Football
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Liverpool agree Alberto Moreno deal

Liverpool have agreed a deal in principle to make Alberto Moreno their eighth summer signing, in a deal worth a reported 12 million pounds.

- Emery: Sevilla can cope without Moreno

The news came after the left-back was pulled out of Sevilla's squad for Tuesday's UEFA Super Cup final defeat to Real Madrid.

Rodgers did consider other options, including Ben Davies, who instead moved from Swansea to Tottenham, and Ryan Bertrand, who went from Chelsea to Southampton on loan.

But it is Moreno who is set to become Liverpool's eighth signing of a busy summer, following the arrivals of Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren from Southampton, Divock Origi from Lille, Emre Can from Bayer Leverkusen, Lazar Markovic from Benfica and Javier Manquillo on loan from Atletico Madrid.

Sevilla had so far dug their heels in over the transfer by demanding 20 million pounds for the player and even issued an ultimatum earlier this week that Liverpool must pay full price or move on.

However, a compromise has now been reached following talks in Cardiff between Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre and Sevilla officials on Tuesday.

Rodgers has been looking to sign a left-back despite the return to fitness of Jose Enrique, who missed the final six months of last season with a knee problem.

Enrique played through the early weeks of last season with the problem, but managed only 29 minutes of first-team football after Oct. 5 and nothing at all after Nov. 9.

Aly Cissokho failed to make the position his own during a season's loan from Valencia, and right-back Jon Flanagan moved across to become Enrique's regular standing in over the second half of the campaign.

Moreno has played three times for Spain but just missed out on their final squad for the recent World Cup in Brazil. The 22-year-old capped a successful domestic season by helping Sevilla to win the Europa League, as they beat Benfica on penalties in Turin in May.

The capture of Moreno is also set to see Liverpool defender Martin Kelly free to leave for Crystal Palace for 1.5 million pounds.

Liverpool have agreed a 2 million-pound deal with Palace for 24-year-old right-back Kelly, who has struggled to recapture his best form since suffering cruciate knee ligament damage in September 2012.

ESPN FC's Mike Whalley contributed to this report.

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