Tiago Ilori wants to fight for Liverpool first team place
Thursday 20 August 2015 09:45, UK
Liverpool defender Tiago Ilori wants to stay and fight for a place in the first team squad rather than go out on loan for a third consecutive season.
The Portugal U21 international joined the Reds for £7 million in 2013 from Sporting Lisbon but has spent the last two seasons on loan at Granada and Bordeaux.
However, he is keen to stay on Merseyside and win a place in Brendan Rodgers' plans for the new season.
"I want to play for Liverpool. I don't want to be in Liverpool just to be sitting around," the 22-year-old told the Liverpool Echo after playing a half for the U21 side in the 'mini-derby' against Everton on Wednesday.
"My objective is the same as every other player, we all want to play so everyone's going to fight for their place.
"I joined Liverpool two seasons ago to play for Liverpool, that is my No 1 objective so I'm going to do everything to make that happen."
An injury sustained at the European U21 Championship prevented Ilori from joining Liverpool's summer tour and the defender is desperate to make up for lost time.
"I haven't played for a few months so the most important thing for me was to get back into action," Ilori said.
"It was frustrating to get injured but at the same time I hadn't had a holiday for two years and you need some time off, so it came at the right time."
