Liverpool’s forgotten man Arroyo hasn’t played once in six seasons since joining
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Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have had far more transfer successes than failures. But there have been some players who have had peculiar and in some cases downright unfortunate Anfield careers – none more so than the club’s forgotten man Anderson Arroyo.
Arroyo is a Colombian defender capable of playing at centre-back or as a right-back. He joined Liverpool in February 2018, a little over two years after Klopp’s arrival. The Reds signed him from Fortaleza CEIF, a club in his home country, after watching him impress at the U20s South American Youth Championship.
He arrived in England as a teenager, just 18 years old, with significant potential and it was hoped he might blossom into a player capable of making an impact in the Reds’ first team in the future. But this is now the sixth season since he joined Liverpool – and still he has never made an appearance for the club.
That’s despite the fact Klopp has dished out 86 debuts in his eight years in charge. Arroyo, 24, has never even made a match-day squad for a competitive fixture.
Upon joining almost six years ago, he was immediately sent out on loan to RCD Mallorca – initially for 18 months – and made a handful of appearances for their B team in Spain’s third tier without ever representing the senior side in the division above. His loan was then cut short in the summer of 2018 and he has been perennially on loan ever since.
After a few months in Mallorca, his loan was cut short. He headed to Gent for the 2018-19 campaign, the same one Liverpool won the Champions League, where he linked up with Taiwo Awoniyi. The Nigerian, now tearing it up with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, was then on Liverpool books but like Arroyo was only a loanee.
How differently things have gone for the duo. Arroyo never played for the Belgians while Awoniyi made 22 appearances, scoring three goals. He now has 14 Premier League goals in 37 appearances for Forest after a successful spell in Germany.
By contrast, since 2018-19, the little-seen Arroyo has had loans with FK Mlada Boleslav (Czech First League), Salamanca (Spanish Segunda Division B), Mirandes (Spanish Segunda Division), Deportivo Alaves (Spanish Segunda Division) and FC Andorra (Spanish Segunda Division).
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Despite having helped Alaves win the playoffs last season, the Colombian – now 24 – returned to the Spanish second tier for a third consecutive year, with a third different club, as he joined Gerard Pique-owned FC Andorra in the summer. Strangely, before the move, he signed a new contract which ties him down at Liverpool until 2025.
So why has he never played for the club? Because of work permit issues. The same which denied Liverpool from ever utilising Awoniyi’s talents. The powerhouse striker had to spend time with Mainz and Union Berlin in Germany’s Bundesliga before he was permitted to play in England.
He is not even listed as a first-team player on the club’s official website – despite being 24. He is still listed as an academy player. But sadly, unlike the likes of Jarell Quansah, James McConnell and Luke Chambers recently, it seems he will never step foot on the pitch at Anfield. At least not as a Liverpool player.
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