We look into the career of Luis Alberto, once a hitherto unknown face roaming the grass at Melwood Training Ground, who’s now beginning to take on the world.

Luis Alberto - From Doubt in Liverpool to Deliverance in Lazio

In a city that is as passionate about football as Liverpool, it is virtually impossible for anyone involved in either of the two big sides to retain a degree of anonymity. And yet few would have taken notice of Luis Alberto as he walked the streets in the summer of 2013 even though he had just been announced as a new Liverpool player.

Not that there wasn’t any debate about his transfer. At best, his was another name to be added to the list of those bought on the basis of the statistics he registered rather than his abilities. For those of a less charitable disposition, he was a sign of how much Liverpool had fallen; going for an unknown whilst others were throwing around millions to get proven quality.

The deal taking Alberto to Liverpool was a convoluted one. He had just spent the previous season playing for Barcelona’s B team in the Secunda Liga, impressing both with his ability to score goals and the talent to bridge the midfield with attack. Under normal circumstances it is unlikely that Barca would have allowed a player as promising as him leave.