Wigan Athletic’s Maynor Figueroa “almost 90% certain” to join Liverpool
New Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson could be about to bring his search for a left-back to an end, with Wigan Athletic’s Maynor Figueroa reportedly on the verge of a move to Anfield.
The player’s agent Jean-Marc Goiran confirmed over the weekend that “a deal is almost in place with Liverpool, we are missing just a few details to confirm the signing”, while reports in Figueroa’s native Honduras claim that the 27-year-old – who played every minute of his country’s three matches at this summer’s World Cup – is “almost 90% certain” to join the Reds in the coming days.
The fee is believed to be in the region of £6million, and would make Figueroa the only recognised left back in Hodgson’s new look Liverpool squad, following the departure of Fabio Aurelio on a free transfer and Emiliano Insúa’s impending £5million switch to Fiorentina.
Youngster Stephen Darby is likely to fill the left back void in Thursday’s Europa League qualifying round clash with Macedonia’s FK Rabotnicki, but he is more comfortable on the right hand side, and so the need for a natural left sided player is obvious.
A powerful, solid defender with an eye for the spectacular, Figueroa has quickly become a mainstay at Wigan following his move from Honduran side Olimpia in January 2008.
After initially joining on a loan deal, he made his transfer permanent in December 2008, and played in all but three of Wigan’s Premier League games in the last two seasons, hitting the headlines for a free-kick goal from his own half in a 2-2 draw at Stoke City last December.
The reports from Honduras even claim that Figueroa’s Liverpool medical will be held later this week, with the player believed to be keen to remain settled in the north west of England, where his wife – a Honduran international handball player – attends the University of Manchester.
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