Liverpool have been dealt a big blow in their bid to sign Martin Montoya from Barcelona. The Spanish right back has been reported as a top priority signing for Liverpool as his contract ends at the end of the season and the club hoped to sign a pre-contract deal in January with him. But now it is being reported that Montoya wants to stay at Barcelona.
“My desire is to stay at Barca,” Montoya told Catalan Sports.
The reports go on to suggest that Barcelona are looking at offering Montoya a new contract and get to him to stay at the club. The reason Montoya was seeking a move away from the Nou Camp was that he was not getting much game time under new Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino.
Montoya is a very talented right back but he is being kept out the side by Dani Alves. For as long as Alves is at Barcelona and is fit, I can not see Montoya getting much game time if he stays. At 22-years of age, Montoya needs to be playing regularly and unless Barcelona can guarantee him regular football, his talents may go to waste on the bench.
At Liverpool, we need another quality right back to come in and compete with Glen Johnson. We saw on Saturday against Arsenal that Jon Flanagan had to come in for the injured Johnson. Flanagan is not a bad replacement but we need better quality in the side in all positions.
Hopefully Montoya can see the light and realise that a move away from Barcelona would be best for his future.
