Liverpool: Javier Manquillo has not given up on Reds first-team dream

Liverpool's on-loan defender Javier Manquillo is refusing to give up on his Anfield dream and is ready to fight for his place in the team, either for the final game of this season or for the start of the next campaign.

The Spanish defender is coming to the end of the first year of his two-year loan spell from Atletico Madrid. He has failed to impose himself under Brendan Rodgers and has not made an appearance for the first team, since featuring in a Europa League game against Besiktas in February.

The Northern Irishman is in the market for a right-back as first-team star Glen Johnson is set to depart the club after Liverpool failed to renew his contract, which expires at the end of the current campaign.

"Everyone wants to play, we are all fighting for our own position on the field and it is true I haven't had the chance to feature since January. But it doesn't alter the fact I will work hard to get a game, whether it is the last game of the season or to be considered early on next season," Manquillo said, as quoted by the Mirror.

"That's what we are here for, we are all here to fight for our place and that's what I will be doing," the Spanish defender added.

The 21-year-old believes the club have made progress this season despite having a difficult start to the season, which eventually culminated in the Reds missing out on a place in next season's Champions League.

Manquillo feels that a place in the Europa League and the progress that the Merseyside club showed in the second half of the season, should give the team belief ahead of the next campaign.

"The start of the season was tricky for us and we weren't in the best of form but, we progressed nicely throughout the season."

"The main thing now is to end the season on a good note, by qualifying and sealing our place in the Europa League, this would see a great end to the season," the on-loan Atletico defender explained.