Liverpool 'closely monitoring Espanyol's Marc Navarro' following meteoric La Liga breakthrough

Liverpool are closely monitoring the development of Espanyol right-back Marc Navarro following his meteoric breakthrough in La Liga, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The 21-year-old full-back is the latest player to emerge from the prolific academy of the Catalan team, which in recent years has overseen the emergence of other big talents like Manchester United summer signing Eric Bailly or Tottenham loanee Pau Lopez.

Navarro only made his first-team debut with the Barcelona neighbours in a 3-1 victory over Granada on 21 January. He quickly made himself indispensable to manager Quique Sanchez Flores in the next three games. He scored a goal in his first appearance for the club and only a week later netted another one and provided one assist to help his side to secure an impressive 3-1 victory over Sevilla.

Such elevation to the top flight quickly made the headlines in Spain and on 30 January Espanyol rewarded him with a new long-term deal until 2021 in order to ward off the potential suitors.

Mundo Deportivo is now reporting that his impressive breakthrough into the Spanish top flight has also alerted Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp already has Nathaniel Clyne and young Trent Alexander-Arnold to cover the position at Liverpool but the Spanish publications claim that the Premier League giants are still looking to sign a promising full-back like Navarro ahead of next season.

Navarro, nevertheless, looks a perfect fit for English football as he is very powerful moving forward through the flanks and his 6ft 1in height makes him also especially good in the air.

However, a move to Liverpool or somewhere else in the short term looks unlikely as last month Espanyol set his release clause in €25m (£21.3m, $26.5m) as part of his new deal.