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Liverpool set to wrap up Moreno and Manquillo deals

Sevilla's Alberto Moreno is a long-term transfer target of Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers © Getty Images

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Liverpool are close to securing deals for Spanish full-backs Alberto Moreno and Javi Manquillo.

Chief executive Ian Ayre has flown to Spain to tie up the signing of Atletico Madrid right-back Manquillo on loan with a view to a permanent transfer, sources have told ESPN FC.

But there is also renewed hope at Anfield that a deal can be struck for Sevilla left-back Moreno, who has been one of manager Brendan Rodgers' leading transfer targets this summer.

Liverpool had an offer of £16 million for Moreno rejected in May, but have refused to abandon hope of signing him even while looking at potential alternatives.

'Don't join Liverpool!'

Iago Aspas scored just a single goal for Liverpool, in an FA Cup win over Oldham © PA Photos

• Sevilla left-back Alberto Moreno has been warned against joining Liverpool by Iago Aspas, with the striker having left Anfield on loan for the Spanish club.
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Ben Davies was considered before he moved from Swansea to Tottenham, while Ryan Bertrand was another possibility - although Chelsea's unwillingness to deal with potential Premier League title rivals pretty much extinguished any chance of a deal, and he has instead moved to Southampton on loan.

Rodgers is keen to sign a left-back despite the return to fitness of Jose Enrique, who missed the final six months of last season with a knee problem.

Enrique played through the early weeks of last season with the injury, but has managed only 29 minutes of first-team football since the beginning of October.

Aly Cissokho failed to make the position his own during a season's loan from Valencia, and right-back Jon Flanagan moved across to become Enrique's regular standing in over the second half of the campaign.

Moreno has played three times for Spain but just missed out on their final squad for the recent World Cup in Brazil.

The 22-year-old capped a successful domestic season by helping Sevilla to win the Europa League, as they beat Benfica on penalties in Turin in May.

Manquillo, who has represented Spain at Under-20 level, made three league appearances last season as Atletico Madrid won the Spanish title.

The 20-year-old, who is under contract with Atletico until 2018, is relatively inexperienced at senior level.

Having joined their youth set-up from neighbours Real Madrid in 2007, he established himself as a regular in their B team, who play in Spain's third tier.

Rodgers has made six signings so far this summer, bringing in strikers Rickie Lambert and Divock Origi, midfielders Adam Lallana and Emre Can, winger Lazar Markovic and centre-back Dejan Lovren.

Lallana will miss the first few weeks of the season with a knee injury, though, while Origi has been loaned back to Lille for the coming season as part of the deal that brought him to Anfield.

Rodgers, having sold last season's 31-goal top scorer Luis Suarez to Barcelona for £75m, is still looking for a striker too, with an £8.5m deal for QPR's Loic Remy falling through last weekend.

Javi Manquillo will be signed intially on loan, according to ESPN sources © Getty Images

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