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Luis Alberto is Liverpool FC’s new number six – but the flexible Spaniard doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed in any particular position.

Typically for a player who has plied his footballing trade in Barcelona’s B team and has been capped at Under-18, Under-19 and Under-21 level for Spain, Alberto says he is comfortable anywhere on the pitch from the penalty box forward.

“I can play in any number of positions from midfield all the way to up front,” said the 20-year-old.

“I don’t feel out of place anywhere and I’m comfortable out wide.

“On either right or left wing, through the middle, as a ‘false nine’... I can play in every position.”

It is that flexibility which brought Alberto to boss Brendan Rodgers’ attention as he bids to implement his own pliable formation to the Reds – that and the 11 goals and 17 assists he supplied in 38 appearances for Barcelona’s ‘B’ team after moving there on loan from Sevilla.

“The philosophy of the manager here of working with the ball a lot is similar to that of Barcelona,” he explained.

“But Barcelona have had the same style back from the days when Johann Cruyff was in charge.

“It requires a good number of years to develop that philosophy.

“The manager here is trying to implement a passing-type game with lots of movement involving players like Philippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling, and now Iago Aspas and me – there are lots of quality players here who show good movement.

“It took a while to establish this style of play because it does need time, but towards the end of the season it was working well and you could see it paying off with some decent results.”

Liverpool’s record with Spanish players has been good – with former favourite Luis Garcia’s name still chanted by the Reds fans at Deepdale on Saturday – but Alberto admits there is another Spanish star he would love to emulate at Anfield.

“It would be great to have the same success that Xabi Alonso enjoyed in his time here,” he said.

“For me not only is he an excellent player but also a real professional who you have to admire because it’s something to be proud of that we have players like that in Spain.”

Alberto, who played the second 45 minutes of Saturday’s 4-0 win over Preston at the weekend, is still acclimatising to the intensity of the training sessions at Anfield.

“I’m quite happy,” he said.

“I’ve arrived here from a different style league where there is a lower level of intensity and tempo but I’m getting used to things and so yes, I’m pretty pleased how it’s going.

“You can see the differences straight away in training – it is more intense and high tempo. You have to be in pretty good shape physically to be able to cope with the tempo over here.

“That’s what I’m focusing on currently, trying to get up to speed with the tempo of my team-mates.”

Shortly after inking his deal at Liverpool, manager Brendan Rodgers drew parallels between his arrival and that of Philippe Coutinho in January.

More pictures from LFC's 4-0 win over Preston: