beaten the Gunners to his signature.

Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers has revealed that striker Daniel Sturridge has left Liverpool's US tour and returned to England to get treatment on a small hamstring issue. He added that it was just a precautionary measure and there was nothing serious about the injury.

"Dan has flown back to the UK. He wasn't going to be ready for the game on Monday - but there's no concern there, he'll be ready for Borussia Dortmund at the weekend," Rodgers said, as quoted on Liverpool's official site.

"It was just best to get him back early, back to the training ground so he could get some treatment there."

"He had a really, really slight feeling in his hamstring. It's nothing major," the Northern Irishman added.