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Sebastian Coates admits he may need to leave Liverpool FC in search of regular first-team football.

The Uruguayan centre-back has impressed with his dominant defensive displays during the tour of America but his future remains uncertain.

The Reds spent £20million on Southampton's Dejan Lovren and Coates also finds Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho ahead of him in the pecking order.

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The 23-year-old would love to stay and establish himself at Anfield after missing most of last season with a serious knee injury.

However, Coates, who has only made 24 appearances for the Reds since his £5million move from Nacional in 2011, doesn't want to be a peripheral figure.

“The tour has been great for me,” Coates told the ECHO.

“This pre-season is really important as I need to get as many minutes as I can.

“Last season was really difficult. I had a bad injury and after being out for so long it's great to be back fit.

“I try always to give my best and I know I need to improve more on the others years that I've been here.

“The manager is watching me closely, like he is with all the other players, and I need to keep performing well.

“It's good for the club to have signed a player like Lovren and it's good for me to have that kind of competition as you always learn from playing with good players.

“I would like to stay at Liverpool and play but that's not just down to me. It depends on the manager and the club. They will decide what happens.

“After being out for so long, I need to play. If I do stay I want to play more than I did in the other years.”

Coates insists the departure of his fellow countryman and close friend Luis Suarez to Barcelona will have no impact on his own future.

The big centre-back says it was tough for Suarez to cut his ties with Anfield but says he was simply following his dream.

“Just because Luis has gone that doesn't mean that I want to go,” Coates said.

“He's a different player and a different person. I must take care of my own future.

“I spoke to Luis recently and he is enjoying his time in Barcelona. We are still good friends. It's a great club for him. He always wanted to be there.

“I know it was really difficult for Luis to leave Liverpool as he enjoyed his time at the club. He was very grateful for the support he got but going to Barcelona was his dream.

“I think Liverpool will be able to cope. We still have other great players like Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho.”

Suarez will appear before the court of arbitration for sport in Switzerland later this week as he appeals against his four-month ban for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the World.

“I don't know what will happen but I hope it will be reduced so Luis can play sooner,” Coates added.