Who is Anderson Arroyo, the young Colombian defender signed by Liverpool and immediately sent on loan to Mallorca?
Reds hope shipping the 18-year-old to the third tier of Spanish football for 18 months will help him obtain his work permit
LIVERPOOL'S January transfer window will be remembered for big money deals.
The Reds sold Philippe Coutinho for £145million to Barcelona while they brought in Virgil van Dijk from Southampton for £75m.
Yet, there are high hopes for a youngster who arrived at Anfield for considerably less.
Anderson Arroyo’s switch to Anfield was confirmed yesterday, with the 18-year-old Colombian full-back’s move finally being ratified.
However, he will spend the next 18 months at Mallorca, who he has joined on a loan deal.
But who is he? We asked our friends at to profile the latest Liverpool arrival.
The Colombian was born in Quibdo in 1999 and started out playing for Linaje de Quibdo before moving to Cali and joining the youth set up at Boca Juniors de Cali.
It was there Arroyo started to show his promise, although he was initially used as a winger.
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He then moved to second-division side Fortaleza CEIF, where he made his debut at just 15-years-old.
At Fortaleza Arroyo was moved back into defence. His ability on the ball meant he was a comfortable and capable full-back, often being deployed on both flanks.
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On occasion he returned to playing further forward, usually on the right side of midfield.
Despite being right-footed, Arroyo has honed his skills as a left-back.
However, perhaps his future lies on the opposite flank – for Colombia’s Under-20 side he is more often than not used on the right.
The teenager was part of his country’s Under-17 side at the 2015 South America Under-17 Championships where, despite a good win against Brazil and a draw against Argentina, they were eliminated in the group stage.
He also featured for the Under-20s at the 2017 South American Youth Football Championships, a tournament that saw the likes of Watford’s Richarlison and Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez, who’s been linked with Arsenal and Liverpool, on show.
Hardly bad company to be keeping.
Arroyo’s game is based on pace. He is quick to accelerate and get forward, but has the athleticism and stamina to ensure he does his defensive duties.
The 18-year-old’s days playing further up the pitch also means he’s comfortable on the ball and confident enough to try and beat an opponent.
That isn’t to say he always looks for the flamboyant option though, he knows when to play one-twos and when to keep it simple.
And forget any concerns about the young defender shirking physical battles – Arroyo is tenacious and isn’t averse to a tough tackle or a last-ditch block.
He first attracted interest from Liverpool back in 2016 while just 16-years-old.
He went on trial with their under-18s during their tour of Germany, alongside Ecuadorian centre back Josue Quinonez, who is still playing in his home country with Independiente del Valle.
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Arroyo impressed and Liverpool have since been tracking his progress in Colombia.
Last December, he also had a trial with Mallorca, where he shone, and that brought about the plan to bring him to Europe in January.
Liverpool hope a loan spell with the Los Bermellones will help him adapt to European football, with the climate being more forgiving on the Balearic island.
He also won’t have any language issues. What’s more, it should help him secure a work permit more easily.
The Spanish club currently play in Segunda B, the third division in Spain, but he isn’t expected to play with the first team just yet.
He will be training with the first-team squad during the coming weeks, but his game time is expected to come with Mallorca’s youth teams.
Liverpool will hope his 18 months there will see him progress through the ranks and feature with the senior side, who could be playing their football in the second tier of Spanish football next season, given that they currently lead their division.