HULL, ENGLAND - Sunday, December 1, 2013: Liverpool's substitute's bench Joe Allen, Daniel Agger, Mamadou Sakho, Philippe Coutinho Correia, Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto before the Premiership match against Hull City at the KC Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Former Red concedes to a “wasted couple of years” at Liverpool

Liverpool would never see the best of Luis Alberto, a player who has since gone on to greater heights in Lazio’s midfield but he reflects on his experience at Anfield as a mixed one.

With just 12 appearances to his name as a Red, all of which came in his first season on the books in 2013/14, it was a muted and short-lived career at Liverpool for Alberto.

Loan spells with Malaga and Deportivo preceded Jurgen Klopp‘s arrival but while hope lingered over turning over a fresh page under the German, he would ultimately be sold to Lazio in 2016.

Alberto flourished with his switch to Serie A and now 29, is unrecognisable from the lanky midfielder who bid farewell to the club more than five years ago.

In 184 total appearances for the Italian side, Alberto has 36 goals and 51 assists to his name with the significance of his contribution not lost on his team after quickly becoming an ever-present.

And when reflecting on his time with Liverpool with Rivista Undici, as quoted by Okcalciomercato, Alberto admits to a “wasted couple of years” having not been ready when he moved to Liverpool as a 20-year-old.

“When such a team calls you, you can’t say no,” he explained.

OSLO, NORWAY - Wednesday, August 7, 2013: Liverpool's Luis Alberto in action against Valerenga during a preseason friendly match at the Ullevaal Stadion. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“In a short time, I had gone from the Spanish Serie B to a team that could win the Premier [League], with players like Gerrard, Suarez or Sturridge.

“I had moved on to a completely different football, I realised that beyond the technical quality I had to raise the level of many other things.

“Of course, it’s true; it would certainly have gone differently if they had called me at another time, but there are those who throw away fifteen years of their career, after all, I have only wasted a couple of years.”

It could be classified as a ‘what if?’ for all parties but with success coming the way of Liverpool and Alberto in the years after his departure there can be no regrets for what would unfold.

And Alberto’s words convey just that as instead of being left to wait for it all to click year after year, the Spaniard was able to shine on a different stage without too much delay during what were the formative years of his career.