Liverpool transfers: Reds set for cash injection from SALE of former flop
Liverpool are set for a small cash injection from the sale of former Red Luis Alberto to Qatari side Al Duhail.
The Reds signed attacking midfielder Alberto from Sevilla in 2014 for approximately £7m but he failed to make an impression on Merseyside, eventually joining Lazio on a permanent transfer in 2016.
Liverpool only managed to recoup just over £4m from the sale, with Alberto thriving following his move to Rome. He ended up making 307 appearances for the Italian side, scoring 52 times and providing 79 assists.
However, despite Liverpool making a loss on the Spanish international, who featured just 12 times for the Reds, they are set to earn some cash from his upcoming move to the Middle East.
LIVERPOOL PROFIT FROM LUIS ALBERTO SALE
After eight years at Lazio, Alberto is set to make the move to Qatar imminently, with a medical booked in for the near future. The deal will reportedly set Al Duhail back £8.5m.
That's good news for Liverpool, who still have a 12% sell-on clause inserted in Alberto's Lazio contract. As a result, they should receive a fee of around £1m from the sale of the 31-year-old, according to Liverpool Echo.
However, Fabrizio Romano has stated that Al Duhail will pay over €11m (£9.3m) for Alberto, which would help Liverpool bring in a little extra from the switch.
Alberto is set to replace another former Liverpool player in Qatar, with Philippe Coutinho's loan having expired at the end of last season. The Brazilian will return to Aston Villa after seven goals and three assists in all competitions.
Coutinho's Villa contract doesn't expire until 2026 and he is returning to a Champions League side, although whether Unai Emery has plans for him next term remain to be seen.
While the cash injection from Alberto's transfer isn't a great deal in the grand scheme of modern football, it helps the club recoup some of the funds they splashed on the midfielder a decade ago.
Such funds could prove useful in the upcoming transfer window as Liverpool prepare for their debut campaign under Arne Slot. Every little helps in the transfer kitty, after all.