Marcos Llorente to Liverpool: We take a look at the rumour and a case of mistranslation

It’s very likely that at some point today you will read that Liverpool are keen to sign Marcos Llorente from Atlético Madrid.

The Spanish midfielder, who Liverpool fans will remember as the man who essentially knocked them out of the Champions League last season in that stunning game at Anfield, is currently shining for Diego Simeone’s side both home and abroad.

Naturally, his performances have not gone unnoticed, particularly as the once defensive midfielder has suddenly turned into a goalscoring, and creating, star.

His performances are getting plenty of attention and this week has seen him earning plenty of publicity with a few interviews in Spanish newspapers and magazines.

Embed from Getty Images

That’s also seen his agent Julio Llorente, who also happens to be his uncle, being questioned on various topics, including an interview with Cadena Ser today about his client.

During this interview, the topic of a transfer was brought up, and the agent revealed some behind the scenes information.

“I have received many calls since Anfield for Marcos Llorente,” he told the radio station.

“Marcos and I have always talked about this, and he wants to stay, so there is not much else to do. The last call I received was in May, and it was not from Spain.”

Now, these comments have been picked up on as his agent confirming interest from Liverpool, with some translating the sentence ‘He recibido muchísimas llamadas desde Anfield por Marcos Llorente’ as “I have received many calls from Anfield for Marcos Llorente.” 

However, ‘desde’ in Spanish can mean either ‘from’ or ‘since’ depending on the context and we believe there’s been something of a mistranslation in some quarters.

You see, his star performance at Anfield in March is often referenced in Spain, with many considering it something of a turning point or rebirth for the player.

Every time he does well or puts in a particularly impressive display that game is mentioned and his agent seems to be referencing it again here in terms of the calls flooding in following that game.

Of course, that’s not going to stop the rumour mill churning something out, but if you do happen to see this rumour in the coming days, you now know it’s not quite as clear cut as the headlines will undoubtedly make it look.